Facing the challenges of children and youth with special abilities and needs on the fringes of Omani society

Adequate services for people with special abilities and needs are very limited and are yet to be developed in the Sultanate of Oman. They are mostly located in urban centers and, therefore, out of reach for the majority of people with special abilities and needs, given the fact that there is a high prevalence of disabilities in rural areas due to intermarriage. This lack of attention to the situation of children with special abilities and needs raises serious questions for the government and local authorities as to the nature of their responsibilities for disadvantaged children, youth, and adults. The aims of this descriptive study are twofold: to outline the beliefs, reactions, and coping strategies adopted by caretakers and professionals within support services; and to depict the conditions and characteristics of the social support system. The available information published mostly in Arabic is complemented by the views and experiences of professionals working in various organizations. The findings show that systematic monitoring of the prevalence of various disabilities in the community is critical and closely linked to the need for development of more adequate services. In addition, it shows that awareness of the rights of children, youth, and adults with special abilities and needs must be improved in order to counter stigma-related discrimination and to assure access of people to special needs services. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.