Dubai:The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai has announced today (Monday, November 23, 2020) that the centers for people of determination are now given the permission to resume classroom-based services provided they meet all the protocols required by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai. The announcement was made following the CDA’s official visit to the Dubai Center for Special Needs (DCSN) during its reopening which took place on the same day. 
A total of 10 centers providing classroom-based services for people of determination have prepared their facilities to meet the government’s protocols. Five of them have met the requirements and given the permission to reopen their facilities while the remaining others continue to enhance their precautionary measures to meet the requirements and be able to reopen again. All the centers will be regularly monitored by a dedicated inspection team to ensure compliance to the protocols setup by CDA. 

In collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority, CDA conducted the COVID-19 testing at the Dubai Center for Special Needs venue for all the staff of the various centers, which have the facility that can provide classroom-based services for people of determination. A total of 314 staff received complementary testing prior to the opening to ensure the safety of the service provision. It also collaborated with the Dubai Municipality for the inspections of the centers so that they meet all the protocols. 

Dr. Omar Al Muthanna, CEO – Licensing & Monitoring Sector, CDA, said: “CDA has a high priority for the safety of the children and our team worked tremendously on developing the protocols to ensure safety of them. CDA in collaboration with Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai enabled the approved protocols set for reopening of Classroom based services in Dubai. We have dispatched a team of experts who worked closely with the centers in implementing these protocols. With high compliance of protocols we are sure that we will have a swift return to the normal situation soon.” 

He further emphasized: “CDA ensures that all precautionary and safety measures are being implemented in all relevant centers and that the specifications and standards of the ‘Protocols for the Reopening of classroom-based services in Dubai’ are followed. We also extend our support to the centers to ensure that they meet all the necessary standards for smooth and safe operations.” 

CDA has resumed the services in a gradual phase, with the first phase of the reopening allowing only the one-on-one services for psychological services and special education services following strict measures. During the second phase, the same services were allowed with the addition of the early intervention services and home care for the elderly and people of determination. The third phase saw the reopening of centers with the classroom-based services which also marks reopening of all social care services for people of determination and vulnerable individuals.