Parents, educators and disability advocates have called on the Federal Government to urgently fund inclusive schools, expand access to therapy services and strengthen policies protecting children with special needs across the country.

The call was made at the 2026 Special Educational Needs and Therapy Empowerment Conference and Trade Fair held in Lagos. The event, organised by SENTE, had the theme, “Preparing for Adulthood: Empowering Caregivers and Families.”

Chair of the SENTE Organising Committee, Dr Mudi Nwachukwu, said inadequate funding and weak implementation of disability-friendly policies remain major obstacles confronting families.

“Funding, funding, funding, I cannot say it enough. We need the money to build institutions where people can get the help they need. Therapy is not cheap, yet many parents are left to source funds on their own,” she said.

Nwachukwu, who runs an educational support service for children with learning challenges, said her advocacy journey began after interacting with parents who lacked guidance and professional support.

“In running the service, I met many parents and realised there was nothing for them in terms of support. They were stigmatised. They had no one to talk to and didn’t know where to get help or resources,” she said.

Advertisement

She decried the uneven distribution of therapy services nationwide, noting that some states lack basic services such as speech therapy.

“I spoke to someone who said there was no speech therapy in their state. Imagine the despair of parents in such places. The work is still heavy; there is so much to be done,” she added.

Nwachukwu also stressed the need for enforceable anti-discrimination laws to protect children and their families.

“There are families that taxis refuse to carry because they have a child with special needs. Policies must make people take notice, if not from the goodness of their hearts, then from the fear of breaking the law,” she said.

Also speaking, President of the Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria, Mr Yinka Ogunnubi, said stigma continues to silence many families.

“This issue affects a lot of parents. Because of stigma, many cases are not spoken about. Some children are locked up at home. Some are taken to spiritual centres to ‘cast out demons.’ Some are maltreated,” he said.

Advertisement

Ogunnubi called for deliberate government intervention to strengthen inclusive education nationwide.

“If we can make the government realise that there are many children on the spectrum, not just autism, but Down syndrome, dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions, then we have a strong case for funding inclusive schools,” he said.

Founder of Cradle Lounge Special Needs Initiative, Mrs Solape Azazi, said discussions must extend beyond early intervention to long-term planning for adulthood.

“An autistic five-year-old will grow up to become an autistic 20-year-old. What preparation have you made for adulthood? What financial plans are in place? What structures will support that child when the parents are no longer there?” she queried.

Azazi cautioned against relying solely on spiritual solutions at the expense of professional intervention.

“There is a place for prayer, but there is also a place for intervention. When we spiritualise an issue that requires structured support, we do the child a disservice,” she said.

Advertisement

In a session on life skills, the founder of Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation, Ms Tobiloba Ajayi, urged parents not to define children by their diagnoses.

“You stop seeing the child and all you see is the diagnosis, autism, cerebral palsy, ADHD. My parents consistently reminded me that I was not my diagnosis. An explanation is different from an excuse,” she said.

 

A journalist and disability advocate, Chinyere Ogidi, advised parents to pay attention to their children’s strengths and interests.

“Notice their patterns. What do they enjoy? Build on that foundation. When children are supported at home, teachers can build on that and help them thrive,” she said.

Participants agreed that while progress has been recorded in some states, particularly Lagos, a coordinated national response involving funding, policy reform, inclusive education and accessible therapy services is urgently needed to ensure children with special needs are empowered to thrive into adulthood.