Benidorm approves the bases for the continuity of the early care service for premature children or children with special needs

The Local Government Board of Benidorm City Council has approved the regulatory bases to guarantee continuity during the year 2024 of the early care service for premature children or children with special needs, which is provided at the La Torreta Social Center. The proposal, raised by the Councilor for Social Welfare, Ángela Zaragozí, includes the conditions for the granting of a single subsidy to associations or non-profit entities in the city to manage the provision of such service, for a maximum amount of 280,000 euros. , financed by the Department of Equality and Inclusive Policies.

Ángela Zaragozí explained that early care is the set of operations aimed at the population from 0 to 6 years old, the family and the environment, which aim to respond, quickly and effectively, to the permanent or temporary needs that children present in their development or who are at risk of suffering from them. The actions are planned by a team of professionals with training in Psychology, Speech Therapy and Physiotherapy, in addition to being specifically qualified in child development and Early Care.

 Benidorm City Council pioneered the public provision of this service in 2010 and since 2018 it has also received funding from the Generalitat Valenciana, as the Councilor for Social Welfare recalled. In addition, the councillor has highlighted that the approval of these bases now aims to “guarantee the correct functioning of the service during the 2024 financial year without any interruption in the treatments that are being carried out that could harm the proper development of the minors cared for". 

The Early Care Service of Benidorm City Council is provided at La Torreta Social Center, from Monday to Friday, between 9 in the morning and 6 in the afternoon, and for 220 days a year, carrying out a minimum of 5,800 annual sessions with these minors, under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare. Among the personnel available for its provision the bases include, at least, a director psychologist; a support psychologist; two stimulators; a physiotherapist and up to two speech therapists, all of them with specific training in early care.