Dubai Autism Association obtains official international recognition for its program “AFP” from the “QABA” Council

The Dubai Autism Center announced that the Autism-Friendly Environment Program (AFP), which it launched in 2022, has received official international recognition by the International Accreditation Council for Applied Behavior Analysis (QABA), in a qualitative step that reflects the program’s maturity and its transition to a global level in terms of professional and scientific standards, and strengthens Dubai’s position as a regional center of excellence in the field of community inclusion and social sustainability.

This international recognition comes within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Dubai Autism Center and the QABA International Council, which stipulates the establishment of an international partnership in support of the Autism-Friendly Environment Programme, aiming to support and develop the program in accordance with international best practices, by aligning the standards for creating environments with the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), ensuring the preparation of more comprehensive environments and availability for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

On this occasion, Director General of the Dubai Autism Center, Mohammed Al Emadi, stressed that international recognition constitutes a strategic milestone in the program’s journey, saying: “The international recognition from the QABA International Council reflects the strength of the scientific framework on which the program is based, and confirms its compatibility with global standards in applied behavior analysis, which enhances the confidence of local and international institutions, and opens the way for expanding the scope of the program’s application at the regional and global levels.”

He added: “The Dubai Autism Center, through the Autism-Friendly Environment Programme, which it launched in September 2022, continues to lead the process of integrating people of determination with autism into society, by supporting accessibility and enhancing full benefit from the services provided by public and private institutions. To date, 29 entities in the Emirate of Dubai have been accredited as autism-friendly destinations, which constituted a qualitative push to raise the readiness of institutions and provide services that take into account the sensory and behavioral needs of this group, and contribute to improving their daily experience within the work and educational environments.” And service.”

For his part, Dr. Muhammad Al-Mutairi, a member of the Board of Directors of the International Accreditation Council for Applied Behavior Analysis (QABA), said: “The accreditation of the Autism-Friendly Environment Program reflects an advanced level of integration between environmental standards and the principles of applied behavior analysis. During the review and evaluation process, we noticed a high commitment to scientific standards, and we see this program as a pioneering model that can be built upon to develop new global frameworks that serve individuals with autism spectrum disorder.”

Dr. Al-Mutairi added: “The partnership supports the integration of the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) into the program standards, by making the 40-hour ABAT program available to workers in the participating entities, with the aim of raising the level of professional knowledge, enhancing understanding of the behavioral and interactive needs of individuals with autism, and linking environmental preparation to internationally recognized scientific foundations.”

Dr. Al-Mutairi stressed that the partnership with the Dubai Autism Center represents a qualitative addition to QABA’s efforts in expanding the scope of the application of applied behavior analysis to include community settings, in addition to traditional therapeutic and training aspects.

This international recognition aims to establish the Autism-Friendly Environment Program as a global professional reference in preparing supportive environments, and to enhance its accreditation within internationally recognized training and professional development programs, including the calculation of continuing education hours (CEUs), in addition to expanding the scope of research cooperation and implementing joint international evaluations and reviews.

The Dubai Autism Center, in cooperation with the QABA International Council, continues to work on developing the program in a way that contributes to consolidating Dubai’s position as a regional and global center of excellence in applying international standards for community inclusion and social sustainability.

It is noteworthy that the Dubai Autism Center was established in 2001 as the first non-profit Emirati institution concerned with providing integrated advisory, educational and therapeutic services specialized in the field of autism spectrum disorder. One of the center’s main goals is to contribute to making the emirate a leading center in the world in the field of providing special education programs and specialized rehabilitative therapeutic services approved for people diagnosed with autism, in line with the goals of the Dubai Agenda. Social 33 in making Dubai the most effective social system by being proactive in protecting, caring for and empowering different segments of society.

It is noteworthy that autism is one of the most common developmental disorders and appears specifically during the first three years of a child’s life and accompanies the sufferer throughout the stages of his life. Autism affects the individual’s communicative and social abilities, which leads to his isolation from those around him. Most international studies indicate the rapid growth of this disorder, as the percentage of people infected with it is estimated, based on a recently issued report by the Center for Disease Control in the United States (CDC), at one infection for every 31 children, with the prevalence rate being similar in most countries of the world.