Expanding Early Intervention for Families in India: Ummeed and Baby Ubuntu

In 2024, Ummeed Child Development Centre partnered with Baby Ubuntu to expand early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities. Ummeed, meaning ‘hope’, was founded in 2001 by Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy, one of India’s first developmental paediatricians, as a not-for-profit organization with the vision of helping children with and at risk of developmental disabilities reach their full potential and be included in society.

Through its main clinic in Mumbai and regional programmes across India, Ummeed provides direct services, training, and capacity building for health and community workers. The Baby Ubuntu programme, integrated into Ummeed’s model is now being piloted in two diverse Indian states in partnership with local governments. Groups are co-facilitated by trained health workers and expert parents, bringing together professional expertise and lived experience to create a uniquely supportive environment.

Co-design with parents revealed unexpected programme elements that resonated with families, such as icebreakers in each module, highlighting the importance of listening to families and incorporating their perspectives into every session. These insights ensure that the programme is not just clinically sound, but also engaging and relatable for families.

“These group sessions have given encouragement, hope and emotionally lift us up when feeling low, knowing that things won’t always be the same and even if it won’t change completely, it will be better in the future,” shared a caregiver in India.

By integrating Baby Ubuntu into its community services, Ummeed is bringing vital early intervention closer to children with disabilities and their families, offering guidance, support, and hope where it is needed most.