GPA is one of the centers of the Child Development Institute (CDI) under the Ilia State University that works with children with special needs under age of seven. The mission of the Institute is to support the development and social integration of children and adolescents and assist them in transition to independent living by generating multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and exploring experiences. GPA provides the children with individual sessions as well as group classes, where around 100 kids of various age groups are engaged. The center uses different modules, such as physical and sensor, and board games to make children’s experience more memorable. See more about the Institute here: https://cdi.iliauni.edu.ge/eng#none.   

The main objectives of the Institute are:
• Evaluate children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and provide them with rehabilitation services;
• Support early development by engaging children with special needs or those belonging to risk groups in individual/group activities designed for child development, promote the role of parents/guardians in developing children’s skills;
• Assist young people with special needs to develop work skills;

• Promote inclusive education at all levels through educational and research activities;
• Contribute to professional development by providing educational opportunities for adults, including internships for students, training of future practitioners and capacity building of personnel through training and supervision;
• Protect the interests of the beneficiaries of the Institute centers and programmes;
• Explore new approaches, methods and practices, including a behavioural and emotional development programme, information technologies, hippotherapy, sensory integration therapy, speech and language therapy, examine conditions for their applicability as well as possibilities for their use in Georgia;
• Cooperate with the different faculties, institutes and centers of the University in the field of educational and research activity.