Message from the Department Head

The field of special needs child development has advanced rapidly over the past two decades following the establishment of many therapeutic frameworks designed for these children who need specially designed care. In addition to medicine, various professions are now involved in the treatment of children with developmental disabilities: speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and therapists from associated disciplines such as psychology and social work. With the growth of this field, the need arose for senior professionals who could enhance the multiprofessional services provided to these children and their families.

Our MA program is aimed at broadening the understanding of all professionals who care for children with special needs in order to meet this need for a multi-disciplinary approach.  

Prof. Asher Ornoy, MD
Head of Department
asheror@jmc.ac.il

Areas of activity

The graduate program in “Development of Children with Special Needs” was opened in order to meet this need and provide the requisite knowledge for the development and management of multiprofessional care in this field. The program is unique in that it deals with the development of special needs children from birth until age 18.

The curriculum provides a broad view of all of the fields related to the diagnosis and therapy of children with developmental disorders. Hence, the program prepares its graduates for management positions in various units that deal with the diagnosis and care of special needs children. Moreover, students gain the ability to advise parents, who play an integral role in the care of their special needs child. Graduates of the program are better equipped to further the expertise of all of the professionals involved through staff meetings and training. The program’s broad perspective also enables students to plan and carry out multiprofessional research in the field of special needs child development, an area in which most studies are of a multidisciplinary nature.

The department is headed by Prof. Asher Ornoy, founder of the Department of Child Development and Rehabilitation at Israel’s Ministry of Health and its director for some 20 years. In this capacity he made a critical contribution to the entire statewide developmental care system, set major policies in the field during his tenure, and initiated legislation and the formulation of regulations regarding the provision of these services.

Career Opportunities

Almost all students are already working on the diagnosis and treatment of children with neurodevelopmental problems and continue to work during their studies. Upon graduation they can expect promotion managerial positions, generally as team directors or directors of developmental units that manage interdisciplinary teams. Some perform neurodevelopmental research.

What’s New?

All 41 students who participated in the first cohort successfully completed their studies in October 2024. The average grade was 90.