The municipality of Ontinyent has completed the works on the first therapeutic centre for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Central Regions, a space driven by the City Council in collaboration with the Inclou-TEA association and funded with €400,000 from the Valencia Diputación.
Ontinyent now has the first therapeutic centre for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Valencian Central Regions. The facilities, located on Gaspar Blai Albuixech Street, open their doors following an investment of nearly half a million euros, of which €400,000 has been provided by the Valencia Diputación.
The mayor of Ontinyent, Jorge Rodríguez, visited the facilities this Friday alongside the first vice president of the Diputación, Natàlia Enguix, and highlighted that the opening represents “a giant step” in the care for people with ASD. Rodríguez emphasised Enguix's role in securing the provincial funds.
The full council of the Ontinyent City Council approved this week the transfer of the space to the Inclou-TEA association, a procedure that, according to the mayor, “allows us to fulfil the motto we often boast about, which is to be a city that cares, a city that leaves no one behind.”
Without any doubt, we are talking about the creation of a resource that does not exist in towns near our city, which has been claimed for many years by Inclou-TEA and has forced families to travel to other cities to receive a service that our city will now be able to offer,” the mayor stated.
The new centre will not only benefit the residents of Ontinyent but also the entire region, as until now families had to travel to other localities to receive this type of specialised care.
Natàlia Enguix expressed her satisfaction “for being able to visit a centre that has received a contribution of €400,000 from the provincial institution” and highlighted that this aid “has made it possible for this centre to become a reality.” The vice president added that “working for your town and ensuring that the families and children of Ontinyent have a better life is a great joy.”
The councillor for People’s Policy, Paula Soler, explained that the launch of the centre is the result of “many years of joint work” between the City Council and the association, which has drafted the overall social intervention project. Soler stressed the importance of having a centre “adapted, of quality, and pioneering in the Valencian Central Regions” for children with ASD and their families.
The president of Inclou-TEA, Núria Cantavella, described the facilities as “impressive” and highlighted the qualitative leap it represents for the association and families. Cantavella emphasised that the new centre will allow for the continued expansion of services and resources available to families, depending on the possibilities and the incorporation of new equipment. “I believe that a service will be provided and, above all, attention to families,” she concluded.
The Inclou-TEA therapeutic centre occupies an area of 387 square metres and has spaces adapted to the needs of people with ASD. The equipment includes an access hall, four offices, four workshop classrooms (one of which is audiovisual), a multipurpose room, changing rooms, four bathrooms, two storage rooms, and a kitchen equipped for workshops, as well as spaces dedicated to the development of personal autonomy and a sensory classroom.
Care will be multidisciplinary and will include specialties such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, neuropsychology, and therapeutic pedagogy. The centre will have a staff of five people, including a director and four educators and monitors, and will have a maximum capacity of 50 places.
This new resource responds to a long-standing demand from Inclou-TEA, which has advocated for a space of these characteristics in the region for years. Families from Ontinyent and nearby municipalities will no longer have to travel to other cities to access specialised therapies, which represents both an economic and emotional relief.
The opening of the centre is part of the Ontinyent City Council's strategy to become a “caring city,” as the mayor reminded during the visit. The collaboration between the local administration and the association has been key to making this project a reality, which now begins a new phase with the transfer of the space and the launch of services.
Families interested in accessing the services of the centre can contact Inclou-TEA through the usual channels of the association. The expectation is that care will begin progressively as the incorporation of staff is completed and intervention protocols are adjusted.
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