SOS Children's Village Khajuri Kalan, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, opened in April 2006 to accommodate children with special needs. India currently has inadequate facilities for special needs children, and SOS Children's Village is seen as an exemplary model in this field. The care offered is all-encompassing and integrative: the SOS families are smaller than in conventional SOS Children's Villages, and SOS mothers - who have completed one and a half years of intensive training - are assisted by an additional caregiver.
All areas in every one of the twelve family houses are fully accessible and special needs friendly. In order to guarantee that the children receive individual attention, qualified caregivers offer children physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and kinesiotherapy in openly-built facilities. There is an SOS Medical Centre on site which includes an outpatient clinic which offers care to children from the neighbouring areas.
Presently, SOS Children's Village Khajuri Kalan cares for 68 children in the twelve family houses. The National Trust, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, instituted this annual award in 2003, which is given to organisations taking action for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or other disabilities.
Last year, the Indian government bestowed the National Award for Child Welfare to SOS Children's Villages of India. In 1998, SOS Children's Village Cochin won the National Award for Child Welfare.