The Independent Learning Center (ILC), with locations in both Jeddah and Riyadh, has successfully fulfilled the requirements to earn the designation of Down Syndrome Center of Excellence™ (DSCE), granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This milestone makes ILC the first organization in the world to achieve this recognition.
The Down Syndrome Center of Excellence™ designation recognizes organizations whose staff have completed specialized training in Down syndrome and met certification requirements to support positive outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome. By achieving this designation, ILC demonstrates its commitment to providing inclusive, compassionate, and effective care for children with Down syndrome and their families.
“With this achievement, we are proud to continue our mission of empowering children of all abilities, while ensuring our staff and facilities meet the highest standards of inclusivity and specialized care,” says Faiza Abdulaziz, owner of the Independent Learning Center. “Becoming a Down Syndrome Center of Excellence™ is not just a milestone, but also a promise to families that we are here to provide the best support possible and to be leaders in advocating for children with Down syndrome across Saudi Arabia.”
As part of the certification process, ILC staff completed in-depth training through IBCCES focusing on Down syndrome awareness, communication techniques, and evidence-based best practices to better serve individuals and their families.
ILC offers a wide array of services including speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral intervention, and feeding therapy. Both centers provide sensory-friendly spaces and creative therapies such as art and play therapy, designed to support emotional expression and holistic development for children with diverse needs.
“IBCCES congratulates the Independent Learning Center for this important achievement and for setting a new benchmark for inclusive care in Saudi Arabia,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES CEO and board chairman. “Their dedication to supporting children with Down syndrome through specialized programs and professional training reflects the global mission of IBCCES to promote awareness, inclusivity, and best practices worldwide.”
To support broader accessibility, all our certified partners are featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, a free digital resource connecting users to certified inclusive locations worldwide. The app provides access to venue details, sensory accommodations, contact information, and hours of operation—empowering individuals and families to navigate public spaces with greater confidence.
IBCCES has been the global leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for over 20 years, working with professionals across healthcare, education, and hospitality. As demand grows for more inclusive travel experiences, IBCCES continues to set the global standard, offering training led by subject-matter experts and self-advocates within the autistic community.
IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibiltyCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met certification requirements.
About the Independent Learning Center
The Independent Learning Center, with branches in Jeddah and Riyadh, supports children with special needs through tailored therapy and education. The center specializes in working with children who have Down syndrome, autism, sensory processing challenges, and other learning differences. With a team of experienced therapists and educators, ILC provides speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral intervention, and feeding therapy in nurturing, sensory-friendly environments. The center also incorporates innovative approaches like art therapy to foster emotional expression and social growth. Through their mission-driven work, ILC aims to promote inclusion, independence, and awareness across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.
In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.
IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.
