The Access to IT project, launched earlier this month by schools minister Stephen Twigg and broadcaster Mary Nightingale at the NCH's Warren Park Children's Centre in Kingston, Surrey, is being supported by AOL UK, BAe Systems, BT, Cable and Wireless, Hewlett Packard and Microsoft.
The three main projects - two in London and one in Coventry - will work with refugee and disabled children and those leaving care, while there will be two 'moveable' projects in south London to help young carers.
Simon Burne, NCH's director of marketing and fundraising, said, 'The project for disabled children will concentrate on providing the software that can stimulate their senses, help their hand-eye coordination and make music.'
Mr Burne said he hoped the Government would view the pilots favourably and want to provide financial backing to roll out the programme nationally.
'Our long-term objective must be to make this software available to the 100,000 severely disabled children in the UK. Equally it is estimated that there are around 60,000 refugee children in this country and we would like this model extended to them too,' he added.
Mr Burne said the IT project for refugee children would be partly internet-based and would enable them to make contact with support groups and develop their language skills. Almost all the care leavers' project will involve the internet, giving them information about their rights and where they can access continuing help and support.
