If your child has special needs, you understand how difficult it can be to find a care provider who can meet your child's needs. Below are three things to look for in a child care center and how they can help you decide whether they can adequately meet your child's needs.
Understanding
One of the biggest things that parents with special needs children deal with is lack of understanding from the community around them. When looking for a child care center, it's important that you find the understanding and support you and your child will need.
This understanding goes beyond knowledge of your child's specific needs – it includes the patience and compassion that is required to care for a child with special needs. Finding a care provider for your child who takes the time to understand them can make a huge difference in their development and social growth.
Experience
While it's not necessary that the child care providers have experience with your child's exact needs, past experience dealing with special needs children and their integration into a classroom is a big plus.
The best ways to determine experience are asking for referrals and observing. If the child care center has experience with special needs, they may be able to offer referrals to current or previous parents who can better explain how their child did in the program. Observation can help you to see how the teachers interact with each student, especially those with special needs, and whether they have the patience and other requirements needed to care for your child.
Reasonable Expectations
You know your child best, which is why the child care center you choose should respect your wishes and not push your child too hard or hold them back too much.
Each child, regardless of their needs, is different when it comes to development. You need to find a provider who will apply the same expectations you have of your child at home while they're at the care center. Consistency is key, and it's important for the continued development of your child.
Many child care centers can provide for the special needs of your child, even if they aren't designated special needs. When considering a child care center, be sure that there is understanding, patience, experience in dealing with high needs children, and reasonable expectations for your child. With all of these in place, your child can blossom, regardless of the setting. For more information on this and other child care issues, contact a professional like Old Dominion Day School Inc.
Share12 June 2015
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