If I think a child in my care has special needs I will :-
- Keep notes of any observations I make
- Share this information with the parent at the earliest opportunity. This discussion will be at a time when we can discuss the matter in private.
- Offer the parents as much support as possible, and help them to find the right agencies needed to support them.
- Take the parents feelings into consideration, and understand their reaction, which may be negative. ( As a parent of a child who has a learning difficulty, I hope I will be able to understand their feelings and their anxieties.)
- Speak to my EYDCP and ask for advice.
- Ensure that all observations and discussions are kept confidential by not discussing anything with any other person without the permission of the parent concerned
I will provide for a child with special needs as far as is reasonable within the environment of a private residence.
If I do care for a child who has special needs I will:-
- Value and acknowledge the child as an individual and help them to feel good about themselves.
- Discuss with the parents the child’s routine, likes and dislikes.
- Adapt activities to enable the child with special needs to take part when ever possible.
- Find out what special equipment the child will need and where I can get this from.
- Take children out to the park, shops etc.
- Consider the logistics of taking the children out if the child is physically disabled and needs a wheelchair, or if the child has a learning disability that makes them hyperactive or unpredictable in their behaviour.
- Consider any risk factors involved in the care of the child. These will vary with the particular type of special needs. A physically disabled child may need help in getting around the house without causing themselves injury. A child with some form of mental/learning disability may display unpredictable behaviour which may cause them to hurt themselves or other children.
- Encourage them to develop their independence and help them to feel more confident.
- Discuss with the parents about the other agencies involved in the child’s care, and ask about any special equipment the child uses or needs and how this can be obtained.
- Ask the parents for any advice and information they can supply on their child’s needs.
I will ensure that there is somewhere private for the special needs child to go if the need arises. This may be just by keeping the other children away from the bathroom, or the child could have access to one of the rooms where the other children do not go.