How to choose the best special needs child care in Australia?

For many of us who are working, managing work and home can be tedious. And it becomes a serious concern when we have to leave our little ones due to work.

For every parent choosing the right child care involves a lot of thought processes since you are leaving your most precious with a stranger. But it becomes even more challenging when your child has special needs.

When you are looking for a carer when your child is specially abled then you have to be extra cautious and careful.

I understand the concerns are genuine due to emotional reasons but it doesn’t have to be that way. The reason is that childcare can help your child nurture and enhance his skills. It can help them boost their skills, their self confidence and self esteem

With so many children around in the daycare, it can be an environment for learning, growth, and development through play and socialisation.

Children with special needs require special and additional care, so you have to thoughtfully pick the right childcare.

But before you begin your search ask yourself what your expectations are and what you are looking for care in the first place.

Managing your expectations as you search the child care

• Do you need special care for your child to interact and socialize with other children?

• Do you need assistance from the provider to train them in special education or day to day tasks?

• Do you need customization of the services or a tailored approach to help your child grow?

It would be beneficial if you have clarity about your expectations and convey the same to your providers. Having a clear idea will help narrow down your search in a most constructive manner.

You may even ask the provider the following questions to have an idea of how efficient they are to respond and take care of your needs.

• What is their approach towards the needs of specially-abled people in general?
• How have they handled the needs of the specially-abled in the past?
• Discuss their approach to child development?
• What kind of services or programs do they offer for the development of the children?
• Do they have a team of skilled professionals who can take care of children with special needs?
• To what extent customization is possible for the programs in general.

Remember every child is different and has his/her unique needs. Every child would need a different approach or a tailored approach from the carer. It is therefore important and necessary to have detailed information about the services and programs.

I will never advise you to withhold any information about your child's health and needs. Be open and discuss constructively your child requirements.

Providing a realistic picture of the current ongoing situation and your child’s need will help ensure that your child receives adequate support from the provider.

Child care for special needs

After you have searched the service providers, and you have narrowed down your search to a few days cares you can discuss with them-

• Activities your child usually loves to enjoy.
• What activities they find difficult and do not enjoy doing.
• Confirm whether they are under special observation for example a special diet they may need to support themselves.
• What kind of medications your child needs to keep them going. Let your providers know these medications in detail.
• Discuss if there are any other providers or carers you are in touch with for your child.

Always remember once your child is at the daycare, he may take some time to adjust to the new surroundings and arrangements. Boost their confidence and try to maintain a positive attitude so they feel motivated.

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