QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
It is, of course, imperative that whoever you choose to
teach your child must have appropriate qualifications and experience in
their field. Here are some guidelines:
Speech Therapists (S.T.’s) should have a degree in
Speech Therapy. This should either be an Honors or Bachelors degree. In
America this is known as a Masters degree. It is also important that
they are a member of a variety of speech associations. For example, if
they belong to the Speech and Hearing Association of Singapore (SHAS)
that means that they have fulfilled a specific criteria and have
therefore a wide range of experience. Additional memberships can
include Speech Pathology Australia (SPA), American Speech, Language and
Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Royal College of Speech and Language
Therapy (RCSLT).
Occupational Therapists (O.T.’s) should similarly
have a degree in Occupational Therapy. It is also important that they
have pediatric experience and any other experience that is relevant to
your child’s needs, e.g Sensory Integration Therapy, Neuro
Developmental Treatment/Therapy, etc. The more current courses and
experience that are relevant to your child’s needs the better.
Physiotherapists (P.T.’s) must again have a degree
in Physiotherapy. It is also important that they have pediatric
experience and any other specialised experience and training. Again,
Sensory Integration Therapy and Neuro Developmental Treatment/Therapy
is beneficial. Make sure, however, that the therapist’s
specialisms are relevant to your child’s needs as not all
treatments will be applicable to your child.
Educational Support Teachers should have a degree and
teaching qualification. They should also have a Diploma in Special
Educational Needs (DPSE) or any other relevant qualification in this
area. It is also important to find out if they have a specialism and
whether it is applicable to your child’s difficulties, e.g.
autism, dyslexia, etc. Relevant courses are also important, as well as
finding out what style or method of teaching they follow, if any. For
example, ‘Picture Exchange Communication System’ (PECS),
‘Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication
Handicapped Children’ (TEACCH) or ‘Applied Behaviour
Analysis’ (ABA), etc.
VERBAL FEEDBACK AND WRITTEN REPORTS
It is also important to find out if the therapist will
supply a report on your child and whether this is at an additional
cost. Reports supplied can include a ‘Forecast’ involving
the therapists aims and objectives for the forth coming sessions; an
‘Individual Educational Programme’ listing the
child’s abilities and difficulties; or a ‘Progress
Report’ listing all the skills that your child has acquired since
the sessions began. Find out how often these will be supplied and
whether you will have opportunity to discuss them with the therapist.
Also, find out what feedback, if any, is supplied after each session.
HOME ACTIVITIES
For all therapies it is important that skills are
followed up at home by yourself. Don’t leave all the work to the
therapist; you must be prepared to reinforce the skills at home too.
Naturally, if your child practices a skill with the therapist once a
week and then experiences the same skill each day with you then the
success rate will be greater than limiting it to just one session per
week. Ask if your therapist will supply you with home activities to do
and if they will guide you in how to teach them correctly. Again, check
to see if this is at an additional cost.
LOCATION
Some therapists will travel to your home, whereas others
have their own therapy centre or work from home. It is important to
visit these places to see if you and your child feel comfortable in the
environment. Remember, it might be more convenient for you to have a
therapist visit your home but is it really a conducive learning
environment? Are there many distractions? Do you have an area where the
therapist can successfully achieve a 1 to 1? Will your child be able to
cope with new demands being made on them in the familiar environment of
their home where they are used to playing and having free time? Or,
would they be more focused in a new environment, specifically set up
for therapy sessions?
SHOPPING AROUND!
For your child’s benefit it is best not to shop
around by trying out many therapists. Try not to book your child up for
a month with one therapist and then, because you are not happy, try
another one, and so on. This could be detrimental to your child’s
learning and emotions, especially for children with autism or for those
who suffer anxiety in any way. Try to make the sessions a positive
experience for them rather than a negative experience. By choosing the
wrong type of therapist your child might dislike the situation so much
that it could cause them to be reluctant to see other therapists in the
future.
As a result you must do your homework first. Ring a number of
therapists to talk to and meet with, but do not make your decision
until you are fully satisfied. Most therapists are happy to meet with
you and your child for an initial consultation free of charge. You are
then at liberty to leave without making a decision immediately.
Most importantly, make sure your child feels happy in
the environment and gains a good rapport with the therapist. Also, go
with your own instincts. Choose the therapist that you felt most
comfortable with and one that was willing to give you their time and
attention.
GOOD LUCK!!
DATE: 22nd JUNE, 2000
ELIZABETH BARRATT
B.A. (Hons) PGCE DPSE
Educational Support & Behaviour Consultancy
Tel/Fax: 64656982 h/p: 97584651
Email: liz@esbclizbarratt.com
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