How To Go About Educating Your Special Needs Child In A Mainstream School

In this article I am going to tell you how to go about educating your special needs child in a mainstream school. The reason I am going to tell you this is because it is important to make an informed decision about what will work best for your child when it comes to meeting their education needs.

In this article I am going to teach you 

• How schools and local authorities address educating special needs children
• How to determine whether your child is ready for integration into mainstream school
• Whether any additional assessments are needed prior to educating your special needs child in mainstream education
• What additional resources may be required for your special needs child
• What you can do to help your child integrate into the mainstream educational system.

When it comes to educating special needs children in mainstream schools; the local authority and school under consideration must first determine whether having your child at the school will cause a disruption to the teaching carried out at the school.

Some children may have emotional problems and can disrupt the teaching time and impact on fellow class mates also.

They will also need to determine whether it is cost effective for your child to attend and this mainly depends on the level of special needs of your child (mild, moderate, severe or profound).

If it would cost too much money to put systems in place specifically for your child, then a more specialised school may be required.

You may want to educate your special needs child in the mainstream school but you need to consider will your child's needs be met which is the most important consideration.

To integrate into the mainstream system, you need to be confident that your child will fit in. How well can they and do they communicate with others? Do they form relationships with their peers?

The last thing you want for your child is to put them into a situation that they will find uncomfortable, intimidating and overwhelming.

When it comes to educating special needs children you need to give the school any reports you have on your child and they will then determine if more specialised assessments are needs prior to them making a decision. They will then be in a position to assess and advise whether they have sufficient special needs resources in place or can access them in time for your child to start school.

If accepted to mainstream school, you can help your special needs child by making them familiar with the school and its layout, ask for a tour from someone working in the special needs section of the school and meet the teacher in advance if possible.

Discuss with your child what a typical day will be like at mainstream school for them. Be open to their questions and if unsure about anything, put these questions to the school.

There will of course be a period of adjustment for your child, but with your help the transition can run smoothly and your precious child can integrate into mainstream school.