How do I prepare my disabled child for school?

The search for Te Rerenoa’s school began almost 18 months before she attended her first day earlier this year.

The six-year-old child is on the autism spectrum and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Her mother, Oneroa Tangaroa, visited several schools, meeting teachers and management teams at each. When she finally landed on the one her daughter was going to attend, the real preparations began.

She took Te Rerenoa almost every day during school holidays, so navigating toilets, playgrounds and classrooms became second nature. Tangaroa showed her daughter pictures of her teacher, so that when the two finally met a week before the first day, Te Rerenoa already knew her face.

The school allowed Tangaroa to sit in class with her daughter every day until she felt comfortable.

“If someone is able to do that, it would be the best thing they could do if they had an anxious child.”

The start of the school year is an important milestone for every child. If this child has a developmental, learning or physical disability, this transition is amplified in its complexity. Even if support from organizations and the Ministry of Education is in place, the often exhausting burden of smoothing this bumpy journey falls largely on parents and guardians, who must advocate for their child’s interests.

Here’s what to consider when a child with a disability prepares to enter school.

Choose a school

Every child in New Zealand has the right to attend a public school, but that doesn’t mean all schools are equal in how they treat children who have unique needs, says Catherine Trezona of the child support organization disabled people Your Way Kia Roha.

“It may depend on the experience they have had with other children, the members of the (school) governing body and the type of specialist teachers available.”

Meet with the leaders of each school to get a sense of their culture and capabilities. Here is a detailed list of questions you can ask the principal or assistant principal.

“A knowledgeable principal who knows how to access additional funds is amazing,” said Lizi Parlby, a teacher specializing in students with disabilities.

Parents should consider whether the school grounds have what your child needs: fences if he or she tends to run away or quiet places if he or she is overstimulated (see below for mobility issues). ).

Tangaroa chose her daughter’s school in large part because of its inclusive culture. The school’s management was eager to listen and learn what her daughter needed, while other schools seemed more interested in what additional government funding her daughter might or might not bring to the school, she said .

“They treated her like she was a normal student, not like there was anything wrong with her,” she says of her daughter’s school.

What about specialist schools and Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding?

There are approximately 36 specialist day schools and boarding schools for children with disabilities in New Zealand. To get a place at one of these schools, children must qualify for ORS funding, which is only available to those with “the highest levels of ongoing need”, according to the Ministry of Education.

Children with additional needs should have been linked to an early intervention service to help parents find support and funding. This is available from birth to six years. The Early Intervention Service prepares a child’s application for ORS funding.

Sophie Day-Jones’ daughter Mackenzie will start school next year. She was recently approved for the highest amount of ORS funding. The application process was long and the wait stressful, Day-Jones said.

Mackenzie is non-verbal and intellectually disabled. Low muscle tone means she needs a wheelchair.

“We knew a regular school wouldn’t suit him.”

Mackenzie will attend a satellite classroom linked to Wilson School in Auckland where the teacher-student ratio is 8:1 and the school already has the mobility equipment Mackenzie needs. Special schools often have satellite classrooms within public schools, reducing the distance between home and school for students.

School accessibility

For students with limited mobility, parents should aim to contact their school of choice 18 months before their child’s first day. That’s how long it will take to resolve accessibility issues such as ramps or mobility equipment, says Frian Wadia of Parent to Parent, an organization that supports parents whose children have disabilities.

“Physical modification and mobility equipment take a long time and there are often delays.”

The cost will be covered by ORS funding if your child is eligible. A school can also apply for property modification funds, which include occupational therapist access to school grounds and what your child needs, Wadia says.

Getting ready for the first day

Transitions can be especially difficult for children with autism, says Trezona. Videos of the child following their new routine can be helpful.

“Get permission from the school – even if it’s not during class time – to film the child walking through the gate, entering the classroom, hanging up their bag, greeting the teacher.”

Parlby, the specialist teacher, advises parents to familiarize their children with the school grounds over weekends and public holidays before the first day. Have photos of school staff printed – not just your child’s teacher – and create visual schedules of classes and activities so your child understands their new routine.

“Photobooks and visual schedules work great for kids who need that routine.”

Parents can also request that their child’s existing friends be in their class or that the school connect them with a supportive peer so their child has an extra familiar face, Parlby says.

Tangaroa created a communications notebook for her daughter Te Rerenoa to carry in her bag. She shares her unique needs and behaviors so teachers and other students can learn about her quickly and easily.

“If she had a substitute or a student teacher, it shows how to get along with her, (the communication book) is like breaking the ice.”

How to complain

When you feel that a school is not welcoming your child – which it is legally obliged to do – your first step is to follow the school’s complaints procedure, says Wadia.

If this does not result in a solution, the next step is to contact the school board. Then you can go to the New Zealand Human Rights Commission. Wadia has had to do this three times on behalf of her three sons, who suffer from various disabilities.

If the issue concerns an individual teacher, you can contact the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

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