Special Needs

Is working with special needs what you are looking for... 

The following article will give you a guide to what it’s really like working with children who have special needs – the negatives as well as the positives!

What’s Involved?

A child with special needs will have either a condition or illness that mean that they need additional care. This may range from a mild learning difficulty, such as dyslexia to profound / multiple physical and mental disability. Each child will be different and require particular assistance to help them reach their potential. Some jobs will require specific experience for specific conditions / disorders such as gastronomy feeding, British Sign Language or Makaton Signing. Other positions will provide training and will need only a good childcare background and of course the desire to work with such children.

How It’s Different from Mainstream Childcare / Nannying?

There are many similarities, first and foremost you are looking after a child, they just happen to have special needs. In most aspects caring for a child with special needs is like any caring for any other child – just more so – it can be more demanding (both physically and emotionally), more stressful, more responsibility, but also more rewarding and satisfying.

What Sort of Jobs are Available?

There are jobs available in many different settings – private families (Nannies, Mother’s Helps, Au pairs), schools (Learning Support Assistants, Classroom Assistants) and nurseries (Nursery Nurses).

Training Opportunities / New Skills

Training is often provided and it is very likely that you will be working alongside other professionals, such as speech, physiotherapy and occupational therapists, from whom you will pick up many skills. Such skills are valuable and will help future career and education opportunities.

Being a good special needs nanny / childcare worker

Supporting parents / families who may still be coming to terms with their situation. Understanding that they may be over-protective or unrealistic.
Helping a child reach their potential, whatever that may be, whilst accepting and understanding their limitations.
Being positive & supportive – especially in stressful times.
Seeing the child as a child first who happens to have a disability. Never defining him / her by the disability – for example always referring to them as a child with, Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy – not a Down’s child or cerebral palsy child. Speaking to a child as if they understand every word you say – even if you are sure they cannot understand. Similarly speaking to them, not about them. Helping children enjoy life and do ‘normal’ activities. A great deal of their time may be taken up with necessary therapies etc. it is important to make sure they also have fun – just like any other child. Making sure the siblings of the child with special needs also has his / her needs met – they can easily feel left out.

Working with special needs can be very hard work but very rewarding. Not all people can work with special needs, it take a special person to be able to do this kind of work.