| By :
Wendy Moyer
One of the most challenging decisions the parents of a child with a birth injury can make is how and where to have their child educated. Even though there are more options available today than there were years ago it still may be shocking to find that not only may your child not be welcomed at a school, but you may find that many of the schools you are considering are either understaffed and/or underfunded. What Are Your Options? There are a lot of considerations to take into account when you are deciding upon where to have your child educated. These will include making sure that your son or daughter is in a physically safe and emotionally healthy environment. Having reliable and safe transportation available to and from school should also be a major consideration. You have three primary options for your special needs child. They are home schooling, private schooling, or public schooling. Home Schooling Home schooling has benefits as well as drawbacks. Based on Economical and emotional considerations, home schooling may be a good choice. Parents can either educate their child themselves or hire a tutor that meets their criteria. They can also keep close tables on how well their child is doing. And the child will be in a familiar, safe environment. One of the major drawbacks to home schooling is that your child will miss out on being exposed to different and new experiences. They will also not be able to make any new friends. Also, it can be rather stressful for a parent to educate their child - whether they have a birth injury or not. Private and Residential Schools There are residential and private schools whose curriculum and environment are specifically designed to help children with special needs. The main benefit of sending your child to a private school is that it has a support system in place that can maximize the potential within each child. The high teacher to student ratio in these facilities often results in a child's being able to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. And, as your child grows, he or she will learn vocational skills and life skills in addition to receiving a formal education. The major drawback to private and residential schooling is purely one of economics. They tend to be very expensive and are usually privately funded. Public Schools The quality and availability of public schooling can vary depending on where you live. At the federal level schools for special needs students are governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, state special education laws can differ dramatically from one state to then next. You will need to get in touch with your state's Department of Education and speak to an educational specialist to find out what is available in your school district.
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