What do you do when the para is out?

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 9:09 am

He gets ABA and needs a para with him most of the day. Today the para is sick and school said he can't come. Para and agency are trying to find someone who can work with him for the day. While I don't anticipate this happening too often, I still need a more reliable backup plan than this. Is there such a thing as a sub para? On that note, anyone a para/SEIT in the 5 towns with a light case load who wants a case for the day?

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 9:29 am

amother wrote:

It's standard practice that when the para can't come then the child also. Hugs.

Thanks. Agency was able to find someone for the day, so I can bring him in at 10. I guess I wish there was a way to know for sure we can have a backup.

seeker

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 10:12 am

There is definitely such a thing as a sub para but I don't know the procedure for getting one and I'm sure it's not as simple as we'd want it to be, especially when a para could just wake up sick. In the public schools they have a steady bank of subs but that probably doesn't help you...

What type of school is he in that they can't handle having him in the building for a day without the para? Are there classroom assistants that can help cover? Even though they would generally be busy with other duties, as a rare occurrence it would make sense for them to pitch in rather than tell the parent they have to keep the kid home. What are parents supposed to do with that kind of arrangement?

Big hugs and many well wishes - I had a student like this once and BH he made such great progress with the ABA therapist that within a few months (though it took a long time for the school to trust in this) he was functioning so well that he could survive a day in school without full time 1:1.

debsey

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 10:52 am

amother wrote:

We definitely have gotten para subs. Maybe it varies, agency by agency, but when my DC had a para (Lakewood), the agency that sent the para was in charge of finding and sending a sub. The sub wasn't always great. (usually was pretty much the opposite) but we never were told that the para isn't coming so don't send your DC to school.

debsey

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 10:53 am

seeker wrote:

Want to echo this. My DC's need for ABA is over completely and he's completely mainstreamed. DK what OP's DC is like, but there is hope. ABA can be really effective.

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 11:39 am

Yes, mainstream is the eventual goal. He is in a yeshiva for kids with IEPs and prepares them for mainstream yeshiva. He is not agressive or anything, but he sometimes gets disruptive and has a hard time calming himself down when that happens. He also has a tendency to wander and will sometimes just leave the classroom and wander around (this is the main concern, that they need to be able to keep him safe if he leaves the classroom). He had a para for half a day last year and it was fine, but this year he is in first grade and had a hard time adjusting (not so much play time etc) so we started having her the whole day. We are hoping to cut back hours as the year goes on, but for now he really does need someone there the whole time.

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 12:37 pm

seeker wrote:

You would THINK that a yeshiva specifically for kids with IEPs would be staffed well enough to handle a missing para and a kid who wanders... oh well Confused

Honestly, I think they can. They're just spoiled from having a para with him all day. There is another kid in the class who has one, wonder if it's the same deal there.

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 12:47 pm

I know what school you are referring to and frankly, that is ridiculous. there is lots of staff there, and isn't that the whole point of the school? to provide extra support than would be available at a mainstream school? I understand he has a para, but one day? come on. did they accept him to the school on the condition that he has a para? if so did they inform you about this policy?

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 16 2017, 12:54 pm

amother wrote:

So it wasn't the original plan, but when he had a hard transition to first grade this year they did insist I have her stay the entire day (rather than the few hours she was initially going to be there). They did say that if she wasn't there on a particular day, someone should be available to pick him up in case it comes to that. This is the first day the para has missed, and today they initially told me he couldn't come, but then the agency said they were looking for a sub and they agreed he could start the day as long as I was prepared to pick him up. He did fine for the hour and a half until the sub arrived. I don't anticipate it happening too often, but of course things happen from time to time and I'd like to be prepared.