JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Knowledge, training, patience and understanding are guiding Joint Base San Antonio caregivers who are teaching and helping children with disabilities and special needs.
Caregivers at child development programs on JBSA locations provide care to children 6 weeks to 5 years of age, including those with special needs and disabilities, whose parents are active-duty members, Department of Defense civilians or military retirees.
At JBSA, a process is put into place to make sure the developmental needs of children with special need and disabilities are met, said Mary Sharp, 502nd Force Support Squadron JBSA-Randolph Child Development Program training and curriculum specialist.
Sharp said a child with special needs and disabilities has a group of JBSA medical professionals, therapists, child development specialists and representatives from the Exceptional Family Member Program who come up with a plan for caregivers to follow in helping the child develop. The team includes the parents of the child with special needs and/or disabilities and caregivers, both of whom provide input on the child’s developing needs.
“The point is for the team to ensure we are able to meet the child’s needs and they are successful in our program,” Sharp said.
The caregivers use the same teaching methods for children with special needs and disabilities as they do with all the children they care for, Sharp said. The only difference is the process could be slower for a child with disabilities and special needs.
“What we do is the same just at a different pace,” Sharp said. “We are creating an environment for special-needs children where they can come and explore and develop at their own pace.”
Elaine Cherry, 502nd FSS JBSA-Randolph CDP technician lead, said caring for a child with special needs and disabilities presents itself with a different set of challenges and situations each day.
“You have to be patient and calm,” Cherry said. “Every day is different.”
Cherry said she treats a child with special needs or disabilities just like all of the children she looks after in the classroom.
“They are like any other child,” she said. “They have a disability, but then they do not know that. If you treat them like a normal child, they are going to act like a normal child.”
Caregivers get additional training on caring for children with special needs and disabilities from Kids Included Together, a program that provides skills and training to people and organizations who serve children. Sharp said Kids Included Together counselors provide training on social and emotional development and behavior management of children with special needs and disabilities to caregivers.
For information on services contact JBSA-Fort Sam Houston CDP at 221-5002, JBSA-Lackland CDP at 671-3675/3168, 925-5747/3851 or 671-1052/1040, or JBSA-Randolph CDP at 652-4946 or 652-1140/1142.