Advice on SEN mindees

[catftm]

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to get some advice. Without going into too much detail , I have a little mindee with special educational needs who has just started with me. She has a lot of communication and developmental difficulties. She is really sweet but I feel like I'm not doing very well with her despite planned activities, I feel like i'm not keeping her entertained enough. I have only been looking after her for a few days so far so I am learning all about her. Has anyone got any advice about looking after children with SEN. I'm feeling liek a failure already!

research the condition - is there a website that you can search for tips

does the child have an OT, a speech therapist, a special nurse who you can confer with

Obv you will have permission from the parents to work with other professionals

Also your early years team will have a SENCO who can advise you, again you must have permission to discuss the child with a professional

HTH

DD1 has global development delay. She is 4.2. She has a very short concentration span. Things she loves:

-Gloop (cornflour & water in a tub, around 2/3 cornflour to 1/3 water)
-Playdough
-Gluing
-Jelly (make a tray full then mix it up with a spoon. Put plastic toys in it.
-Multi-coloured rice.
-Sand

What sort of SEN does the mindee have. I have worked with children with ADHS, Dyspraxia and Autism and would be happy to share things I found that worked.

The first person I would speak to though is her parents find out what they do with her and then build on that. If they use Makaton then Mr Tumble on cbeebies site is amazing!

I found when I first started working with children with SEN that I treated them very differently to other children. If they were having a "strop" I was thinking it was because I wasn't doing something right/it was because I didn't understand what they wanted etc but most of the time it was because they were just being children and stropping in the same way a NT child would!

as parent to a child with communication related SN - I wouldn't expect a cm to be all singing all dancing constantly educating - what would be important to me is you using language/gestures at an appropriate level and having patience when communicating - leaving plenty of time for my child to respond.

if the child is under sALT then the parents may have useful info from the SALT they could pass on to you.

I mind two young children both with significant communication difficulties and at times it can be tough going, you do not 'see' the rewards or benefits particuarly soon and it sometimes feels like I'm not doing enough or doing it right.
BUT, I have been working with these children for nearly 4 months now and the difference is beginning to show - very slowly with one of them and it was such a lovely bubbly moment when this LO said what he did. I nearly cried (and so did his mum). that was the moment when I realised everything I do is worth the time, heartache, tears and headaches - when I realised the job I do is worthwhile and important.

There are lots of sites you can have a look at for communication help:

ICan
ECaT

check with your CDO to see if there is an ECaT programme in your area that you could join