I'm going to be an assistant on a special needs playscheme -any advice?

[amummyinwaiting]

Title says most of it really.
I am doing a local council playscheme in mainstream.
I originally went for s.n job but they put me for mainstream instead.
Now they have asked me to do two weeks of mainstream and two of s.n.
I'm very happy to do this but wondered if anyone had any tips they coud give me from a parents perspetive?
Thanks

Err...I'm hoping you have received some training....Please tell me you have! From a parent's perspective, keeping our children safe is a given, hence my hope you've had training. Don't know what children you are looking after but hope they also have been properly assessed and you have information about them in advance that you read and digest.

Communication with parents is vital. Make sure they know what their child has been doing all day.

Be playful! Get to know your child and have fun. Good luck

Yes have had training and work with children and sn children on a daily basis but in an "educational" setting rsther than recreational so wanted to know what parents expected as my normal job is very structured whereas this is more of a relaxed setting (relaxed but with all necessary health and safety etc)
I'm doing mainstream next week but people who run s.n said they will explain everything and give me relevant info then....just very excited and wanted info off people...sorry I didnt mean to worry you.

I have had seizure training but not button. Could you explain what it is please?
I think as you have both said a big part of it is listening to the parent...and the child too.

Thank you Riven, no I havent been trained on that but tbh I'm pretty certain there are no children with that over the next couple of weeks. Thank you very muh for info though.

hi i work as a support worker in a special school have done for 19 years and over that time have done13 summers of playschemes all S/N my advice is listen to the parents ,child and your instinct, fall back on your training and employment. as it works well.

myra

Thanks Myra, Just want to do my best.

If there are children there who are on the autism spectrum, be really clear with your instructions, don't use a lot of gesture (as we often don't know what it means), and let us have regular breaks in as much quiet and peace as possible. We can sense things that other children cannot, because our hearing, eyesight, sense of touch etc are often tuned in very differently. A room that seems fine for other children can be a sensory nightmare for us and leaves us absolutely exhausted or really scared. I do access work in schools for children on the autism spectrum, and I can rarely get through a whole school day in the classrooms myself, even as an adult.

Bear in mind that the child might have developmental delay including their emotional development - just because they are 6, 7 8 or whatever doesn't mean they will want to play or do things that a child that age would normally do. My 6 year old loves playing with 'baby' toys.

Thank you both very much.
Amberlight you have been really helpful giving that example to me.

I've just sent my DS (ASD with challenging behaviour) to a playscheme for the first time.

The staff have been great - I had to complete a fairly detailed form about his needs, likes and dislikes and all the staff who had contact with him had obviously read it.

There were some initial teething problems as DS responds to anxiety in new situations with difficult behaviour. The staff didn't make a fuss about this and were clearly used to it. It made a huge difference as a parent not to feel judged and for DS to know that he was welcomed back despite this.

You probably already know this if you work with SN children but anyone working with DS (or children like him) has to be prepared to be shouted at, spat at, kicked and have objects thrown at them. I am in awe of the staff who deal with this regularly.

DS can also be quite passive and needed prompting to eat or interact - he's tried 'normal' playschemes before where kids tend to be left to get on with things. I was really pleased that they noticed this and made the effort to draw him out (rather than just be pleased that he wasn't being challenging). So please remember to notice the quiet ones in the corner.

Thanks pinprickle, really appreciate people being honest with me about things so thank you for the information.
Ahh thanks starlight...your making me blush

amummy, never forget that this is the kids' holiday, and it needs to be relaxing and fun for them as much as for anyone else! Make sure the parents find out what has happened each day - because their child might not be able to tell them, and if they know, they then have opportunities to talk about the day with the child.

Is it primary or secondary age kids?

my son enjoys people having fun - he's got the most highly trained bullshit detector imaginable - if you didn't enjoy him & really want to play with him then you'd pretty much cease to exist afahic.

I'd say listen to what the parent tells you about their child & what you observe of them - rather than what you think you know or how you think the child should be acting according to their diagnosis. When it comes to ASD if you've met one child with autism then you've met one child with autism. My son has been subject to the most inappropriate provision/lack of expectation as a result of his diagnosis (currently dealing with nursery & their sensory (stim) room) - it makes me furious.

Hi Bigwee- they are primary school. Think thats the thing, I normally work "educationally" with them where as this is much more of a fun time.
Phleblas- I think thats it, children (and adults) with and disability etc can be pigeonholed into how they are expected to behave.
All duly noted thank you ladies.

Hi everyone,
Just thought I would update if anyone is still looking. Started this this week and its been brilliant,did everything you all advised and its going really well.
Thank you all ever so much
x x x

Please please please keep your sense of humour and understand that parents are allowed to joke about their own kids, SN or not. I've found a little bit of SN training can make for a humourless overly-PC patronising type if you're not careful.
No pressure then .

thanks Gladioli- I understand what you mean- a little boy asked me today why I had two tummies...discovered he actually meant my (very large) boobs. I found it hilarious but some of the other staff insisted it was his autism that meant he didnt mean what he was saying whereas I just thought of it as a normal "little boy thing" to say.

Don't tell them what you don't want thm to do, tell thm what you want them to do (ie, if they are running, instead of saying "don't run" say "walk").

For children with language difficulties don't say things in long sentences, take out all the useless words and give short sentences.