What childcare setting is best for a child with HFA?

[TurnThatFrownUpsideDown]

Hello.

I was just wondering in your experience/opinions whether an after school club or childminder would be best for a 5yo girl with HFA.

My local after school club (private) is registered for 55 children, but they have just 20 on their books right now. I think this would be good socialising for dd, but might make her feel a bit anxious/overwhelmed.

There are two potential childminders i'm interested in. None of them have any mindees yet though.

My daughter will have to attend 5 days a week - before and after school - when i start full time late August.

Would you recommend i start her over the summer holidays (Scotland), and slowly build her up to the five days rather than throw her right in at the end of August?

And what questions should i ask when i visit each place?

Many thanks for any help.

Really difficult to generalise, by my instinct for s child who finds social situations stressful, would be to say a CM, as she's already going to have to be spending 6 hours a day coping with being surrounded by lots of other children, and I think it would give her more of a break.

I would say childminder, too. And starting early is a good idea, as it helps you to wheedle out any problems such personality or attitude clashes.

Thanks for the replies.

I thought childminder, too. Have never used one before though so feeling quite anxious. I think I'll call and arrange a chat with her.

Well, my DS wasn?t diagnosed (with AS) til he was six and by then he?d been a disaster at an after-school club and I?d pulled him out. But he would have been a disaster for a childminder too. A couple of years after he was diagnosed we got him a supported place at the after-school club, with an autism-trained carer, two afternoons a week. That suited him because he craved the social interaction with the other kids, and it would have been too burdensome on the few other children at a childminder?s.

But there is no way he could have coped with five days a week in an after-school club. Also it?s probably a good idea to start with the childminder gradually, over the summer. My DS was more exhausted by starting school than I could ever have imagined - and this was after he?d been in a full-time nursery place 5 days a week! So it?s probably a good idea to get your DD comfortable with the child-minder before she starts school.

The most important thing for your DD is that the child-minder should be very aware of all your DD?s issues and be willing to adapt to them. Ask if they have experience with special needs or autism. Some childminders can be very ?this is the way I do things and I expect the children to fit in?, others are more adaptable. Maybe come up with a couple of scenarios or issues that you?ve had to manage and ask what the childminder would do, and if there are special things you do for your daughter, such as routines, special likes and dislikes, whether the childminder is comfortable going along with them.

Best of luck!

DS (ASD) does go to after school club once a week for social reasons (it was easier than nagging everyone for playdates with a child who blanked theirs). But, he only goes to school half days (he's at end of year 1 and does ABA out of school the rest of the time), and his ABA 1:1 goes with him. It works pretty well but he is very well supported.

Um.. having thought about this some more? actually what you?re planning does sound ambitious for a child with HFA. Wrap-around care five days a week is tough going on most kids who?ve just started school, even without additional needs. It would be different if the childminder was already a familiar ?home away from home? but starting school and new full-time childcare in such a short time is a big demand. I know a lot of kids with HFA and AS and I don?t think any of them used that level of childcare successfully when first starting school. It?s such a major transition, they usually need the familiarity of home.

The other risk is that if the new school doesn?t suit your DD or they?re not providing the right support then that is likely to have knock-on effects out of school, and you may have to put in a lot of effort managing that and getting your DD into the right school or arranging the right support.

Is there are any chance that you could postpone starting full-time work until you are confident that everything is working well for your DD?

Thanks for all of your replies.

My dd is already at school, coming to the end of primary one.

She will be starting primary two at the end of August.

To be honest, i'm really scared about using professional childcare. In the past, dd went to my mum while i worked, but my mum has decided - quite rightly - she no longer wants to be a committed babysitter. This is why i have to decide whether to use a childminder or after school club.

I was thinking i could get her in part time over the summer holidays and slowly build up to the 5 days.

I can delay my full time start until mid-September, but that's it.

I've spoken to dd today about childcare and she instantly got anxious. She started reenacting it with her dolls this evening. One doll went off to a childminder where she got to watch TV; the other doll went of to an after school club where a little boy hit her...

DD seems much more keen on the childminder, so i think i should call and arrange a chat with my preferred CM next week.

As with all new situations, my dd gets a bit anxious and takes a while to settle in. But as soon as a routine is established, and things become more familiar, she's absolutely brilliant. I've had it before moving between nurseries, and the transition from nursery to school, then readjusting to school after long holidays (Easter/Christmas), so this is just another thing that i hope she'll adjust to.

I?m glad she?s well settled at school! That sounds great, sorry for being negative with no need. Sounds like she?s voting for the childminder too
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Thank you. I called the lady today and I'm meeting her next week for a chat