How Do I Find a Special Needs Nanny?
Many child care search sites have filters that will allow you to find nannies who have experience with special needs in your area. You may also want to ask for referrals from people you know or your child’s other care providers, such as doctors and physical therapists.
Finding child care for any child can be a challenge, but the challenge can increase tenfold for working parents of children with special needs or a disability. When a child receives an autism diagnosis, the parents may wonder how they would be able to find child care that addressed the child’s needs and would allow flexibility in the parents’ work schedule. The right solution would be a special needs nanny.
How much you can expect to pay a special needs nanny depends on several factors. These include:
Where you live
Your child’s age
How many hours of care your child needs
What type of disability your child has
How much training the nanny has
If you believe your child’s disability was caused by a medical professional’s mistake, click here to get the right information. A settlement or award from a personal injury lawsuit could help you cover the cost of child care so you can continue working. You should also look at your health insurance policy to see if special needs childcare may be covered.
What Your Nanny Needs to Know
You may choose to use a nanny who has experience with caring for special needs children, or you may choose a nanny who is highly recommended but does not have this specific experience. If you go with the latter, making sure they know the following tips for caring for children with disabilities can help get their relationship with your child off to the best possible start:
Stick to the Routine
Routines for special needs kids can help them through the day. Many parents of disabled children have found it helpful to stick to a predictable routine. Your nanny should know what this routine is so she can follow it. It can be helpful to write the routine down so the nanny can refer to it whenever she needs to.
Don’t Rush to Hug
Some children with disabilities adore physical contact like being hugged or carried around. Others, not so much. Be sure to tell your nanny how your child feels about contact. You should also encourage the nanny to take physical affection slowly while she’s getting to know your child.
Keep Things Calm
Many children with special needs prefer a calm environment. Your nanny should not schedule too many activities on the same day if that’s the case for your child. You may also want to tell your nanny if playdates or trips to the park aren’t a good idea. You may also want to create a sensory room in your house where your nanny can help your child calm down.
Don’t Be Offended
While a nanny’s instinct may be to play with a child, some children with disabilities prefer to play alone. If your child is one of them, warn the nanny ahead of time. It could be helpful to their relationship with your child to know that she should not take it personally.
Share Tantrum Tips
Any child can throw a tantrum, but for children with disabilities, that “tantrum” could be the child reacting to sensory overload. If you have any special tips for dealing with your child’s tantrums, make sure to share them with your nanny. You’ll also want to make sure she knows which toys or books might calm your child down.
Most importantly, you’re going to want to make sure your nanny knows everything they need to know about your child’s specific condition before she commits to the job. The fewer surprises there are, the greater the chances the nanny and your child will have a long, healthy relationship.