A host child with special needs: what does this mean for an au pair?
GET TO 100% TO EARN YOUR COURSE BADGE 67% BADGES Well done! Each badge is a completed lesson.Well done! Each badge is a completed lesson.Well done! Each badge is a completed lesson.Well done! Each badge is a completed lesson.
When your host child has special needs, there are some things you might experience that will be different. You might care for a child who is in a wheelchair so your level of responsibility might be different. If your host child has trouble communicating or does not make eye contact you will need to work harder to understand their needs. And in each instance, you will also be working through a cultural barrier.
Will you be caring for a child with special needs? As you prepare for your au pair term, spend some time thinking about why you want to care for a host child with special needs. Think about your willingness and desire to care for this particular child.
Caring for a host child who has trouble understanding social situations or gets upset when routine is not followed requires your patience and understanding. A child’s developmental delay can lead to clumsiness or awkward movements. In every case, you need to understand how to respond to your child’s emotional and physical behavior.
Being impulsive, easily distracted or overly active – these are common behaviors for any child. But if your host child has been diagnosed with special needs and displays this behavior, their parents will want you to handle the situation differently.
Paulina from Mexico
After two years of working with a family that has a special needs child I have learned that patience takes you a long way. It has to be one of the keys qualities in any au pair, whether or not she cares for a child with special needs.