If you are considering placing a child with special needs at a new school, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Should you choose a special school, or a special unit within a mainstream school? What will be the involvement of therapists? Maybe home schooling would be best? Whether the child has autism, dyslexia or any other special educational, emotional or behavioural difficulty, this book will help you find the school that suits the child best.

From drawing up a list of possibilities and setting up a school visit, to asking the right questions and recording your opinions in order to make an informed decision, Choosing a School for a Child with Special Needs will guide you through this complex and stressful process with confidence and ease.

Whether you are a parent seeking a special school, a professional researching a school, or a teacher recommending what to look for in a school, this book is a must-have reference for anyone taking school placement seriously.

Guiding parents through the complex process of choosing the right school for their child

About the Author
Ruth Birnbaum is a Chartered Educational Psychologist in independent practice, with 27 years' experience in the field of education. A trained teacher with a Masters degree in Educational Psychology, she now visits schools across the UK to consider provision and advise parents and legal consultants on which schools are most appropriate for which children.

Reviews
a significant resource that can help in ensuring that all parties involved in choosing a school for a child with special needs are aware of the questions that need to be asked. -- Debate
There is plenty of information in this book and its methodical approach gives lots of advice to help you choose a school for your child... As most parents see making the right choice of school as fundamental to their child's future life, this book is a very good place to start. -- Cerebra
This guide is very thorough and has been impeccably researched by its author, an educational psychologist in independent practice... This would be a very useful guide for parents and parent partnership officers working together. Other educational professionals might also recommend it to parents. -- Naplic Matters
Ruth Birnbaum's aim to try and make education as accessible as possible for the children who often rely on others to be their advocates, is the key to the success of this book. She places herself firmly with the child and hopes that by alerting parents and professionals to the sort of questions they need to ask and the types of provision which will be suitable, the children will benefit. The result is a book that has in-depth information together with questions and checklists, on just about everything a parent or carer will need to be aware of as they approach the daunting task of selecting the educational provision which will best support their child with special educational needs. This book is a comprehensive survey and guide from an educational psychologist with a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. It will be invaluable to parents and carers and a most useful resource for educational professionals, schools and students.` -- PMLD Link
A comprehensive guide for parents in the selection of a school for their child. It gives detailed information on all aspect os Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the SEN Code of Practice, including the current law, range of educational provision and approaches, as well as the roles of professionals involved in assessment and therapy. She provides useful questions for parents to ask and a checklist to support parents through the selection process, finishing with a handy resources and websites section. This excellent book would also provide students and newly qualified therapists with an overview of the minefield that is SEN provision. It will go straight into our parents' library. -- Speech & Language Therapy in Practice
Choosing a School for a Child With Special Needs offers an outstanding survey telling parents how to place a child with special needs at a new school. From considering special units within mainstream schools to special schools and involving therapists or home schooling, this provides guidelines general enough to apply to a wide range of possibilities and child needs, pinpointing the factors that go into selecting the right institution. Any collection strong in education or special needs concerns will welcome this survey. -- The Midwest Book Review
Parents need access to such an enormous amount of information when they embark on their quest for choosing a school for their child with special educational needs, often at a time when they feel least able to find it. How reassuring to find a book that has everything under one cover! Ruth's book provides a full description of needs, interventions and models of delivery as well as a comprehensive list of questions for parents to ask - all in an extremely clear and 'user-friendly' layout. Her book will empower parents as they weave their way through a system that can often feel challenging and overwhelming. -- Joanna Burgess, Principal, Blossom House School
Choosing the right school is key to the development of any child and particularly children with special needs. Without the expert help and assistance of educational psychologists like Ruth, challenging the educational authorities to get the correct placements would be that much harder. Hopefully this book will help parents on this journey. -- Richard Budnyj, Secretary of FOLKS
At a time when it is increasingly difficult to have your special needs child statemented, and therefore gain access to the right school and much needed therapies that make a huge difference in the early years, a book such as this, written by Ruth Birnbaum, who has helped hundreds of desperate parents trying to access the right placement for their child, as I was, will be an enormous help in providing a path through the educational maze. -- Lady Astor of Hever, author and NAS ambassador



Book Information
ISBN 9781843109877
Author Myra Pontac
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publisher Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Weight(grams) 436g
Dimensions(mm) 230mm * 154mm * 15mm