Children with Specific Needs Policy

[DCMS]

Hi, would it be wrong in the above policy to make the following statement? -

'It may be that I am unable to take on the care of a child with specific needs, if I am unable to spend the necessary amount of time with them due to caring for other children I may already be minding'

I wanted to point out that if I refuse a child it is not because I am discriminating against them but that it just may not be in the best interest of any of the children.

Want to make sure I'm being politically correct!
Thanks, Denise

[sarah707]

tricky one!

I have something in my admssions policy that says when I am looking for new children I put the needs of the children I am currently caring for first.

This is to reassure current parents as much as anything else.

I am not sure if it is PC or not, but I know, for example, that if I was approached by the parent of a child with eczema or asthma, I would be fine as my house is already a dust free zone for my ds...

But if I was approached by the parents of a child with ADHD I would not be able to take him/her on because I already have a child in the house who has that condition and his needs must come first.

Hth

[hello kitty]

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 applies to registered childminders and states "it is unlawful to discriminate against disabled children in the provision of any service". This also covers the refusal to provide a service, offering a lower standard of service or offering a service on worse terms to a disabled child.

Children who have SEN are defined as having a disability under the DDA, however not all children who are disabled have SEN.

(Just been on a SEN course)