Choosing the best residential boarding school for your child can be tough. Not all schools can address the unique needs of your child, so you really have to do your homework on this one. Get to know the basics first before deciding on anything.
What is a Residential Boarding School?
Residential boarding schools are treatment centers that provide education, character building, and therapy for teenagers with special concerns. Most of the students enrolled in these schools have social, behavioral, or emotional difficulties that require constant psychological assessment with medication or other treatments.
Services at residential boarding schools are different from those of traditional boarding schools. There are psychiatrists and nurses who take care of the student’s medical needs. They see to it that medications are given on time, and the dosage adjusted as needed. The teachers and staff are trained to handle cases where a child can be a danger to himself, or can cause harm to others. They closely monitor each student’s behavior, and they know that more than anything, all students need support and guidance during their stay in the school.
Enrolling your child in a residential treatment center can be very expensive. That is why if you do not choose the best school to suit your child’s needs, all your efforts can be put to waste.
Intervention Programs
Residential boarding schools apply behavior management techniques and different interventions to decrease problem behaviors. Programs in each school may vary, but most focus on the development of each teen’s pro-social skills and adaptive behavior. For aggravated or highly aggressive teens, there are de-escalation procedures to be followed in order to ensure the safety of everyone. There are also special treatment procedures for those who need to be physically restrained or separated from the group. You may want to inquire about these things in detail when you start calling or visiting residential boarding schools. Make sure you ask the staff to give you information as to how they will take care of your child’s needs.
Help from the Experts
If you find yourself losing sleep over this, you might want to start seeking for help. The best thing you can do for your child is to make an informed decision regarding his or her education, so it’s best if you listen to other parents who have been through a similar experience in the past. You can ask for advice from HelpYourTeenNow.com, a resource agency and parent advocacy group that can guide you as you make big decisions for your child’s future.