HP11thYearVeteran|Boundaries for todays child in care|69.6.130.161|yes|yes|1082570352|

Todays child care is very different from years past. Some things set by state standards today though are just not right at all.
Here in Texas as the new standards have come into play there is really nothing that can be done to a child to stop his behavior unless he/she becomes violent or destroys too much property. As it stands currently if you have a child who decides one day I'm not doing anything I am suppose to do, even if they carry this out more than one day. You cannot do anything to change this behavior. If the child will not follow directions verbally your simply out of luck ulless they actually become a danger to themself or others.
Example: "I'm not going to school today" if they mean it well you are out of luck there is no danger involved and nothing can be done about it so the child gets a free day off, now while this child decides to stay home he may want to roam the campus, as long as he/she does not become a danger you can do nothing but keep an eye on them.
Yes this is really happening. As long as the child is no danger to themself or others and is not damaging too much property, Houseparents you are out of luck especially if the child decides I dont want to talk or listen.
This may sound rediculous but it is true. Standards will not even allow you to escort a child with this behavior to another location.
Yes there is a major flaw in the system and yes there is potential for total chaos.
This part of todays system needs to be addressed and a change needs to be made.
Administrators say we are now working better with children getting into their head and this will make the child better.
The system justifies it by saying we are empowering the children to make their own decisions, this is bologna, the system is overpowering the children, it allows them to do what they want, and does not make them responsible for their actions. We are not doing these children a true service to make them better citizens.
I am not at all saying we need to start spanking or restraining but I am saying somthing needs to change.

An early prediction: If things dont change we better start paying more taxes for jails because these children will only find boundaries once the cuffs are placed on their wrists.
Who's children do you really think are in childcare? A majority of the children are in care because their parents didnt have boundaries and still dont. They either dont want or cannot handle their children. The majority dont try to better themselves, some continue to do jail time, or drugs, or other various illegal or immoral things. Rather than work towards making a home for their children.
It's really sad that in houseparenting you can say there is job security, because that also means their will always be kids in care.

The bounds need to be set better for the children of today and the state needs to take notice of this if they truely care about the future of the kids of today.


(Edited by HP11thYearVeteran at 1:25 pm on April 21, 2004)

Tuxedo|Boundaries for todays child in care|207.193.31.70|yes|yes|1083349492|

I also live in Texas, we have a young man now 16 who will not go to class during lunch. He takes all three lunches. The school however, is escorting him to all his classes, we now have the option to put him in a contained classroom for lunch. He is very easy going, does not disobey at home, always does as he is told and obeys rules, except school. We do have support however from the school.

CaringCouple|Boundaries for todays child in care|68.123.252.199|yes|yes|1083554695|

I find far more methods available to Teachers and Staff in the School System than those available to us in Childcare.

We work in a total "Hands Off" facility for example and can not touch a child for any reason. But in the schools kids are regular "escorted" from place to place and restrained when necessary.

Coming to a "Hands Off" facility was at first something of concern especially since many of the kids that come into our care are from the streets and gangs of Los Angeles.

But for 8 months now there has not been a single incident where putting hands on one of these kids was necessary.

We also empower our kids in this program to make choices. However we also readily explain the reality of those choices and provide consequences to them when they make improper choices.

The behavior modification system we utilize in our Group Homes is Life Space Crisis Intervention. http://www.air.org/cecp/interact/authoronl...e/april98/1.htm

Even if you use other systems it never hurts to have additional tools at your disposal.


(Edited by CaringCouple at 3:38 pm on May 15, 2004)