Page 225 - DEDU506_SPECIAL_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Unit 31: Rehabilitation of Exceptional Children: Role of Peers, Role of Family

31.2.2 Collaborative Working relationship Notes
It is important to communicate parents that the responsibility rest not only with the professionals but
also with parents. Parents must feel that rehabilitation professional is not working for them as a
substitute; rather solution to problem will be sort together. For an example, the overprotected
atmosphere in the sheltered workshops can increase the dependency of the child with disability and
of parents. Parents may feel that it is 'rescue time' for them when their child is in sheltered workshop.
However, at home parents can assist their own children in activities to coordinate with the children's
class work.
1. This will help to generate the feeling of security and assurance regarding their child progress
and abilities.
2. Understanding the importance of need for their (parents) active involvement.
3. Immediate feedback of the working together relationship, which can further reinforce their
(parents) involvement.
4. It will help parents to overcome the feeling of helplessness and increase sense of worth among
them.
31.2.3 Professional's attitude towards the child with disability
Parents are always struggling with the feelings of acceptance of their child with disability. However,
rehabilitation professionals accepting attitude towards child with disability will generate similar
feelings in parents too. If parental acceptance is good it will definitely promote parental involvement.
To foster parental involvement:
1. Rehabilitation Professionals needs to be nonjudgmental, accepting and should have
unconditional positive regard for the child with disability.
2. Rehabilitation professional should see the child with disability as an individual - a special
person.
3. Rehabilitation professional should communicate that he likes their child and would like to
work with him.
During the interaction with child rehabilitation professional is also modeling to the parents how
should be behavior towards the child with disability. This positive attitude of the rehabilitation
professional will not only help the child but parents will also learn in the process. Rehabilitation
professional's attitude will have significant impact on parents. Further, rehabilitation professional
attitude towards their child with disability will help parents to deal with the feelings of rejection and
augment parental involvement.
31.2.4 Appreciating parents for their efforts
Parents struggle to do the best they can for their child from the moment they realize the problem of
their child. It is observed that parents do their all possible for their child's benefit. The feeling of
appreciating by the rehabilitation professional helps to sustain the motivation of the parents and
maintain further involvement in rehabilitation process.
1. Rehabilitation professional should communicate parents that parents also have their own
strengths and ideas that are important and necessary in the rehabilitation processes of their
child.
2. Rehabilitation professional must appreciate parents though they have incidences of failure and
shortcoming in their efforts.
Appreciation by the rehabilitation professional boosts the self-esteem of the parents, strength them
to deal with stress and create belief regarding their active involvement for their child's assured and
better future.
31.2.5 Assessment feed back
After completion of the assessment of the child, a detail feed back to the parents is helpful.
Rehabilitation professional must communicate to the parents all possible aspects of assessment, as it

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 219