Schools and Children with Special Needs

Host: Besides kids with physical disabilities, did you have anything beyond that, mental disabilities or autism or something like that? Julianna Farella: I do autism. I do developmental disabilities -- Host: What could you do to a family or a parent about a kid that was labeled autistic, what would you do to help them get through or getting through this situation, things you could offer them? Julianna Farella: There is two things that I offer them. One is advocacy. I have found that when the kids are in school they are not getting the proper education that they need. Host: So New York city was twice to pick kids of different problems and a class together to say I hear it sometimes. Julianna Farella: Sometimes yeah. Host: Some schools do a very good job, it's like any place else, some do as good job it depends on the big mouth, very local, they usually try to keep their mouths quiet so they try and offer more services. We don't have a limited budget, it is only so much they can do. But if a kid is in the school system you can try to get them some type of say ABA or some type of therapy that school may not want to give? Julianna Farella: Yes. One of the other things is with this main streaming that's happening in the public schools right now. They are not taking the children's needs into consideration. Host: So putting the kid in a direct request may be, the kid has a milder form of autism. An autism that may be you can't communicate because of socialization thing, it's be an asperger syndrome or something like that. But sometimes a smaller class, a class with lightened type of teaches, making kid more comfortable with the surroundings would help. But we still are dealing with school system and at any one time, get up monied by pencils, but we are trying to get the kid a better education. Julianna Farella: Right, but when the main stream, the problem that the parents are having is the teacher is not professed in the special education field. So with them not being professed, they don't exactly know how to handle these children in a main stream setting. They don't understand what happens when they act out, they don't understand that why they are not communicating and the teachers get frustrated and they end up taking it out on the child. Host: So, in another words, in an idealistic situation, money is not the biggest question. Good education situation, surroundings for a child is the question. A kid that has socialization problems severely, I think similarly has potential problems and whatever the reason, you try to get them in a class where the teacher was trained to cope in a more patience with child like that? Julianna Farella: That's correct! Host: Okay, but it's not an easy thing? Julianna Farella: No, it's not. One of the things that I suggest the parents to do and I will even go with the parent is before a school starts you go in and meet with the child's teacher. Most cases by the middle to end of August, they know who the teacher is going to be and you bring the IUP and all your information. Host: What's an IEP? Julianna Farella: An IEP is an Intensive Education Program. It's basically your written bunch of form that states what your child's learning needs are? Host: It's an educational evaluation which involve school psychologists, may be the pediatrician or a developmental person, special education school nurse, idealistically it would be a team approach, everybody would talk to each other and make a decision what would be best for the child? Julianna Farella: Right, there is also a place for that. Host: Is that delusional thing that happens? Julianna Farella: It's supposed to happen. Host: Is that happened? Julianna Farella: No. Host: Okay, and New York has one of the better systems. I imagine if you are out in the Midwest in a little town where there is a very small school system, it probably be worse, wouldn't it? Julianna Farella: Yes, I know the case that I do last year where I was in a mediation for six hours. Host: Did you actually work with the parents? Julianna Farella: Yes. Host: And try to negotiate which is -- is there a law, they have to guarantee every kid a proper education? Julianna Farella: There is a law, it's a Federal Law. One of the things that was put into place was no child left behind, but it doesn't work. Every child is entitled to an equal quality education which is what no child left behind is supposed to be in the state, but unfortunately that's not the case. Children are being left behind. They fall to the system, they fall through the cracks. I myself is one of those students. I was also diagnosed with learning disability dyslexia. They passed me back through the system, because I wasn't what they call a troubled child. I didn't get into trouble in school, all I want to do is learn. Host: So it was the problem seeing the information, grasp the information and somethings are a little bit different, but teacher thought that may be with you and not the system. So they blamed you and they figured out what will leach you, obviously you did reasonably well in life education wise? Julianna Farella: Yes.