Helping kids who don't think they need help.
When parents realize that their child is not thriving in a traditional school setting, due to emotional or behavioural problems, they may start looking for special schools for troubled youth
There are many options out there. Some are excellent; some are not. The unsuspecting parent can be lured into sites that may not be appropriate for the child; in some cases, it can even lead a parent to a school that might be totally counter productive for the issues of their child. Having had to do this myself, for my own child, I know that my own emotional state often made it difficult to be objective about the choices of these schools for troubled youth that were available.
Often parents feel as though one simply needs to find the name of a school/program and that is all that is necessary. They scour the internet, looking for a placement that will help their child. They look for a symptom that will match what they think is going on with their child. Unfortunately, many of these programs paint with a very broad brush, making it seem as though they can accommodate anyone. When I visit a program, I ask what a program can’t do; not what they can. If they tell me that they can handle just about everything that comes through their door, I know that it may not be a program that I will be able to use.
After many years of doing educational/therapeutic consulting, I have realized that there are many good options but maybe not that many good fits. The most expensive program is really the program that doesn’t fit for your child. I spend about a third of my time, travelling around the country and abroad, visiting schools for troubled youth and being the eyes and ears for my families.