SCHOOL REENTRY
Programs to assist children in their return to school after a period of absence from injury or illness are generally identified as reentry programs. Parents, educators and health care professionals are aware of the important role of school in a child's social life and adjustment. Studies have shown that there are benefits to schools, families and hospital teams working together to facilitate not only an early return to school but dealing with issues that might arise because of health issues experienced by the child.
Since the 1960s various groups have been working on programs and processes to help kids with burns in this process.
The Phoenix Society for Burned Survivors has encouraged and supported this process for a number of years. They provide valuable information for schools and health care providers suggesting mechanisms for smoothing this transition. If you visit the web sites of other burn units around the country you will see that they use this material.
Another group that has been very active over the past ten years has been Changing Faces. This organization was founded by James Partridge who was seriously facially burned at the age of 18 in 1970 in an automobile crash. Their website provides resources for families, teachers and health care professionals who are dealing with the challenge of facial disfigurment.
The Shriners Burn Programs located at hospitals in Texas and Boston have provided information on helping children return to school with articles describing the program for community members and parents as well as articles for professionals as well.
Barriers to effective school reentry include: a lack of communication, a lack of information, and school or health system regulations and policies.
Lack of communication has been identified as the greatest barrier. Parents who are dealing with a critically injured or ill child is focused on that child and dealing with the crisis of the situation. A normal reaction is to limit contact with outsiders. Parents can delay contact with the school believing that school issues are no longer a priorty or that it can be postponed and dealt with at a later time. Parents also describe their confusion about when and how to communicate with the school. The school in the meantime may be unsure about their role or how to proceed or communicate with the parent. The health care team may be unsure about what the family would want or expect in the way of help in communicating with the school system.
Lack of information is also a barrier. Parents wish information about their child's condition and to understand its impact. The school may not know the nature of the child's injury or what impact the injury will have on a child's ability to function in a school setting. Parents may not be familier with the resources that a school can provide to help a child. Teachers may not have the information needed to correct or deal with rumors, misinformation or questions by other children in the classroom. This web site includes information about burns, burn treatment and recovery. You can discuss this information and how it might apply to your child with the care team.
A school or health system's regulations and policies concerning the sharing of information is frequently identified as a barrier. Everyone wishes to protect an individual's privacy and ensure that confidential information is only shared according to policies and procedures. Different levels of information can be shared and steps can be taken (releases of information signed) so that all parties involved can talk with each other. This means that parents may be asked to sign a release of information so that your child's teacher can talk to the hospital teacher or obtain medical information relevant to your child's physical ability to function in the school system.
Schools also have requlations surrounding surrounding special education needs. For example, homebound instruction services may require that the child be absent from school for 30 days before services can be authorized. Once authorized, the child may not be permitted to attend school or even to visit the school. Schools also have policies about school absence and participation in testing programs that can significantly impact a child. Parents may not know about these regulations.
Effective School Reentry Programs need to have processes in place that can deal with these barriers.
School Reentry assistance should be considered when a child has a new injury or illness, first enters school with a chronic illness or disabling condition, changes schools, has a new teacher or is entering a new classroom.
School Reentry Programs are also used to assist children with chronic illness, such as Cancer or Diabetes as well as children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Links to other Examples of School Reentry Programs