WWYD? Question About Autistism

[littlemissmuffet]

You have to be careful with this. You can't discriminate against a disability and say you do not accept children with autism, or any other disability. But we CAN say yes or no based on whether you believe a child is the right fit for your program. The autism spectrum varies so greatly that the child might be a great fit for your program, or might be a terrible fit.

This isn't true at all. I do not accept children with autism because I have zero training or experience dealing with an autistic child. Thusly, I don't feel capable of providing a safe and positive environment for an autistic child. That's not discrimination - it's protecting the child's rights and needs.

[e.j.]

Thank you ladies, very much!!!

I sent her back and told her I could not say if I would be able to care for him without more information. I did let her know that we do take field trips often to the library, art museum, etc (they both have programs for kids like story time and art time, etc) as I know some autistic children have difficulty if their routines change or if they are in areas with a lot of stimulization.

She wrote me back that thanking me and letting me know it probably would not be a good fit for him if I am going to those places.

I think it was nice that she was honest and didn't try to hustle me into taking her child. I know it is very hard to get specialized care in my area, so I do wish her the best of luck.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences

I think you handled that really well. You let her know what you do in your program and that allowed her to make the decision that it wouldn't be a good fit for her child. I'll bet she appreciates your honesty as much as you appreciate hers!