special needs child swimming
For families with children who have special needs, the approaching summer months can prove to be a daunting obstacle to overcome. The need for childcare, as well as educational bridges between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next, in some instances, creates a burden for families with children who have special needs. Finding high quality summer camp options for children with special needs is a monumental task for many parents in the Naples area. Because of the varying educational, environmental, and physical needs of children, as well as the limited resources to meet these needs within the community during the summer, it can be hard to find a good fit for many families in Southwest Florida.
Personal experiences
As I discussed summer camp programs with providers and parents, it became very clear that there are not many options for children with special needs in Collier County, relative to the amount of options for children without special needs. “There are not a lot of options in the summertime, especially for families who need full time care during these months,” says Gini Phillips, a Naples area mom of three children. Her daughter Cara is 11 years old and has Down syndrome. “There are certainly more options than when Cara was born. When Cara was little, I had to hire a teacher’s assistant for over the summer. She was wonderful, but this was ultimately a cost prohibitive solution for the summer months.” Phillips eventually found a small program for Cara through the City of Naples at River Park. “The summer program that Cara goes to now only takes 75 kids, and they have a huge waitlist. It is an amazing program, and I would love for other programs in Southwest Florida to seek to emulate what the City of Naples accomplishes through the summer camp at River Park,” she says.
Another parent, Lee (last name withheld), also shared her summer camp experience. Lee’s son, Nicholas, is on the autism spectrum, has a sensory processing disorder, and has ADHD. “The first summer I attempted to get Nicholas into a camp program was when he was four years old,” Lee says. “Not knowing of any options for kids with special needs, I simply called around to every program director to explain our situation and find out if they would be willing to work with us. Responses varied greatly. Understandably, most explained a lack of resources, and as a result, the inabilty to give a child the extra attention he or she needs. Some invited us to try the program with the requirement we hire our own personal aide to help our child throughout the day. Others were willing to give us a try, with the caveat that if they couldn’t support our child we would be asked to leave the program.”
Lee ended up placing her son in a summer VPK program. “I chose it based on the fact that they had experience with some special needs kids, and it was led by a certified teacher from within the Collier County system. Unfortunately, we were asked to leave on the second day,” she says.
The following year, after additional research and experience, Lee found the Naples Equestrian Challenge, a program serving children and adults of all ages with their year-round program. “They offer an amazing camp experience,” Lee happily reports. “The ratio of counselors to campers is 1:1. You can’t ask for anything more than your child getting the individual support, and they have an exceptional support staff.”
What to look for
Though the options are definitely limited, as parents seek out programs that provide a fit for their child, there are several questions they should ask regarding the program.
Parents should ask for specific information, according to Audra Boxma, head of The Center for ADHD, Behavior Change, and Social Success in Naples, and a licensed mental health counselor. “How long is the camp? (Seven hours a day may be too long considering the curriculum for some children – a half day may be better in some instances.),” Boxma advises. “What is the ratio of students to adults? What are the qualifications of these adults? Walk me through a typical day at camp. Can I meet the staff? What type of kids do you serve in this camp?” Boxma urges parents to request specific information regarding behavioral protocol, as well as the possibility for health insurance coverage in regards to any therapeutic component.
Options available
Exactly what summer camp options are available to parents who have children with special needs? There are several camps in Naples that provide special services to families. The following information regarding summer camps and comments from their individual directors is not intended to be comprehensive. For more information regarding the programs, please contact the individual organizations to find out if these camps might be a good fit for your family.
• City of Naples. The City of Naples offers a summer camp specifically for children with special needs. This camp is located at River Park, and it currently has an extensive wait list. For more information on the camp itself, or to be placed on the waitlist, call (239) 213-3037.
• Collier County Parks and Recreation. Collier County offers inclusion opportunities for children with special needs, as well as summer camps specifically designed for children with special needs. For more information, visit the office at the North Collier Regional Park, or visit www.collierparks.com.
• ABLE Academy. The ABLE Academy, a private non-profit institution for children with special needs, offers a summer camp program. This program is currently full with an extensive waitlist. For more information about the school itself, as well as its summer camp program, call (239) 352-7600.
• Naples Equestrian Challenge. Naples Equestrian Challenge is a non-profit horsemanship organization that provides therapeutic riding opportunities year-round and summer camp during June and July for children with special needs. For more information, visit www.naplesequestrianchallenge.org.
• The Center for ADHD, Behavior Change, and Social Success. Audra Boxma leads a summer camp program entitled “Emotional Regulation Boot Camp.” The camp offers four hours of therapy per day to assist with emotional regulation. Occupational therapy helps with sensory issues, poor handwriting, and body awareness. The camp focuses on social skills training, anger management, self esteem, positive self-talk, and conflict resolution. On Fridays, children and counselors go out into the community on and practice these skills in various environments. For more information, call (239) 963-7274.
• Lighthouse of Collier – Center for Vision and Blindness. This non-profit organization offers a summer camp program July 5-29, 2016, for children who are blind and visually impaired. The program is from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Friday. For more information, call (239) 430-3934.
Making accommodations
Many summer camps make accommodations for children with special needs on a case-by-case basis. For example, while the Greater Naples YMCA does not currently have a camp specifically for children with special needs, “we do have children in our traditional day camp who have autism, ADHD, ADD, and other unique needs,” according to Randi Hopkins, summer camp coordinator at the YMCA. “My advice to parents is that they reach out to the camp director before they register to see if the camp would be a good fit.”
The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (C’MON) is another such camp. “Since C’MON has a commitment to have access for all, we are open to a case-by-case evaluation,” says Beth Housewert, director of play and learning at C’MON. “We do not have specifically designed camps for students with special needs, but have staff who specialize in accessibility and instruction for children with special needs.”
Other Naples area camps accommodate children with special needs. Again, it is important that parents ask questions to find out if this type of situation will be successful for their individual child.
The need
Though inclusion opportunities are out there in Naples, the need for high quality, affordable summer camp programming specifically for children with a wide range of special needs is great. “It is difficult to afford many of the special needs children’s camp programs offered in the community, and in addition, provide the child with reliable, trustworthy transportation to and from camp, considering many of these parents work full time,” explains Robin Goldstone Garcia, director of Lighthouse of Collier – Center for Vision and Blindness. “All services provided by Lighthouse of Collier, including the summer camp program, are free to our clients, thanks to many generous donations.”
Other summer camp programs in the Naples community are funded in various ways. As parents continue to seek out summer camps for their children with special needs, it is important that our community as a whole continues to provide support and encouragement to families by being aware and taking action when appropriate. “There are so many wonderful resources for families with children who have special needs,” says Gini Phillips (parent of Cara). “Part of the need in our community is getting the word out about these programs and encouraging these people and organizations in what they are doing!”
Anna Futrell has a bachelor’s in English and Secondary Education from Wheaton College. Anna and her husband, Jim have a daughter, Windley. Anna is passionate about writing, cooking, running, playing the piano, and encouraging other new moms in their journey.