The WWFY reviews unique member needs on an as-needed basis to determine if members have special needs and/or need individualized care.
The WWFY reviews unique member needs on an as-needed basis. Programs send out questionnaires or have questionnaires attached to registration to determine if members have special needs and/or need individualized care. Individualized care is available depending on staffing availability. Special Needs specialized classes are offered with a low participant-to-instructor ratio. The Rule of 3 will still be followed by staff when placed on a one-to-one status with a member, meaning they will never be alone with a member without being in sight of other people. Programming is also created to allow for reasonable accommodation. Staff are trained upon hiring to interact with members and use information from registration forms, Child Cultural surveys, and conversations to gauge individualized needs.
The Child Cultural survey for activities at the WWFY is included as a mandatory part of the Special Needs Programs registration process is as follows:
- Child’s communication style?
- If other, please explain.
- Does your child have any sensitivity to loud noises, large spaces, and/or crowds? Please explain.
- Does your child have any sensitivity to lights?
- Does your child currently have an IEP, 504, or a BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) in place?
- How does your child handle transition between activities?
- How does your child react when they are feeling overwhelmed?
- What are some preferred incentives and reinforcers? (E.g. verbal praise, high fives)
- Has your child previously participated in a sports/fitness program?
- Is there any other important information we should know about your child?
For participant in child care programs, such as School Age Child Care, Camp Hafaday, or Camp Mahackeno, the following questions are included in the registration form:
- Does the child have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Special Needs?
- Who should the camp contact to discuss any IEP or Special Needs this camper has?
- Does your child have any physical restrictions or special needs we should be aware of?
- Does your child have any mental, emotional, psychological, or mental health issues we should be aware of?
- Please describe any issues we should be aware of.
In addition, a physical and immunization record must be submitted at the time a member is registered for a child care program, providing staff with more information.
Once the questionnaires are read, staff will follow up with a phone call or email to the parents/guardians to discuss any details that are unclear. From there, a lesson plan is created for each child to address how to support their individualized needs, if needing more than low ratio classes. The plan is shared with staff and parents/guardians, then implemented as needed. Communication between program coordinators/directors and parents/guardians remains open, with verbal or written check-ins via email if an incident occurs or either party feels the child’s needs require a new plan or changes to the current one. Parents/guardians are encouraged to communicate any changes in condition of the child to program staff as soon as possible so that staff can reassess how to best provide the member for support.