Benefits of After School Programs for Special Needs

Locating an after school program suitable for your special needs child can be a difficult task. Luckily, New York City offers programs that can offer your child with all the support needed to have an enriching afterschool experience and build friendships among children of different abilities. In a recent America After 3PM national household survey, parents with children with special needs or disabilities were more likely to agree that their child's afterschool program provided opportunities for physical activity (82%), STEM learning (79%), homework help or academic help (76%).

Many schools provide after-school care that is provided by community groups such as Boys & Girls Club or nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Unfortunately, such programs don't necessarily follow the same regulations for accommodations as school-based activities protected under Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act; however they should provide reasonable accommodations if informed about your child's needs by their IEP team or Committee on Special Education (CSE).

Even though after school programs for special needs that aren't affiliated with your child's school may be less experienced in working with special needs students, it is still vital that they know your abilities so they can make appropriate accommodations and help give your child a higher chance of succeeding in their program.

To help find the ideal after school programs for your child, it can be useful to speak to teachers and CSE staff before making your choice. They can give an indication of any accommodations that might be made and also suggest other services like speech therapy or occupational therapy that might benefit them.

The New York State Office for People With Disabilities is committed to helping children and families with disabilities find high-quality afterschool programs and out-of-school time activities that meet their individual needs. With Out 2 Learn, we aim to facilitate this by allowing users to filter programs based on location, age, cost, languages spoken as well as virtual vs in-person delivery methods - and more!

For more information on the benefits of afterschool programs for kids with disabilities, check out the America After 3PM fact sheet and Disability Rights Texas' handy guide on finding and navigating these programs. If your rights as a participant in an afterschool activity are being violated by those providing it, consider filing a complaint with the Department of Justice; click here for more details. Anna Stewart is a solo mom and advocate for kids with special needs who authored ESME's Kids with Special Needs Resource Guide as well as blogging at The Upside.