Behavioural Assessments

In case you have not read my blog for a long time, my third son has language delays which we have addressed with additional support through a program called GRIT (Getting Ready for Inclusion Today) which provides him with a half time DS (developmental specialist) who works with him one on one and who is supported by a team of professionals (speech therapist, occupational therapist, etc.).

One of the concerns of the team leader was our son's behaviour when working with his DS in the beginning, which they have long since dealt with and they are working together well now. In addressing this concern, we were asked if we wanted a behavioural specialist come in and assess their working together. I didn't see a problem with this, our DS was fine with it and our son was used to these type of assessments by now so it wasn't an issue for him. I am always open to ideas too, anything to benefit my children IMO.

Anyway, this very personal and highly recommended assessor came and spent an afternoon unobstrusively watching them, ironically on a day when our son was not very cooperative. His DS and I saw it as an opportunity however to address some of his weaknesses...

Well his return with "answers" was interesting indeed. He basically said that our son had issues that we could not address at home (he knew we planned on homeschooling) and that it would be in his best interest to put him into school and that we should start looking for an appropriate institution soon, given that many open houses would be happening in the near future. At first I was feeling rather gloomy about this, then I realized something... he was hired by GRIT which in essence readies preschoolers with disabilities for school. I had been lead to believe that this assessor worked in the psychology field and in fact he told me he had obtained his masters degree a few year prior. Stupid me, I failed to ask in what field! He handed me his card and guess what? His masters is in education. No wonder he is wanting him to be "corrected" by an institution, he can't see outside of that box. Oh well, lesson learned, for us at least. Don't bother utilizing the professionals unless they are working towards the same goal as you and able to see your vision with an open mind. Otherwise you are wasting their time and yours.