To release the sexual sense, it would require good sexual action, romantic, and passionate.

However, for those with disabilities, disorders of muscle, and can not masturbate properly, then find a place to perform sexually.

To remove sexual desire, then in Japan there are services for people with disabilities, to meet the sexual needs.

Because people with disabilities, often overlooked amid the society, then the service is used as a solution, so that sexual desire can be met disabled people as normal.

Many people using this service, being able to meet the biological needs of various ages, and walks of life.

This movement is a movement of charity in 2008, but the effort is successful, and able to grow in Japan, and able to meet the desires of people with disabilities.

1. You will need to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If possible, have those documents in your possession. The more up-to-date those documents you have, the better. However, you will need both past and future documents. You can actually request your personal information from any doctor you have seen.

**Please Note: Social Security Income is for those who have not worked very long/became disabled at a young age; Social Security Disability Income is for those who have worked long enough to build up enough “work credits” to more or less retire early but on a reduced income. SSI typically means you qualify for medicaid; SSDI means you qualify for medicare, possibly medicaid.**

THIS IS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME

2. Use this information in those documents to fill out the questions the SSI paperwork will require you to know. By using information the doctors have on file for you, but in your own words, will help to back-up that things are actually wrong with you.

3. Don’t worry about complaining, crying or being emotional when talking to someone who is working on your case file. If you try to be strong, they just seem to believe you can deal with more than you really can. It also helps things move faster as I have found because people seem to react to emotions; they don’t want to deal with someone like that, so the sooner the person gets what they need, the sooner the person is out the door and not their problem.

4. Get help filling out paperwork. You don’t need to get a lawyer right away either. I found going to your local Aging and Disability Resource Office (it could be called something else, such as the Humane Resources, etc so call your local city hall and ask for a place that helps people with disabilities). Explain your situation to them, bring along the paperwork, and ask them to help fill out the paperwork. That will help show the Social Security people that you are in need and serious.

5. Details are important. The more you have the better. I think it is much better to explain things too much; again, don’t worry about how you come off, just write. Have someone make sure it is clear but never lose your voice!

6. Keep calling them every few weeks to check on your status. Don’t worry about bothering them. That is their job and it is important that you don’t get forgotten. Also, it will make sure that if a denial letter or a request for more information letter gets “lost in the mail”, you will know before time runs out and you have to start all over again.

7. Don’t give up. If you need it, fight. Unfortunately, those of us who really need the help are usually the ones who have to fight and those who don’t need it get it soon. Never give up, do whatever you can. If you need help right away until the FINAL decision is made, than call your local Aging and Disability Resource Center, Food Pantry, church, or whatever else you can think of. Ask around; there are more places than expected that are willing to help.

8. Even if you have to go to court and that court rules against you, you can reapply again. It may be horrible, but DON’T GIVE UP! That is the most important thing.

I hope this helps. It took me applying once, getting a denial, and then reapplying since I didn’t understand I got a denial letter (they gave me the run-around). I had to appeal the second application with help from the local Aging and Disability Resource Center.

One ingredient is required, regardless of the category in which one falls.  That is health.  Poor health will stop anyone in their tracks and affect their aspirations.  So how healthy a person is, will to a large extent determine what he will be able to do, manage, and view life.

Health can be broken down in physical and psychological aspects.  To be fit physically and psychologically mean that a person has to do those things to maintain that balance.  For one thing, he has to eat a healthy diet from the necessary food groups, refrain from too much sodium, sugar, bad fats, drink alcohol in moderation, resist the temptation to smoke, exercise on a regular basis, and get a good night’s sleep.  All is not lost if someone is under a doctor’s care for chronic ailments.  It should be remembered that such an individual should be pro-active, ask questions of your doctor, take the medication, and follow instructions as prescribed.  Do not stop your drugs without consulting your physician.

It may also be of interest to know, that persons with disabilities can live happy lives.  It all depends on how those persons view their limitations.  Many veterans that were wounded in combat, consider it an honor to have served,   

Image by cliff1066™ via Flickr

and some say that their afflictions were worth it.  They see their disabilities as a badge of honor.  To them bravery and an altruistic purpose are essential for living a happy life.

During childhood years, a child learns mainly by imitation and trial and error.  As they grow, values are inculcated, goals are discussed, and there is much learning in kindergarten, middle and high school.  They become active in extra curricula activities.  Play sports like soft ball, soccer, and develop friendships.  Their parents’ role is to make these transitions as smoothly as possible.  It does not always work out that way, because some families are broken up by divorce.  If that is the case, kids have to be raised by a single parent.  In 2007, according to the National Center of Health Statistics, some 40% children were born out of wedlock.

Another ingredient to living a happy life is having an education.  Many students begin to appreciate this early.  They are delighted when they can read, write, do math, and science.  They are able to make relationships to their lives. Education motivates their curiosity.  It makes them want to know more, to investigate, and provide a sense of worth. Many people say that knowledge is power.  Students begin to experience this, when they can express themselves and organize their thoughts coherently.  Those that attend college further receive instruction through a balance curriculum of liberal arts, social sciences, science, technology, and physical education.

For many of us, with graduation, comes a job in which we are happy.  It is true that money will come into the picture. Through a good salary, a person will be able to have a well furnished apartment, a car, or, a SUV.  This stage for some may be preceded by dating.  Later, there is love, marriage, a home, and children.  It should be recalled that living a happy life does not mean that there will not be disappointments, like being turn down on dates, losing that promotion, and illness in your family, not being able to build that dream home, just to mention a few.

Some individuals seek divine intervention from one of the several faith traditions like Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or, Hindu.  For many Americans, it is Christian. On Sundays especially, families attend church, synagogue, or, a temple to pray, giving thanks, and participating in communal worship.  Some may decide to do charitable works and feed the poor. Others, provide for the needy, help out in soup kitchens, at libraries, museums, or, participate in projects that protect the environment.

So, there are many ways that persons can pursue living a happy life.  Some may even enjoy the idea of dressing up for special occasions, attending concerts, symphonies, the theater, going to parties, or, having dinner at fancy restaurants, while enjoying a few drinks.  Religious and national holidays Easter, Hanukkah, Ramadan Christmas, Memorial Day, and Independence Day become special seasons when most people delight in the joys of being human with families, relatives, and friends.

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Jeremiah seemed to be no different than our previous three children at first.  He smiled and cooed and rolled over and sat up “on time”.  He crawled by the time he was nine-months-old and was walking by his first birthday.  By the time he was eighteen-months-old, however, his speech and intellectual development slowed significantly.  Jeremiah did not speak one word until he was three.  He simply toddled around blowing raspberries.  The front of his shirts were always drenched in spit and you could hear him coming from a mile away!!  Our pediatrician explained that Jeremiah was simply the by-product of a multiple sibling family who spoke for him or knew what he wanted without him having to verbalize it.  We tried to remedy this by not giving in to Jeremiah’s non-verbal cues, but still his speech remained significantly delayed. 

At Jeremiah’s four-year check-up, we relayed to our pediatrician other concerns we had for our son.  Jeremiah angered easily, did not play well with other children, preferred solitary play, and seemed to be visually stimulated by fast-moving objects, at which time he would jump up and down and flap his hands and arms.  He was not yet potty trained and he was also still not talking in sentences. He also took clichés, like “raining cats and dogs” literally and would even run to the window for proof.  Jeremiah’s oddities were becoming more and more distinct with his age and we were not the only ones taking notice.  His Sunday school teachers were concerned for him as well.  I can vividly remember a conversation with my girlfriend Kim, also our church’s children’s ministry coordinator, at an Olive Garden one evening.  Kim gently but deliberately aired her concerns about Jerry.  Having a degree in special education, I valued Kim’s words and wisdom as much then as I do now. 

As a result of that conversation, as well as what we’d been witnessing firsthand with Jeremiah, I made another appointment with our pediatrician.  She referred us to a psychiatrist, and after an hour in his office observing Jeremiah and asking me a barrage of questions about his physical and emotional development, Jeremiah was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, an Autism spectrum disorder.  We were shocked to say the least, even a little numb at first I think, but eager to find and do whatever we needed to so as to provide Jeremiah with the best possible opportunities for improvement.  After a hearing test that proved his speech impediment was not a physical issue, and an EEG to rule out any brain development abnormalities, we sought assessment from our county’s school system.

Over the next year, Jeremiah saw a speech pathologist, social worker, and child psychologist for evaluations.  Everything seemed to happen very quickly after his initial diagnosis.  Early intervention was key we were told and so appointments were made and evaluations completed.  His diagnosis was confirmed by those who saw him and we were then told that Jeremiah likely had additional learning disabilities that could not be adequately tested for until he was seven-years-old, as he did not yet have the language skills necessary to complete such tests.  Instead, an individual education plan was drawn up for Jeremiah with specific goals outlined.  We were then told that he would be evaluated again at age seven to see if those goals had been met and to draw up a new set of goals for him.  The goals Jeremiah was struggling to attain were goals most average five and six-year-olds had already achieved…rote counting to five, recognizing three colors and shapes, recognizing the first letter of his name.  Baby steps we were told, one step at a time. 

Up to this point, I had home schooled my other three children.  I would describe them as average students who learned new concepts fairly easily and, for the most part, our home school experience had been a positive one.  And now here was Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah’s attention span was relatively short, even for a six-year-old.  He needed much repetition to grasp even the simplest of concepts, like up, down, on, and off.  He got easily frustrated if he seemed to be having difficulty understanding something we were trying to teach him.  Jeremiah was also a very visual learner.

To weigh each of my options carefully, and to be fair to Jeremiah, Kim and I visited a local elementary school’s exceptional education learning program (EELP class).  We remained open-minded, though neither of us saw anything this classroom was doing that we could not replicate within my own home.  And I won’t lie.  The thought of sending Jeremiah away from home each and every day, and without even his own siblings to accompany him broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes.  Still, the thought of home schooling Jeremiah with all of his developmental issues sent chills of fear down my spine.  Was I qualified to teach him?  Would it be a disservice to him if I tried?  Could I give him the attention he would need with three other kids at home to teach?

Kim encouraged me however.  She also promised to tell me if she felt that, after a year or so, Jeremiah would be better off in a public or private education setting.  She agreed to monitor his progress with me carefully and keep me accountable in my role as his educator.  First, we reviewed Jeremiah’s IEP and then we visited a local educational supplies store where we acquired something to meet each of his preset goals.  Having one of those creative teacher brains, Kim was a wealth of information, knowledge, and resource ideas for me.  I literally devoured all she had to offer, knowing full well that God placing her in my life when He did was now for “such a time as this”.

I entered home schooling a special education needs child naively and, I will admit, quite blind.  I quickly discovered how few resources were readily available to me as an educator of a special needs child.  I had Kim, yes, but I felt I needed others who were in my same shoes if you will to encourage me and offer up their experiences, both positive and negative.  I also wanted some specific detailed how-to’s that were both practical and affordable.  I found a web group specifically designed for home schooling families of children with Asperger’s, but even that proved frustrating.  You see, Asperger’s Syndrome is a social development disability.  Most Asperger’s children are unusually intellectual, often in one specific area of interest.  They also have a very mature vocabulary.  Jeremiah showed delays in both of these areas.  A new diagnosis three years later would explain these delays, but until then, teaching Jeremiah proved challenging to say the least.

Here’s an example of my frustration.  I was struggling with Jeremiah grasping the basic visual identification of the letter “Mm”.  One experienced “aspie” home school mom suggested I have Jeremiah alphabetize his cars (something he loves) by make and/or model to teach him the alphabet.  HELLO!!  Jeremiah could not even recognize the letter “Mm” after a week of looking at one, tracing one, writing one in shaving cream, cutting out pictures of things that started with one, and making collages of the letter itself.  Alphabetizing?  Right!  Jeremiah’s learning disabilities only compounded his Asperger’s diagnosis.

Frustrated and more determined than ever, I went on the prowl for specific ways to teach Jeremiah that would effectively build his confidence through goals met taking those baby steps outlined in his IEP.  Jeremiah wanted to be in the “driver’s seat” as far as what he did on a daily basis that was considered “school”.  He did not like being told he HAD to do anything and certainly did not take well to my checklist of assignments to be completed each day.  As a dear friend of mine pointed out, “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome don’t go together very well”.  AMEN! 

In my search, I found great books on Asperger’s Syndrome and elementary aged children, Asperger’s Syndrome in the classroom, etc…  They all spoke of the challenges of teaching Asperger students and even offered great approaches to behavioral issues, diet issues, etc…  That’s not what I was looking for however.  And maybe my search standards were set a little high, I’ll admit.  Every year, I attend our state’s home school convention and browse the approximately 300 vendors there to choose the curriculum that best meets the needs of each of my children.  And every year I was blessed to find a mere ONE booth out of all of those that was specifically geared towards meeting the needs of mentally/developmentally challenged children.  ONE BOOTH!!!  And though I applauded their being there and their efforts (and did find some great resources), I still did not find what I was looking for…a basic, step-by-step how-to meet the needs of Jeremiah curriculum!  All right, I know those standards are ridiculous, but you know what I mean.  A how-to book for any developmentally challenged child would have sufficed.

Jeremiah is nine-and-a-half years old now.  As he has grown in age and development, his therapists and doctors re-evaluated his initial diagnosis of Asperger’s and changed it to infantile Autism instead.  Jerry still has the social awkwardness most Asperger kids struggle with, but his developmental and educational delays can no longer be explained through an Asperger’s diagnosis.  The older Jeremiah gets, the more challenging his delays, in every aspect of his life. 

He struggles with making friends, and keeping them.  His ways of introducing himself to new kids, getting the attention of others, and trying to initiate play are often very inappropriate.  Most of the friends he has that are his biological age have “outgrown” him socially and developmentally.  They are reading and role playing while Jerry still obsesses over monster trucks and building obstacle courses that will stimulate his need to jump and flap (stim).  The result is Jerry feeling left out and often times bullied by kids his own age.  He has accommodated for this by gravitating towards kids much younger than he is, kids who see his version of play as appropriate and on their own level.  Sometimes I think he likes the way the younger kids look up to him when they play too, as he is more used to being looked down at by other kids, tolerated even.  And can you even imagine being one of his siblings who live with him 24/7?

Before you start to feel sorry for us and Jerry though, know that we are blessed beyond belief with a compassionate church family, friends, and other parents who are eager to learn how to best love Jerry, accept him, and teach their own kids patience and compassion towards him.  And praise God I still have Kim, who is my greatest cheerleader, not just on the sidelines, but right out there in the middle of the minefield.

Educationally, baby steps are being made.  And though it’s sometimes two steps forward and three steps back, there has been progress.  Jerry recognizes and knows the sounds of about six letters now and he can also count to ten.  Two years ago, Jerry had his first seizure and was diagnosed with Epilepsy as well.  We believe the presence of ongoing seizure activity, even with medication, is attributing to his inability to retain some information long-term.  It has been a long and grueling process, but in the interim, I have learned that teaching Jeremiah character qualities, social graces, independent living skills are just as important.  Above all, we want Jeremiah to know that God loves Him and he is fearfully and wonderfully made just the way God purposed him to be for His glory.

And yes, I am still teaching Jeremiah at home.  We did try public school in an Autism spectrum disorder classroom for about six weeks this past school year, but it only proved to confirm to us what God had been telling us all along.  No one is more qualified to teach Jeremiah than those who know and love him best, his parents.  And so we journey on.  We have no idea what the future holds for our family, but trust in God’s sovereignty and the promise of Romans 8:28 that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose.

Unfortunately in the drive to get away from being seen as racist, sexist, etc. I have seen how we as a society have gone too far and so paradoxically, become racist, sexist, etc. again.  Yet unlike negative discrimination of the past where say a black man couldn’t get a job because of the colour of his skin, we are now becoming a positive discriminate society.

What exactly do I mean by positive discriminate?  Well to give you an example of what I mean, a few friends of mine who work within the police force have applied to certain positions and despite having all the right qualifications, etc. were turned down, the position instead going to a black (or other ethnic minority) who on the outset is not so qualified for the position. 

If you are asking yourself why the police force would do this, allow me to explain.  In order not to appear racist (like the olden days) by having a majority white police force, the government has stated that the force needs to become more multi-cultural.   Hence bureaucrats in White Hall have given the recruitment department targets of the number of new recruits it wants entering the police force from different nationalities, etc.

Now while this may sound good from the outset, the problem arises in that no longer are police simply being recruited to their jobs based on individual characteristics (personality, qualifications, etc.) but also on their race (or gender, etc.)  In other words, society has taken a step back from what could be called Martin Luther Jnr ‘Dream Society’ (the society he pictured in his ‘I Have A Dream Speech’)  for instead people are not just being judged by the content of their character, but also by the colour of their skin.

Unfortunately it isn’t only race which positive discrimination covers but also gender, disabilities, etc. And it isn’t only in the police force where positive discrimination can be found.  Other sectors of society also seem to have its fair share of positive discrimination, including government, NHS and any other civil service position.  Laws have also being introduced over last few years to try base employment within the private sector more in lines with positive discrimination or in other words, instead hiring someone suitable for the job, hire a less suitable individual if they fit the right gender, race or suffer from some type of disability.

Unfortunately positive discrimination (as it is called) doesn’t seem to be frowned upon nowhere near the level which negative discrimination is.  Yet in my view, a fair and tolerant society, the type Martin Luther King Jnr spoke about and the suffragettes thought for, shouldn’t contain any form of discrimination within it, be it of the positive or negative type!

To quote an instance, a friend whom I have met after years of his absence from a club where he and I were members, had suddenly appeared out of the blue, during a charitable event. We shook hands and began to recall past events, one of which had taken him to New York on a mission involving children with disabilities.

At the time we were together prior to his departure from Los Angeles, he would never fail to impress me in the course of our conversation in which he would articulate his desire to help those in dire need, a thought that would never escape his mind, but, under the circumstances, seemed far from reality, until he was advised by someone to think positively in such a direction.  It was an exercise in positive thinking which he had routinely performed.  He wasn’t actually interested in the conventional approach to becoming involved ordinarily.  His objective was to be a bona fide leader in a reputable organization in which he could be well-recognized.

In the meanwhile, he began writing and publishing articles on topics of charity, particular in the area of helping children with disabilities, until one day, he had received a letter from a would-be retiree who had spent many years with an organization helping children with disabilities. The letter stated that, based on his well-written, informative articles, he would, indeed, be well-qualified to position himself as head of the organization. It was a dream come true, but not just a dream that would have been far from reality, without positive thinking. 

“Great!” I said.  “So why are you here?”

“To solicit donations, of course,” he replied, smiling from ear to ear.

Not only did I donate what I  could afford, but helped him fulfill his mission, prior to his departure to New york., 

Part 1: Literature Review

Introduction

The basis for selection of social exclusion as a topic was by way of analysing my

experiences and interests.  My experiences include working with young

people in a health and social care capacity as well as in both formal and informal educational settings.  This has included experience of working with socially excluded young people and has evoked interests and questions relating to social exclusion.  It is an exciting topic as it covers such a wide range of difficulties and barriers that young people can face.    

Social exclusion refers to the way that some groups of people are not included within society due to a number of factors.  These include race, culture, gender, sexuality or socio-economic position within society.  The ways that people may be excluded include lack of access to services, exclusion from community events and limited opportunities in other area of their lives.  This may be due to society not adapting to the needs of these individuals.

Having identified a focus my research on, I had to decide which particular aspects of social exclusion interested me the most.  Education is an area that I have experience and interest in. Also, the effects of poverty and social class are areas of interest.  Therefore, I will particularly look at the effects that social class and poverty have on young people and their experiences education.

The discussion will include journal articles and research papers that discuss various aspects of this topic, mainly recent as these are more relevant to my chosen topic.  They also

include articles about research in other countries.  A critical comparison will be made of research methods, data collection and the conclusions that the authors came to.   Strengths and weaknesses of the articles will be considered to enable a more informed decision in defining the research question, drawing from the experiences of others.  Consideration shall be made of what has been omitted from various aspects of the research articles and which areas would benefit from further research. 

Main Discussion

The first article is by Diane Reay, 2007, which analyses the link between social class and education.  The views of the middle classes on working class education are discussed.  She draws findings from both her own work and that of others researching related subject areas, using both qualitative and quantitative findings to support her arguments.  In her article, it states that according to a study conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2006, middle class children are 50% more likely to continue into further education than working class young people.  Reay supports this and expresses concern regarding the number of working class young people leaving school without any qualifications.    Reay also suggests that whilst recent policy reform has increased educational attainment for working classes, there is still a significant difference between their attainment and that of the middle classes.  Reay analyses the experiences of working-class young people in education in both primary and secondary schools, drawing from her own research of 2005.  Her findings showed that working-class young people felt socially excluded within the classroom and that both males and females felt that they had experienced this equally both within primary and secondary education.  (Reay, 2007, in Sociology Review).

The strengths of this article are the variety of information presented; including the experiences of young people, rather than simply drawing from observations and statistical data; presenting the information in a concise manner that could be understood by a range of readers, not just academics (although written for a specialist academic journal); and finally, the way the information was presented, in short, readable sections with the views of young people in separate information boxes.

However, this article left many questions as it dealt solely with attainment.  It could have been enhanced by including information on the wider effects of social class and poverty on the experiences of the young people.  For example, the inclusion of information regarding any possible links with poverty to school exclusion, the inability to participate in extra-curricular activities due to lack of money , inter-class peer groups within an educational setting and links with parents educational attainment.

The second article, by Liz Sutton, 2007, describes a recent project by the Centre for Research in Social Policy which compared different aspects of the lives of children from different socio-economic backgrounds.  It questions how children of different socio-economic backgrounds perceive their own lives and how inequality and social exclusion impact on them.  The study included children and young people of both primary and secondary ages.   It was participatory in its approach, involving the young people in both the design and data collection processes of the research. 

An unusual aspect of this research, in comparison to the others, is that it focuses largely on the similarities between the groups from different socio-economic backgrounds, rather than the differences as the previous article has.  Both groups of children identified education as being of high importance to them- in the top four priorities of their lives.  They were also similar in not identifying themselves as being rich or poor.   

One of the advantages of this project, as it states itself in the conclusion, is that it doesn’t focus on one particular socio-economic background, but draws a comparison between the two contrasting socio-economic backgrounds, unlike Reay’s article which focused on the working classes.  Also, due to the age range included both late primary and early secondary education was considered in the research. Also, the views of the parents were sought giving a balanced view of the socio-economic backgrounds of the children.  A final advantage is the inclusion of young people in the decision making throughout the research process.  However, although focusing on the similarities of the groups made this article different to the others, no comparison was drawn to the possible disadvantages and the effects of living in poverty, therefore this article did not represent a balanced approach to the topic in my opinion. 

An article that supports Reay’s view that poverty has implications on the social exclusion of children and young people in education and limits their life choices is Tomlinson, et. al., 2008. They summarise their recent research in ‘Poverty’, a journal of child poverty.  The aim was to assess how poverty affects the well-being of children.  Their methodology was to administer questionnaires to young people between the ages of eleven and fifteen and their data is presented as both qualitative and quantitative information.  An interesting

aspect of this article is that they discuss their findings in terms of dimensions of poverty and the links between these various aspects.  For example, they found that the better the home life of a child, the better they would do in education.  Another positive aspect was that in the conclusion they used their findings to suggest ways in which policy could be improved to benefit children living in poverty, including improving educational opportunities.  However, one weakness I identified about this research was that it solely used questionnaires to gather the data.  In contrast, the fore mentioned articles draw from a number of sources or use several methods of collating the data.  As only questionnaires were used, it is possible that the young people were limited in their responses, did not have the literacy skills to understand and complete the questionnaire or that they were not entirely honest in their responses. 

Similarly to Thompson et. al., an article written by Hooper et. al., 2007, following a qualitative study of low-income families, also focused on the way that poverty can affect many dimensions of the lives of young people.  It also draws similarities with Sutton’s article as it compares children of different socio-economic backgrounds.  A further strength is that it compares families in York and London and the study was ethnically diverse. Ethnic diversity and location are factors that the previously mentioned articles do not discuss.  Parents and children between the ages of five and eleven were interviewed.  In relation to schooling, Hooper, et. al’s findings are that parents’ experiences of schools varied regardless of socio-economic backgrounds or the ability of their child.  However, lower income children and families were more likely to feel disrespected if they lived in an affluent area.  A comparison with young people of secondary school age in a similar study

would have been interesting to read.  Also, the article doesn’t define what is classified as a low income family or as an affluent area.

Gill and Jack, 2007, offer a more positive view to school’s approach and effect on children’s experiences of poverty that differs to the previously discussed articles.  Their article argues why a more holistic approach to exploring children’s living experiences can be beneficial in the fight against child poverty.  With regards to schools, they argue that free breakfast and after school clubs help the families by enabling them to work.  However, they also point out that the reverse can be the case, in instances of schools asking for donations for trips. An interesting case study was linked to the main article to give an example of the lifestyles of the people who had been involved in the research.  This was really useful in helping to understand and relate to some of the more complex aspects of the article, as was a diagram that demonstrated how different aspects of poverty and people are interlinked. 

Carey Oppenheim, 2007, acknowledges that there are vast differences in child poverty between different parts of the UK.  However, the article focuses on poverty and social exclusion of children and young people in London.  Oppenheim draws arguments from research conducted by the London Child Poverty Commission.  The research found that poor children were more likely to have disrupted schooling because they are more likely to move frequently than families on a higher income.  However, it also found that both material deprivation and educational attainment were improving in the capital.  It also states that local authorities are aiming to reduce financial and social exclusion in London across the board, rather than just deal with particular aspects of it. 

An interesting element of this article is that it links poverty, social exclusion, education and housing.  It is also interesting as it focuses on one particular city.  A case study linked to the main article, such as that used in the article of Gill and Jack, would perhaps aid the reader in relating to the issues discussed in the article.

An article by Scott and Mooney, 2007, focuses on Scotland and how policies can tackle deprivation and exclusion, and to promote social inclusion.  It draws comparisons of the position of poverty in Scotland in 1999 and whether any progress has been made in tackling the issues.  It states that in 1999, social exclusion in Scotland was amongst the worst in Europe.  Some foci drawn from these findings were to reduce the number of sixteen to nineteen year olds that were not in education, to increase educational attainment of the lowest attainers and to provide educational support from all those who need it.  When reviewing the current situation in Scotland, Scott and Mooney believe that the Scottish government still need to improve the quality of public services, including education as education is an area that can make a difference to the outcome of children and young people’s lives an prevent the cycle of poverty from continuing by providing young people with opportunities.

This research could have been developed further, tracking the lives of the children of 1999 to present day.  This would have been interesting so that the reader could relate to people rather than just policy making.  However, the article did consider differences that have occurred over a period over a period of time and this differentiates it from other articles that have been discussed so far.  One of the benefits I gained from this article was to recognise similarities with the child poverty in Scotland and those in England that have

been identified in the discussion so far, thus confirming that the issues and experiences of the children have great similarities throughout the United Kingdom. 

Research has been undertaken internationally into child poverty and how policy has either intervened to eliminate social exclusion or hindered the opportunities of children and young people living in poverty.  An example can be used here of an article by Salvesberg et.al.  This article draws arguments from the data from four research projects in Adelaide, South Australia, and uses a social exclusion framework to analyse their data.  The participants were from a variety of circumstances, including homeless young people, and were selected through service providers and snowballing.  The method of data collection was by interviews with the young people.  

Salvesberg, et. al. argue that policies do not take account of the depth and breadth of social exclusion and have exacerbated social marginalisation.  The research found that allowances devised to help young people financially were not accessible as they had to attend interviews for work, whilst not having the skills to do so, or prove that they were in education, whilst some young people were homeless and would have great difficulties in attending school.  If young people didn’t comply, they were penalised, causing further financial hardship. They also state the opinion that this then creates problems in the transition between education and finding employment.  The research also identifies poor health, drug abuse, being denied services, further social exclusion and increased criminal activity as being linked to the greater financial hardship caused by the governments attempts to help.

This research’s arguments only highlight the failure of the government and do not give any indication of whether any people were helped by the government’s policies.  Therefore, this doesn’t represent a balanced view of the situation, presenting a rather biased view.  This article highlights how issues relating to poverty and social exclusion are an international problem, as all the other articles discussed have related to research and policy in the United Kingdom.  Like the article by Scott and Mooney, this article focuses on policy.  However, unlike their article, this article also draws from research findings to present findings and arguments. 

Shidrick and MacDonald, 2007, write about a ten-year research project into youth transitions in the context of social exclusion.  This qualitative research aimed to aid professionals working with young people in understanding youth exclusion and how positive practise could assist young people in avoiding destructive lifestyles and transitions.  It also considers the causes of social exclusion.  The focus throughout the research was young people’s own experiences.  This research differs in perspective to other articles in some respects as one of their findings is that groups of people who have good emotional support, families and friendships have a strong sense of social inclusion, even though they are the groups that society may consider to be socially excluded.  It also differed in that although they had not aimed to analyse policy, as some of the aforementioned articles did, on interviewing young people, the findings included some evaluation of policy.  This included the finding that although all the participants had gone through state education, many left poorly qualified.  Young people associated failure with school and considered careers advice to confirm class stereotypes. 

The final article to be discussed is that of Ahola and Kivelhä, 2007.  This is of particular interest as it relates to research about how leaving school early can create further social exclusion and marginalisation.   Some data was collected from other research and agencies and then in-depth interviews took place.  There sample included students who had difficulties at school and were at risk of not continuing with education.  There findings are that 90% of young people acknowledged that education is important to realizing their full potential, although learning at school does not suit everybody.  The research also considers

a number of ways to reduce school exclusions and associated social exclusion, including inclusive education policies. 

It is difficult to draw comparisons between these findings and those of research in Britain as the Finnish education system is so different.  Also, at the time of publication, the conclusions were still general and the findings needed further analysis, therefore, this is a weakness of this project.

Conclusion

Amongst all the articles, it is clear that wherever we live in the world, poverty impacts upon many aspects of the lives of children.  In relation to the links between poverty and education, the majority of the research would indicate that having a low income increases the likelihood of low attainment, thus limiting further life opportunities and creating a cycle of future social exclusion for those young people in adulthood and in turn their children.  A strong argument is also presented in a number of articles to suggest that policy intended to overcome the poverty and its implications may sometimes have the reverse effect.  I agree with these findings, particularly those of Reay, 2007, and of Ahola and Kivelhä, 2007, who I think present sound research with strong arguments that are backed up with relevant evidence. 

The literature review has aided the refining of my research questions as the cycle of social exclusion has particularly interested me, as has the links between social exclusion and school exclusion from the Finnish research.  Therefore it is this that my research will be focused on. 

Evaluation

The strength of this literature review is that a wide range of articles and research have been used from national and international sources that offer differing viewpoints.  Also, it covers an array of issues related to poverty both at the level of policy and at the level of the experiences of the young people.  Articles have been included that allow for differences in location, gender and ethnicity.  This variety of sources has helped to refine the research questions.  A final strength is thee way the articles are linked and compared. 

The weakness of this literature review is that although all the articles have linked education and poverty, they have all considered different elements of this rather than focusing on one particular aspect. Also, rather than divide the review into many subsections, I decided that it was easier to write it this way, linking differences and similarities as the review went along.  However, using this format may not be as easy for the reader to understand as it is not divided into particular question areas.  Also, the articles included did not represent a great diversity in methodology, mainly using questionnaires and interviews.  Therefore, this is an area that I will have to make great consideration of before designing the research project.  A final weakness is that all of the research was recent.  A comparison could have been made with an older study.

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References

Ahola, S. and Kivelhä, S. (2007) ‘Education is important’ [online] http://openurl.open.ac.uk.libe2proxy.open.ac.uk

Gill, O. and Jack, G. (2007) ‘Poverty and the child’s world: assessing children’s needs’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 129, 15-17

Hooper, C. Gorin, S. Cabral, C. and Dyson, C. (2007) ‘Poverty and ‘place’: does locality make a difference?’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 128, 7-10

Oppenheim, C. (2007) ‘Child poverty in London’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 126, 15-17

Reay, D. (2007) ‘Education and Social Class’, Sociology Review, 17 (2) 2-5.

Salvesberg, S. and Martin-Giles, B.M. (2008) ‘Young people on the margins: Australian studies of social Exclusion’ http://openurl.open.ac.uk.libe2proxy.open.ac.uk

Scott, G. and Mooney, G. (2007) ‘Devolution, deprivation and disadvantage: lessons from Scotland’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 126, 12-14

Shildrick, T.  and McDonald, R. (2008) ‘Understanding youth exclusion: critical moments, social networks and social capital’ Youth and Policy 99, 43-54

Sutton, L. (2007) ‘A child’s eye view’, Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 126, 8-11

Tomlinson, M. Walker, R. and Williams, G. (2007) ‘Child poverty and well-being in the here and now’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 129, 11-14

Part 2- Methodology Proposal

Introduction

The aim of the research is to identify any possible links with children and young people living in poverty and the likelihood of them being excluded from school.   The intention is two include young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one.  A secondary aim is to consider the likelihood of those who are excluded from school being socially excluded and thus continuing a cycle of deprivation.  Also, the research will take into consideration the views of the young people on the events leading up to exclusion and the effects on the lives of those who have been excluded.  The main research question is, ‘Are children who are socially excluded through poverty and excluded from school more likely to continue into adult life experiencing social exclusion.’  A number of hypotheses can be drawn from research already undertaken, particularly in relation to the findings of Ahola and Kivelhä, 2007, and from personal expectations of the outcomes.  These are:

• A young person living in poverty or from a low-income family is more likely to be excluded from education than a child from a middle-class family.
• There is a greater probability of a young person who has been excluded from school of not continuing in education or finding employment, thus being more likely to experience poverty and social exclusion.

Sample

Three separate cohorts will be required- those who are potentially going to be excluded from school, those who are already excluded from school and those who are experiencing

social exclusion through poverty and are not deemed likely to be excluded from school.   The young people still in school, and those who have recently left or been excluded, would be accessed through the Education authorities.  Others who have left school may be accessed through other agencies.  If difficulties occur in selecting people, snowballing may be effective here. 

Samples shall be taken from six schools- two inner city schools, two schools in a town and two rural schools.  All ethnicities shall be included as will both genders.  These factors will allow for comparisons to be made between a number of groups of young people. Initial expectations ar that  another sample shall be take in the area if the schools selected of students who have left school after exclusion.  Although no definite numbers can be allocated during the planning stage, it is estimated that approximately one hundred young people will be included in the research.

The sample will include all those in years ten and eleven on the free school meal list, those on the Behaviour Management Programme and those who have been excluded from the schools in the past two years.  It is expected that school in an inner-city will provide a larger cohort than the other schools.  This expectation is considered from the findings of the research of Oppenheim, 2007, who researched the effects of child poverty in London, finding that it was still above national levels of child deprivation. 

Due to the ages of the sample and the purpose of the research, the school will be the setting for those students who are already in school.  The young people who are no longer in school may complete questionnaires and interviews in a more informal setting.  The

implications of this are that the young people’s responses may vary according to whether they have completed the questionnaires and interviews in a formal or informal setting.

It is anticipated that during the process of the research, some young people will no longer wish to participate.  There could be a number of reasons for this, including moving house or loss of interest in the project.

Ethics

As ever when conducting research, the main ethical issues are access and consent.  The young people in this research will mainly be accessed through gatekeepers.  In this case the gatekeepers are the professionals within the school. 

Consent to conduct the research within school will be required initially.  Also, consent for the young people’s participation in the project will be required from both the parents and the young people themselves.  The purpose of the research and the process will also be explained to the young people to allow them to make an informed decision about their participation in the research.

In the event of a young person with learning difficulties being involved in the research, every effort will be made to ensure that information about participating in the research is

presented in an appropriate and accessible manner, to ensure that they have a full understanding of the purpose of the research and what is involved in participating. 

Data Collection Tools

Initially, I considered focusing on either a quantitative or a qualitative approach to data collection.  However, I decided that using a combination of approaches would work well and would strengthen the validity of the findings.  I also thought that this was a strength of the research by Reay, 2007, which used both methods of data collection, and encouraged me to use both techniques. 

Technology would be an important part of data collection in the initial stages of the research.  Schools would need to be approached as participants would be accessed through them.  Schools keep database records of children on free school meals.  These could be used to identify the low-income families.  Schools also keep records of children on Behaviour Management Programmes.  These could be used to identify those at risk of school exclusion. From this, quantitative data can be gained to assess the proportion of young people on the BMP who are also at risk of school exclusion. 

These young people would complete questionnaires and participate in interviews, upon their agreement.  This method of data collection has been selected as it will give a greater insight into the perspectives of the young people of their experiences. The benefits of using these two data collection tools can be seen in the research by Ahola and Kivelhä , 2007.

The wording of the questionnaires would have to differ between those still in school and those who had left.  The same would apply for the questioning of the interviews. This is to take into account that although both will be assessing current situations, one will be looking at past circumstances and one will be considering future circumstance. This information would provide the perspectives of the young people and give an insight into the events surrounding the exclusions.  Consideration will also be made of the level of Literacy ability and understanding.  The interviews and questionnaires will be adapted accordingly.

 Parents and teachers could also be interviewed to gain their perspectives and provide a balanced view of circumstances and socio-economic situations.  Tape recordings will be made of the interviews rather than just writing the young people’s responses.  This will ensure that the responses are recorded accurately and make the data analysis process a speedier process.  It will allow for transcripts to be made for inclusion in the presentation of findings.

Data Analysis

As with the data collection, a combination of a quantitative and a qualitative approach will be required to analyse the data.  The findings from the interviews will be extensive.   Transcripts will be made of the recorded interviews.  Responses to many of the questions may be categorized as positive, neutral or negative.  Some of the questions will allow for yes/no answers.  This will allow for statistical data analysis. 

The data drawn from school database, for example, number of cohort on free school meals or number of cohort on the Behaviour Management Plan can easily be converted into quantitative data. 

Case studies will be selected from the findings to represent positive and negative findings of the research.  Quotations from the interviews will also be used in this way.

Timeframe

As the cohort who are not expected to be excluded from school would only need to complete the interviews and questionnaires, this part of the research could be completed over a period of approximately two months.  The cohort who are likely to be excluded would need a similar time for interviews and questionnaires.  This cohort will also be tracked from Years ten and eleven at school until a year after they have left school.  This is a period of two to three years.  The cohort who have already left school following social exclusion would only be required to complete the questionnaires and interviews.  Analysing the data will involve extensive analysis of the material from the interviews and questionnaires.  An optimistic estimate of the length of time required to complete the analysis stage of the research would be between six and twelve months.  This gives a time frame of three to four years for completion of the research.  However, a longer-term research project may take several years to follow the lives of those at risk of school exclusion to their adult life to analyse whether a continued cycle of social exclusion occurred and the effects that this had on the young people’s lives.

Evaluation

One strength of this methodology proposal is that it has made consideration of the abilities of the young people that will participate in the research and what alterations will be needed to account for this.  Also, the use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis compliment each other, strengthening the validity of the findings.   Another strength is that it can be expected that the research will not only answer the initial research question and prove or disprove the hypotheses, it will provide other information.  For example, young people may discuss housing, benefits, crime rates, drug use, self-esteem and relationships, both familial and personal.  A final strength is that whilst statistical data has been used, the perspectives of the young people have been taken into account throughout the research process.

 A weakness of this methodology proposal is that young people may not continue with the research. This could impact on the findings.  Also, as discussed previously, the context and location of the interviews could impact on the validity of the responses.  Another weakness is that it would take a much larger study to fully understand the links between social exclusion through poverty, school exclusion and further social exclusion.  This research may be considered to be an initial investigation or a pilot study. 

The limitations of this methodology proposal are that only a small number of students are excluded from school each year, thus limiting the cohort available to research.  Also, new educational policy could be introduced whilst the research was undergoing that affected the

number of exclusions that took place and the measures put in place to support young people and prevent them from being socially excluded.  Whilst this is good for the young people it may prevent the research from being fully developed.

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References

Ahola, S. and Kivelhä, S. (2007) ‘Education is important’ [online] http://openurl.open.ac.uk.libe2proxy.open.ac.uk

Oppenheim, C. (2007) ‘Child poverty in London’ Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 126, 15-17

Reay, D. (2007) ‘Education and Social Class’, Sociology Review, 17 (2) 2-5

Part 3- Evaluation of Potential Relevance to Practice

Introduction

Over recent years, many adaptations have been made in schools to prevent school exclusion.  The reasons for this have been to raise attainment, to fulfil the requirements of the Every Child Matters Paper and because there is a penalty to schools when they exclude a child. Measures put in place have included the introduction of Learning Mentors and Pastoral Support Officers.  However, whilst measures have been put in place to prevent this, little has been done to look at the causes and effects.  This research has the potential to change the ways of practice and of how practitioners view young people and their circumstances.  It may reduce social exclusions, raise attainment and alter the life-courses of young people in a positive way.  

Findings

This is an area that is currently seen as problematic.  The research found that those students who were experiencing social exclusion through poverty were more likely to be excluded from schools than those who were not.  It also found that those who were excluded were more likely to continue to experience social exclusion through poverty than there counterparts who had not been excluded. Additional findings that did not relate to the initial research question were that young people who had been excluded from school were more likely to be involved in criminal activity and drug abuse and criminal activity.  However, a proportion of those who participated in the study and would be considered to

be socially excluded, did not consider themselves to be socially excluded.  The majority of these had strong family or peer networks, as was shown from the interviews.  This supports the findings of  Sutton, 2007, who found that those who had support did not consider themselves to be eclusded.

Benefits

By enabling practitioners to work more positively with young people, this research will be of benefit to young people.  This is because through better practice, young people will make better life choices, reducing the likelihood of social exclusion which would have impacted upon any future social exclusion that the young people experienced.  It may also benefit those children who experience social exclusion through poverty to have a more positive experience at school.  If school exclusion is reduced following this research, then young people will also benefit from greater attainment, impacting upon their future life opportunities, enabling them to meet their full potential. 

Practitioners will also benefit as they may improve their practice in supporting young people.   Strategies identified in one school during the research will benefit others in dealing with both social and school exclusion.  

Future Service Provision

This research will impact directly on the education provision, particularly in relation to social exclusion.  However, the findings could have implications on other agencies, such as

Social Services, the Youth Offending Team and Integrated Youth Services.  It may promote learning that is adapted to the individual as the education system is not suited to all young people, as is suggested by the research of Ahola and Kivelhä, 2007.  Although much is being done in relation to school exclusion, this research will provide an evaluation of the strategies that are already in place and evaluate their effectiveness.

Dissemination

The intention is to disseminate the research to professionals and academics by writing articles for a number of publications.  These will include the journals ‘Poverty’ and ‘Sociology’ as these were excellent sources for related articles when planning the research.  Therefore, these are the types of publications that would be accessed by people that the findings would be relevant to.  An article would also appear in the Times Educational supplement for educational professionals to access.  These findings could also be used in a presentation (including an electronic presentation and handouts) to be presented to professionals at seminars on subjects such as social exclusion or inclusion. 

The dissemination process will also include the young people.  This is important in ensuring that the young people’s experiences are represented to the greatest benefit of the young people.  They will be involved in discussions planning the dissemination, initially.  Furthermore, as the findings will be presented to all the participants of the research, young people will play a key role in deciding how the information is best presented.  Finally, dissemination will include the wider society, including young people in education.  The young people who participated in the research will play a vital role in making decisions about the best ways to present the findings to young people.  An initial thought is that a

booklet will be designed explaining to young people how school exclusion can lead to social exclusion.  This booklet would be used by Connexions workers or professionals working in a pastoral capacity in an educational setting with targeted young people

Conclusion

The aim of the study was to find whether there was a link between social exclusion through poverty, school exclusion and future social exclusion.  The relevance to practice is to not only put measures into place to prevent school exclusion, but to take into account the perspectives of the young people and to consider the causes and the effects of school exclusion.  Practice can be improved taking into account these factors, increasing the likelihood that every child will fulfil their full potential.

In the future, this project could be further developed.  A longer term, more intensive research project would be required to fully investigate all the different aspects of the research, particularly those areas that have arisen that did not specifically relate to the original research question.  For example, the links with crime and drug abuse, or the importance of having strong relationships in their lives.

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 References

Ahola, S. and Kivelhä, S. (2007) ‘Education is important’ [online] http://openurl.open.ac.uk.libe2proxy.open.ac.uk

Sutton, L. (2007) ‘A child’s eye view’, Poverty: Journal of the child poverty action group, 126, 8-11

        You see, my son, who is almost 14 years old, is intellectually disabled.  He has the IQ of a child that is half his age.  His motor skills and social skills are very delayed.  Upon first meeting him, people often do not realize that he is disabled in any way.  The nature of his disablility is somewhat of a mystery.  It has been suggested that perhaps he was exposed to alcohol in utero (he is adopted) or that some of his intellectual disabilities are genetic.  While it is not important to me how, it can important to know for a couple of reasons.  If the nature of the disability is known then treatment can be catered to meet the needs of the person.  Often there is no indication of what the nature is.  Parents can take every precaution, have excellent medical care and their child is born with a disability.

      If the disability can be traced to alcohol or exposure to drugs or work, then as a society we can be reminded of what these exposures can cause. 

       What our society needs to know is that disabilities in any child or adult do not make them less of a human being.  It is who they are.  No matter how intellectually or physcially disabled the person is they can sense the reaction of others.

        I offered a suggestion to my daughter.  I said that her teacher could have a “buddy” class for the children in the class that educates the children with disabilities.  Get to know the children, learn their names and realize they are kids just like them.  Saying hello to them instead of ignoring them will bridge a gap and open doors for all of the children and set an example for everyone.

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     If there is a complaint against anyone of the Oak Harbor School District # 201’s schools and Oak Harbor School District does not correct the problem in an appropriate manner, an investigation could be started by State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction commonly known as OSPI. If OSPI finds that Oak Harbor School District # 201 is in violation, funding can be cut from their special education and secondary transition service budget. As with all state requirements for IDEA funding for special education and transition funding, Find Law (n.d.) states “Residency of each child is the primary consideration for determining which local educational agency has responsibility for developing these educational programs” (¶ 4). These policies are in place to ensure that parents aren’t saddled with the financial burden of providing an appropriate public education for their child.

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      Recently transition students and their parents received good news as more funding allocated to the Department of Developmental Disability (DDD) transition services. As of June 10, 2010, according to the Department of Social and Health Services (2010), “The recently signed SFY supplemental budget includes ample funding for DDD transition services; DDD’s transition funding covers over 1000 transition students graduating in the 2009-11 biennium…Because transition students are covered by this new funding, it also means that a lot more people will have access to long term supports for employment with existing funding.” (n.p.) It appears that the additional funding could trigger long term support funding from the Department of Developmental Disability to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation level for non-wavier customers/clients.

     Mike Etzell from the Island County Health department discussed with me in a recent interview that Jobs by 21 program offered by Island County and any services offered by Island County’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation has no affiliation with IDEA and OSPI’s funding for transition services. They are on a completely separate budget operated mostly on grants that comes directly the state capital in Olympia, Washington. Mike claims that IDEA covers Oak Harbor School District’s Birth to Three Program run by the Toddler Learning Center. IDEA also covers ages three to twenty-one years of age, but is not responsible for adults beyond the age of twenty-one. Mike stated that Island County has state grants and contracts for Toddler Learning Center (TLC) and Jobs by 21 program which starts in the final year of Oak Harbor’s Transition Program before the student turns twenty-one. The main source of Island County’s budget for Jobs by 21 Transitional Service comes from a state grant funded by the Department of Social and Health Service’s Developmental Disabilities Division (DSHS). Different portions of the money allocated for transitional services are split with different agencies such as Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). If there is enough funds in the budget, Island County may contract with agencies such as Service Alternatives’ Community Employment Services and Washington Vocational Services (WVS) to take over transitional duties from high school to adult community living such as job coaching and community access.

For more education related articles see: Special Education and Secondary Transitional Services Policies

History, Policies and Our School Lunch Program

Can Students Receive Transition Services Under Section 504 Law?

The Governing Body for Special Education and Its History

Special Education and Main-streaming

Who is Involved in Special Education Planning?

Who can get Special Education Services Under these Laws?

Disability Resources and Advocates

Jessica’s Early Years with Autism

Jessica’s Years with Autism: Age 3-9 From Her Father’s Perspective

Jessica’s Teenage Years: Growing with Autism

What is Inclusion

Why Education is Important

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Oak Harbor School District receives its funding for special education and related services, i.e. secondary transitional services from FAPE, Medicaid and or other private insurance. According to Oak Harbor School District #201 (policy 5220.1): The district will apply annually for Federal Part B and state special education funding to assist in the provision of special education and related services. This funding is in addition to students’ basic education funding and state special education funding (p. 1).

They are also responsible for children receiving special educational services from three years old to twenty-one years old and must provide the services free of charge. The exception to the rule is if the same incident fees would apply to all students. For example, Jonathon is in special education classes but wants to participate in the high school basketball program. The school district charges an athletic fee of $90 for all students who want to participate. The student’s parents are required to pay just like any other student. If the school district attempts to use Medicaid for specialized services, they may not allow services to exhaust lifetime insurance benefits or put parents into a position where they need to pay out of pocket expenses for school related services that happen after hours. This includes requiring parent to “make out of pocket expense such deductible or co-pay amount incurred in filing a claim” (policy 5220.1, p. 1). The school district has to obtain written consent to access Medicaid or other private insurance and must inform the parents that refusal to provide insurance information will not relieve they school district their responsibility for providing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) (p. 2). If the parents provide consent, the school district will seek funds from Part B to pay the co-payment costs that parents would normally incur.

For more disability related articles see: Can Students Receive Transition Services Under Section 504 Law?

Washington State Fathers Network Annual Conference  Jessica’s Early Years With Autism  Who is Involved in Special Education Planning?  Who can get Special Education Services Under these Laws?

Jessica’s Teenage Years: Growing with Autism   Laws to Protect Americans with Autism and Other Disabilities  What is Inclusion   What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)? and The Special Education Profession