Inclusion For All™

Dedicated to including ALL people with special needs™

The Camp-For-All™ Information Center

The complete resource to help parents and professionals include ALL kids in summer camp

Provided by Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, 5801 West 115th Street, Overland Park, KS 66211-1800

Enrollment of Children With Identified Special Needs

1. Parents meet with the Camp Administrator.

· A camp spot is held until a decision is made regarding the appropriate placement in camp, and until qualified staff is hired if this is deemed necessary.

· If parents indicate the presence of special needs, they are required to sign a “Release of Information Form” so that the Center Inclusion Specialist can obtain information necessary to make a decision about placement. This information may include the child’s diagnosis, a copy of his/her IEP or ISFP, information from current or immediate past teachers, therapists, and/or physicians. The Center reserves the right to refuse services to a child whose parents refuse to sign this form.

2. The parent and the child meet with the Camp Administrator and the CAJE Inclusion Specialist (+ the Camp Director if he/she has been hired.)

· During this meeting, the Inclusion Specialist observes the child and presents the policy document entitled How the Youth Services Department of the Center Serves Children with Special Needs.

· Parents sign a copy of this document indicating that they understand and agrees to Center policies. The Center reserves the right to refuse services to children whose parents refuse to sign this policy document.

3. Following this meeting, the Inclusion Specialist and the Camp Administrator determine the appropriateness of placing the child in camp and what accommodations if any will need to be made in order for the child to access essential services of the program.* This determination is made within 7 working days of the parent meeting. If this is not possible due to circumstances beyond the control of the agency, the parents are called within 7 days with an update of the process. *This decision may involve input from the Director of Special Needs for the Jewish Community.

· If, because of information gleaned during the meeting and/or reports from other sources, it is determined that the CDC is not an appropriate placement for the child, the Inclusion Specialist contacts the parents and informs them of this.

4. If the child is accepted into the program and it’s determined that a paraprofessional aide is needed, the Camp Administration begins an immediate search process. The Director of Special Needs for the Jewish Community will assist in this process as much as possible.

· The paraprofessional will work within the educational and employment policies defined by the Director of Special Needs for the Jewish Community. Use of the paraprofessional outside of this policy is at the discretion of the Jewish Community Center and may be at the expense of the family.

· Finding a qualified paraprofessional is a top priority and the goal of the Center is for the child to begin attending a program as close in time to the parent’s request as possible. At the same time, it’s understood that this is a difficult process which may take several weeks. The Inclusion Specialist contacts the parent weekly, giving an update on the search process.

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