10 TIPS for a smooth PCS with a Special Kid
The past year of quarantines and schedule disruptions have been difficult for everyone , especially for children with special needs . Some have missed needed therapy , had difficulty understanding and adapting to the changes in routine , and experienced behavior changes . If you have an imminent PCS move , following are some tips to help you make your move as smooth as possible . Contact your
School Liaison Officer ( SLO ) for additional local information and resources .
1 . EFMP : If you are active duty be sure you are enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program . ( See previous page for more information )
2 . Preparing Your Child : If your child doesn ’ t adapt well to change , have a talk about your plans as soon as possible . Don ’ t drop everything in one discussion . Bit by bit provide information . Talk about the new location positively . Give your child time to digest the news and start to come to terms with the upcoming changes .
3 . Planning : Waiting until the last moment to gather information , documents , advice , etc . isn ’ t a good idea . Meet with your child ’ s teacher or case study team to discuss goals and requirements for your child . Contact your SLO to help you identify the POC for special education at your new school . If possible , set up a time for a “ warm handoff ” teleconference between the two teams of educators prior to school starting if possible . You may need to have registration complete for this .
4 . Gathering Documents : Be sure to HAND CARRY all documents . An up-to-date IEP is vital . Your new school will have to honor the IEP upon arrival . If the IEP is expired the entire process will have to begin again ! The school will likely do a reevaluation within the first month or so . Having copies of previous evaluations will be extremely helpful if there is a divergence of opinion .
The Special Care Organizational Record ( SCORE ) may help you keep all your information in one place .
5 . Furniture Pick up Day : If appropriate , allow your child to select some of the items that will go with him / her . Pro-vide bright stickers in one color to put on all the boxes in your child ’ s room , so when items are delivered you know right away which items go in his / her room . This will allow you to get your child ’ s items out and set up quickly making him feel more at home in your new quarters .
6 . Childcare : If your child won ’ t do well with the confusion that a moving day brings , consider utilizing hourly care if available or have one parent deal with the move and the other or a friend spend time with the child . You can have your child registered in CYS Services and eligible for hourly care before you arrive ! Contact your local CYS Parent Central Office for details or go to
MCC . Com . Depending upon availability , you will also be able to access youth sports , lessons , and activities through CYS Services . Go to
MWR Online Services to sign up . The sooner your child is involved in something they love the easier the transition will be . Also , hourly care upon arrival may make your transition smoother too ! You SLO can update you on what is available in your community . Learn about
Inclusion support in CYS
7 . Diet : Often when we are busy with moving and in and out of hotels we don ’ t exactly have stellar diets . The increase in fats , salts , and sugars may impact your child ’ s behavior . Be cognizant of how your child reacts to food and make choices accordingly . Have a few items handy in a bag for those times that you aren ’ t presented with a good choice for a puckish child . If your child has specific dietary needs , allow ample time to find what you need in your new community .
8 . Patience : Allow yourself and your child a bit of slack . People don ’ t like change , and as a result of all the turmoil a move brings tempers may flare or standards may need to be relaxed a bit . It ’ s ok .
9 . Make Connections :
Wrightslaw ’ s Yellow Pages for Kids can connect you to a host of groups and agencies to support you and your child in stateside locations . Check with your post
Army Community Services and
SLO . If your child is in grade 6 or up a youth sponsor can be helpful . Army Europe Youth Sponsors are trained in 100 % acceptance of all students and may be a nice door to meeting other students at school , especially for the more typically shy child . Request a youth sponsor from your SLO .
www . yellowpagesforkids . com
10 . Attitude : Children often get their cues from adults . If you approach every PCS as an adventure you will provide your child with a feeling of safe-ty . “ If mom and dad are cool with it maybe it ’ s not so horrible ” But if mom and dad are panicking and acting like the world is ending when things don ’ t go according to plan , guess who else is more likely to feel that way ? Show some POSITITUDE ! It will make for an easier PCS and a happier child .