Bureaucracy

One of the challenges of raising a special needs child is dealing with the bureaucracies that provide services. I worked for a bureaucracy before I changed careers to stay home with our kids, but the bureaucracy you work for is never "as bad" as the one you want something from. :)

Natalie's therapy is paid for by the state of California, through the Regional Center, until she is 3 years old. The day she turns 3, the local school district is responsible for her therapy (and education). Today Natalie's case worker with the Regional Center came over for her every six months visit, and we discussed the transition from Regional Center to school district. Just when I was comfortable understanding one bureaucracy, we get to change to another one! And from what I've heard, it's more difficult to get services that our child needs from the school district.

Tom and I are going to request a transition meeting earlier than normal, so we can be sure of our decision to enroll Natalie in a day program with the school district, well before the time would come to enroll her. We are leaning toward doing that, but we also have the option of homeschooling her and having the school district pay for her therapies (but she probably wouldn't get as much therapy as she's getting now). We've heard there are a lot of good programs/teachers, but there are probably also some poor ones, and we want to make sure that Natalie's program is the best for her...staying at home is always a good option, but if the school's program would provide a better way for her to grow, that's what we want.

The flip side of it is that, according to Natalie's caseworker, there is currently no space in any of the day programs for special needs kids. She said there are supposed to be additional classes starting in September (Natalie would probably start in January), so hopefully there will be space for her with a good school/good program/good teacher when the time comes.

Thanks for your prayers as we learn to navigate a new bureaucracy.