Anybody have a "social mentor" for a child on an IEP/IPRC?

[riu girl]

DD9 has ADHD/anxiety/sensory issues.
Academcially she is an A/B student so we don't have concerns there. What worries us is her social/emotional issues. Her social skills are incredibly weak/immature for a 9 year old child. She is overly sensitive and would not hurt a fly. She spends most of her time trying to make new friends (but she has such incredibly weak social skills, this is hard for her). She gets her feelings hurt very easily.


She has been at the same school since JK (she is now in Grade 3). At the beginning of Grade 5 she will be moving over to "middle school". I am concerned that she may have a hard time at the new school since she is so different.

On the disABILITES board, someone mentioned their child having a "social mentor"at school. It is someone at school they see once per week who helps them choose/keep friends, make good choices etc etc.

DD currently attends social skills classes 2 times per week and has for almost 3 years (at her school) and although academcially there have been huge gains, socially/emotionally, she is just not coming along. She has also seen two different behavioural therapists as well as a psych. She is not medicated but does take some vitamin supplements.

Has anyone every heard of a child on an IEP and or IPRC for behavioural/social/emotional issues having a social mentor program at a Canadian school???

Her IPRC meeting is coming up before school year and if possible I would like to have this implemented sometime next year, prior to going to middle school.

Sorry so long. Its just that she has made vast improvements in all other areas of development, except for this area and I want to help her with this.

 

[Miandrea]

As a special ed. teacher in Ontario, I have not heard of a social mentor. We do have EA (educational assistants) and CYW (Child and Youth Workers) who assist students with social issues. Check with your SERT if there are CYW's at your school and if your child can spend some time with them. Keep us updated!
Andrea

 

[Debbie]

Yes, at our school (core area), we have had some children with mentors-sometimes for behaviour issues, sometimes social/emotional issues, sometimes kind of a "Big Brother/Sister". Our LST/SERT teacher and/or our school social worker arranged for the mentors. We have had college and university students (especially those in our school on a work [Child and Youth worker] placement), and I remember one mentor who was a police officer and he met once a week with a student. The mentor would take the student out, talk, play games, do crafts, read etc. a one on one time. Hope this helps to let you know that it can be done. Probably it is something that even you, as parent, could arrange, if the school is not able. Good luck!