How Councils Help Troops Learn About Scouts w/ Disabilities

[ItsBrian]

Honestly, this is a big issue for me. I don't think councils provide enough resources. Yes, they may give you some packets, but how helpful is that actually? As I said in other posts, I worked at a day camp for cub scouts. I received a good 5-minute training, the council rep only read it from a piece of paper. I ended up having at least four special needs kids in my groups over the summer. 

 

My council's roundtable voted about topics that they can present. Not a single one to provide information for troops about for special needs scouts. I see so many troops having issues with special needs kids since they have no idea what to do, half the time the parent isn't any help. 

 

How do you guys feel about this?

[qwazse]

Our district roundtables routinely cover special needs scouting. We have several folks dedicated to informing themselves and others on the topic. We have a special needs troop in our council. Their leaders have presented topics at universities of scouting, board meetings, etc ...

[ItsBrian]

@@qwazse I have two special needs in my troop, one in a wheel chair and one with another disorder (not saying for his sake). It is hard to adjust and learn what to do, what to say. It was annoying how Council didn’t have any info sessions or talked about it during round tables.

[qwazse]

That is frustrating. Like I said, I never felt short of that kind of assistance. Even as a youth we always had one or two scouts (and an occasional ASM) with disabilities. For each one we figured out how to support them. This came easier to some boys than others.

[ItsBrian]

@@qwazse We adjusted as well. Never have we once denied him being in a wheel chair preventing him from coming. Those fun trips of the four oldest scouts carrying the wheelchair with a 100pd 7th grade down/uphill on it was fun haha. The main issue we’ve had with some special needs is they don’t always take their medicine that day because they don’t want to. But, still great scouts and try their best.