bridging the gap: special needs and mobility · the u.s. have at least one form of disability1...

Bridging the Gap:Special Needs and Mobility

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BRIDGING THE GAP:SPECIAL NEEDS AND MOBILITY

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Today’s Presenters

Elizabeth SawyerCEO at Bennett International Education Consultancy

Deanna TrevinoSenior International Relocation Specialist at Rockwell Automation

Elizabeth StewartEVP of Business Development and Marketing at Altair Global

Patrick KeeryVP of Move Management at Altair Global


My ExperienceDiagnosis:

• Sensory Integration dysfunction – Tactile and Vestibular System

• Grapha Motor Delay

• Speech and Language Delay

• PDD/NOS

• Expressive, Receptive and Pragmatic Language Disorder

• ADHD

• OT and PT

• ABA Therapy

• Speech and Language

• Behavioral Specialist

• Tutoring

Support Services:


Special needs is a term used in clinical diagnostic and functional development to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be developmental, behavioral/emotional or physical such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger's, Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), sensory or emotional disorders, a physical disability and/or a gifted student.


Who, What and Why

• During the 2017-2018 school year, 7 million children ages 3-21 received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

• 14% of all students in the U.S.


Polling Question:

Has your company relocated anyone with a special needs child?

• Yes

• No

• I’m not sure


Speaking From ExperienceBELLA

• Age 13 / 8th grade

• Diagnosed at the age of two with Autism

• Has an IEP and 1:1 aide at school

• Service dog named Curry

• Receives Medicaid and the Autism Waiver

• ABA / Daily Living Skills

• Speech and OT

• Many different doctors / specialists

My family passed on a relocation because we felt it was best for her if we stayed in Wisconsin.


Case Study #1 – U.S. to UK

• Relocated the VP for our EMEA region

• No assessment of the employee/family completed prior to assignment being offered

• The company was made aware their child had special needs after the family arrived on the ground in the UK

• Needed support finding the right school with the proper services

• Additional services needed for the child at home


Polling Question:

Do your relocation policies note any type of support for those relocating with special needs children?

• Yes

• No

• I’m not sure


Case Study #2 – U.S. to Singapore

• Employee was a key retain for our company

• Assessment was completed with employee and family prior to going on assignment

• Child was diagnosed while on assignment

• Needed assistance getting some additional services in their current school


Case Study #3 – U.S. to Singapore

• Employee and family were all assessed prior to assignment being offered

• Nothing was disclosed prior to relocation

• Our company was notified once issues started to arise for the child at school, about one year after relocation

• School was not willing to assist and we needed an alternative plan

Focusing on the Mobility Experience

for Special Needs Families


Relocation and “Change Anxiety”

• Daily routines can create a calming effect for some special needs individuals

• Gradual introduction to change is often preferred over sudden routine deviations

• Relocating a family includes multiple, simultaneous changes in a short period of time:• Introduction of new relocation

support staff to the family• New community, residence,

schools, clubs, friends


Stats

48.9 million people in the U.S. have at least one

form of disability1

About 15% of the world’s population lives with

some form of disability2

Of that 15%, 2-4% experience significant

difficulties in functioning2

Special needs considerations occur in approximately 10% of

relocating families3

Sources:1 Dreamscape Foundation; 2 World Health Organization; 3 REA


Notification of Special Needs Families

• Are relocating special needs families under-reported?

• Customers are individually noting to relocation consultants that they have a special needs family situation

• Case study: Altair team member experience assisting a family with a special needs child


I’m relocating a family with an autistic son from Shanghai to CA. This Dad stopped by my office yesterday. He wanted me to understand the gravity of the change in his son’s life and to ensure I would be more than a ‘provider’, but an advocate for his family. I left the meeting realizing we are so much more than logistics coordinators to our relocating families.


The father, who spent 13 hours on a flight, picked up his rental car and drove another hour to meet with me. Four hours later, I sourced three reliable, informative sites and more than 100 pages of information! Tomorrow, I will humbly share these leads with the father before he gets on a plane home to his family. My work has just begun.


Notification of Special Needs Families

• Are relocating special needs families under-reported?

• Customers are individually noting to relocation consultants that they have a special needs family situation

• Case study: Altair team member experience assisting a family with a special needs child


Special Needs Support Offerings

• Additional layer of support• Trained Regional

Representatives

• Supplier Role

• Additional Offerings –Social Stories


Social Story – Moving Day!


Special Needs Support Services

• Additional layer of support• Trained Regional

Representatives

• Supplier Role

• Additional Offerings –Social Stories


Context

Elizabeth SawyerCEO


A Rose by Any Other Name: the Cultural Aspects of Special Education Needs (SEN) • Countries define and address differently

based on a host of factors ‒ diagnostic methods, attitudes and laws regarding medication, issues of stigma, etc. Examples:• According to ADHD institute: mean

prevalence is 2.2% worldwide• U.S.: 11% kids diagnosed with ADHD.

7.7% take stimulants• France: 1% of kids diagnosed with ADHD

and 0.46% take stimulants; direct marketing by pharma companies to individuals not permitted and only a couple of medications for ADHD approved

• Japan: only one ADHD medication permissible


Polling Question:

Does your company do assessments for international assignments?

• Yes

• No

• I’m not sure


SEN Challenges for Families Moving Internationally• No norm in terms of what different

countries and schools offer in terms of support

• Lack of options/support in many locations

• SEN support programs as new, expensive offering in for-profit schools; importance of confirming that offerings are indeed as advertised

• Larger framework of support (i.e. non school-related) may not exist

• Need for parents to be fully educated and have appropriate expectations


SEN Challenges for Families Moving Domestically• Leave behind an entire system of support

that has often been hard-won

• Need to start over to obtain services in a new location ‒ e.g., navigate time allowances for testing and IEPs in new districts, etc.

• Districts rarely provide information until a family is resident

• IEPs from private schools (or non-U.S. international schools) are not necessarily recognized

• Do not typically qualify for education-related support by experts (domestic policy); need for policy considerations

Takeaway:Early Intervention is Critical for

Successful Experiences

Thank you for attending!

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Worldwide ERC® for more information on these topics. +1.703.842.3400

bridging the gap: special needs and mobility · the u.s. have at least one form of disability1...

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