A Difficult Situation
Submitted by Lynne Young
When I lived in San Mateo County, California, my son, Justin, attended the San Carlos Special Needs Program. This was an after school and summer program for children and adults with special needs. It is run as a continuous recreation program through the San Carlos Recreation Center. It was an excellent program combining arts and crafts, dance, cooking, and bowling.
Justin enjoyed the program, allowing me to work and attend college.
It has been many years since I moved to Marin County, where there is no daycare for severely disabled children and adults. The Child Care Council has lists of providers, but when you call them, they say they don’t want someone as severely disabled as my son. My husband, Tom (Justin’s stepfather), and I take turns working and caring for Justin. This is his last year in school and most of the programs have difficulty accepting someone with toileting needs in the mainstream community. The one program we found that will care for him is open only until 2:15 pm. How is a family supposed to earn a living working only part-time? I am lucky to have Tom to help. I know several people who don’t have a second adult in the home to watch a special needs person.
