The issue of abuse of special persons has been rife over the recent past. Notably, abuses among children in early childhood special education have become a challenge to contend with. For instance, one of the most common challenges in early special education is to make the children have a desirable view of the world around them (Collins, Sweigart, Landrum & Cook, 2017). Child abuse in early childhood education has grown to the point that everyone has to take charge to raise awareness and work towards reducing or even stopping more damages.
Research Summation of Topic
Every child is considered to be an essential aspect of the society regardless of the status that they are in. However, children below the age of five years that are enrolled in special education have been undergoing child abuses that emanate from outsiders as well as the immediate families. Children with special needs have to be accorded proper care and education opportunities like any other ordinary child: Where this lacks, and abuse becomes prevalent, the proper development of children with special needs that are under five years of age is hindered (Allsopp, Lovin & Ingen, 2017). In this regard, child abuse in early childhood special education should be assessed and solutions introduced.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Allsopp et al. (2017) postulate that children with special needs that are below the age of five years tend to experience abuses that in turn hinder their innovative capabilities. Allsopp et al. (2017) continue to point out that these abuses which include physical and emotional tend to be held by early childhood education students in such a way that it affects proper decision making. Bakken, Brown & Downing (2017) describe neglect as a major issue facing early childhood special education. It is necessary to point out that parents stand to be the most crucial elements in as far as improving the welfare of children is concerned. While the neglect of special children is sometimes done by parents themselves, in 54% of the cases, parents are liable for the abuse of their children by other parties (Corr & Santos, 2017). Notably, Corr & Santos (2017) consider, physical, emotional, and neglect to be the most common forms of abuses experienced by those enrolled in early childhood special education. Although more emergency steps taken later on may help to mitigate the damage done, it is apparent that such cases are rare.
In this respect, crucial strategies have been put in place is to help reduce child abuse in early childhood special education. An example is by ensuring professional development of early childhood special education teachers who will be abreast with the existing challenges faced by children with special needs that are under five years of age (Allsopp et al., 2017). On the other hand, Corr & Santos (2017) propose that ensuring proper collaborations between teachers and parents of children with special needs will assist to provide proper environments both at home and at school that will help reduce or stop abuse in totality.
Reflection
As a person seeking to work in early childhood special education, it is vital to look into the adverse effects that child abuse has. I understand that proper mental development is key to providing special children under five years of age with the necessary morale that should enable them to tackle issues and develop an innovative mind. From the research summation, abuse in early childhood special education is present and what is more depressing is that immediate families are in most cases at the center of it. I tend to think that the major challenge will be to ensure that special children are granted all-around support not only from the parents but also the community around them and professional teaching.
That said, the first thing to keep in mind when teaching/dealing with children in early childhood special education is that I should reveal light in their lives. This is best achieved by taking them as normal persons who can be notable personalities like every other person. In the same way, insights from the research summation reveal that I should be privy enough to notice signs of abuse among special children. The process of early childhood special education is supposed to allow cognitive development and any abuses incurred hinder these efforts. In any case, various strategies such as marks that may have resulted from physical abuse, unusual behavior, and other factors can help to point out the issues. Once I have identified the issue, I can consult the child’s parents and the authorities where necessary. In the end, understanding more about special children under five years paints a picture of young persons who cannot protect themselves from abuse. The teachings above also encourage me to take a step and engage those around me to be mindful of children in early childhood special education.
Conclusion
In conclusion, early childhood special education comes out as an essential factor that determines the proper development of children living with special needs. From birth up to the age of five, special children have to be provided with prerequisite care that sees their proper cognitive growth. It is, however, fortunate that various strategies such as the introduction of collaborations between parents and teachers have helped to mitigate abuse of special children under five years of age. In the end, I understand that it is my responsibility to take charge to reduce and raise the awareness of special children.
References
Bakken, L., Brown, N. & Downing, B. (2017). Early childhood education: The long-term benefits. Journal of Research in Childhood Education , 31(2), pp. 255-269.
Corr, C. & Santos, R. M. (2017). Abuse and young children with disabilities: a review of the literature. Journal of Early Intervention , 39(1), pp. 3-17.
Collins, L. W., Sweigart, C. A., Landrum, T. J. & Cook, B. G. (2017). Navigating common challenges and pitfalls in the first years of special education . Teaching Exceptional Children , 49(4), pp. 213-222.
Allsopp, D., Lovin, L. H. & Ingen, S. V. (2017). Supporting mathematical proficiency: Strategies for new special education teachers. Teaching Exceptional Children , 49(4), pp. 273-283.
Goettsch, M., Diaz, M. M. & Canete, N. (2018). Innovation as a tool to make the first years count. Association for Childhood Education International , pp. 17-25
