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How do you treat a person who has a disability?
• Focus on strengths• Don’t be embarrassed about asking to help • …like a person! • They just have “different” abilities…
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• Why Scouting for the disabled?
• Disabilities you may encounter.
• Issues you may encounter.
• Alternate Advancement - Cubs
• Alternate Age Requirements
• Resources
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Why Scouting for the disabled?
• If you assume that Scouting is good for youth, then clearly it must be good for physically disabled youth.
• Many disabled children live in isolation from the rest of the world. Scouting may be their only recreational activity and their only contact with others of their age.
• Scouting teaches the disabled skills that will help them prepare for life as an adult in our society.
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Disabilities you may encounter.
Physical Disabilities - Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Muscular Atrophy, Limb Deformities, Epilepsy
Hearing Disabilities - Hard of Hearing, Postlingual Deafness, Prelingual Deafness
Mental Retardation - Low IQ, Poor Adaptive Skills, Mental Age of a Child
Learning Disabilities - Problem in Read, Writing, or Math, Problems with Coordination, Social Skills, and Self Control.
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Issues you may encounter.
• Should the child be placed in a regular unit or in a special unit.
• Parents that do not want to help you.
• Parents that are over protective.
• How the other members will treat the child.
• Events that the child can not participate in.
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Alternate Advancement - Cubs
• A boy’s performance in Cub Scouts is determined by his parents. When they think that a child has done his best they should discuss alternative requirements with the Cubmaster.
• Requirements for advancement may be substituted by the Cubmaster. However, the boy should be encouraged to go as far as he can with the regular requirements.
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Alternate Age Requirements
• There are specific requirements that must be met to qualify as a Scout who has a disability. The disability must be permanent/long lasting.
• If the conditions noted are met the youth is qualified to register beyond the normal registration age.
• The local council must approve these registrations on an individual basis.
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Resources
• The boy’s parent(s)• The boy’s teacher(s) – special education?• Google• BSA publications
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A Scoutmaster’s Guide to Working with Scouts with Disabilities.
Boy Scouts of America, © 2002
#33056A
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Scouting for Youth with Physical Disabilities
Boy Scouts of America, © 1971, 1996 printing
#33057C
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Scouting for Youth with Mental Retardation
Boy Scouts of America, ©1975, 1995 printing
#33059B
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Scouting for Youth with Emotional Disabilities
Boy Scouts of America, © 1994
#33008
Scouting for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Boy Scouts of America, © 1974, 1994 printing
#33063C
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