5 Job Opportunities To Help Kids With Special Needs
The number of children with special needs is growing every year in the United States. Yet many people are unaware of all the job opportunities available to them out there.
Someone looking to work with kids with special needs can take several career paths.
Here Are Just 5 Jobs Available Within This Field Where You Can Use Your Skills To Help These Children Develop Towards Adulthood:
Special Education Teacher
Teaching kids with disabilities is perhaps the most common job taken by those working in the special needs industry. Working as a Special Education Teacher can be challenging but rewarding; it gives you an opportunity to inspire young minds and guide them into becoming strong members of society.
In addition, teachers often spend time planning lessons and activities that will help their students develop skills such as learning new concepts and creating social bonds with peers at school and outside the classroom setting. There is also a growing growth of Special Education Teachers, which means that there will be a wider pool of job opportunities in the future.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists work to help children with special needs develop skills in everyday life that they may otherwise struggle to accomplish alone or on their own. Working closely with kids, patients, and their parents or guardians, occupational therapists provide tailored exercises and activities that are designed to improve fine motor skills like writing, eating, personal hygiene, etc.
Speech-Language Pathologist
A speech-language pathologist is similar to an occupational therapist in that they both offer therapy for those afflicted by disabilities. However, while occupational therapists provide training focusing on physical tasks such as walking and writing, a speech-language pathologist works with those who have communication difficulties such as stuttering, trouble pronouncing certain words or speaking too softly to be heard. The pathologists will work with patients one-on-one and offer personal exercises and activities to help them master their communication skills through observation and feedback.
Kid’s Fitness Instructor
Working as a kids fitness instructor is an extremely rewarding line of work for those who look forward to helping kids and teens discover their love for sports. Fitness instructors teach children about basic exercises, healthy eating habits, and how to play different types of games.
They will instruct students using simple techniques such as demonstrating proper exercise form or teaching the rules of a particular sport so that they can do it themselves. Aspiring fitness instructors should have good memories since they need to be able to recall certain movements or formations without relying on notes or pictures taped up around the gym.
In addition, they need to have strong interpersonal skills to be able to guide students who are struggling with their fitness or sports goals. The best candidates will have experience in coaching or teaching, such as a kid’s fitness certification, which can improve the likelihood of being hired.
Respite Caregiver
Respite caregivers offer short-term care and supervision for children and adults living with disabilities. They work in partnership with parents, guardians, and caseworkers to ensure that there is always someone on call to take care of an individual in their absence.
This job requires a certain level of flexibility since respite caregivers may be called upon at any moment when the primary caregiver needs help. Other responsibilities include driving patients between hospitals, doctor’s offices, or social events.
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