It’s hard enough being an expat parent. Helping your child adjust to a new environment, school, friends, food, etc. is a hefty task under the best circumstances, but being an expat with a differently-abled child offers some unique challenges.
The same is true of expat teachers. Navigating the social customs in a foreign school, designing a new curriculum, and figuring out how to function in your day to day life while still providing the best possible resources to your students and families brings it to an entirely new level when you know one of your students requires extra attention and support.
These are not complaints. Parents and teachers do what they do out of love and a desire to give all of our children the best possible life and education, respectively. But everyone needs a little help once in a while. That is where SENIA can be an invaluable resource to anyone working with differently-abled children.
SENIA is a nonprofit Special Education Network and Inclusion Association. It is a global network of educators, professionals, and parents on a mission to advocate, support, and provide resources for differently-abled individuals. There are more than 25 chapters including one right here in Beijing. They provide newsletters, specialist listings, events, and networking opportunities.
In addition to the conference, SENIA Beijing has a WeChat group for parents and educators to stay current on resources and happenings, as well as find support among like-minded Beijingers. You can find them on WeChat under the group name SENIA-Beijing! To join, contact Dr.Gerald Anthony on WeChat (ID: DCW-Gerald) to be added.
One of the most difficult things about moving a family with a child who requires extra attention is to keep care consistent. It can be difficult to find a specialist at all, much less one your child likes. Luckily, Beijing is a cosmopolitan city with resources…if you know where to look. Possibly the most beneficial part of the SENIA program for parents is their professional directory. A multi-tab spreadsheet found on their website lists professionals in education, medical and mental health. They list not only their area of expertise and the region of Beijing as well as the hospital they practice in, but also the languages they speak plus their email addresses. The latest version can be downloaded from the website for easy reference.
As an educator, I was curious about the resources available to teachers. Dr. Gerald W. Anthony, Chairman of the SENIA-Beijing board of directors had this to say about the impressive program, “SENIA-Beijing provides many resources throughout the year to support teachers such as the SENIA Happy-Hour podcasts, book recommendations, and making our community aware of upcoming events, awareness activities, as well as like-minded local organizations such as the Best Buddies Program.
Our “calling card”, however is our annual conferences. This is where we create local conferences for the four hundred plus local members to come together to network, exchange ideas and develop, not only a city but as a shared community.”
In addition to all of this, SENIA also offers award and scholarship programs. If you know of a worthy individual in the community who makes a difference in an area of inclusiveness, you can nominate them for the World Changer award. There is also a Student Award that provides scholarships for differently-abled students. Find out more details on their website (www.seniainternational.org/beijing/).
KEEP READING: SENIA Beijing Springs Into Action With Their April Conference
Images: Courtesy of SENIA
This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 May issue
