The first organization
is the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). DFPS works
with communities in Texas to protect children, the elderly, and the disabled
from abuse, neglect and exploitation. DFPS also helps protect the health and
safety of children in daycare centers. They also do child care licensing and prevention
and early intervention. This organization appealed to me because they do their
best to protect the interests and needs of children. They do not only ensure
child care centers are up to date with licensing standards, but they also
ensure children in foster homes are protected. One job with DFPS that interests
me is the Residential Child Care Licensing Inspector. One skill that I would
need to completely fulfill this role is to have knowledge of the Texas Child
Care Licensing Act, Family Code, and other laws and regulations I am not
familiar with.
I am also interested in
the Task Force for Children with Special Needs. The task force was established
to improve the efficiency of services for children with special needs. They develop
five-year plans to address the needs of children with chronic illnesses, mental
illness, and developmental illnesses. They are administered by the Texas Health
and Human Services Commission. This organization interests me because they
ensure to provide access to reliable information so they can receive the best
support to meet their children’s needs. They
also provide referral and respite services for families.
The third organization I
am interested in is the Texas Special Children’s Projects. This is a charity organization serving
special needs children and adults. Their mission is to enrich the lives of
handicapped, disabled, and special needs individuals by providing various
projects throughout the year. Some of the services they provide are activities for children in hospitals and
facilities, and sponsoring field trips and special events. I was
attracted to this organization because it reminded me of the autism
organization I used to work for. They provide free services to all
participants. They have not listed any employment opportunities, but they are
always seeking volunteers.
Website links
Dear Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that Texas offers so many services for adults and children with special needs. I enjoyed looking on the websites and the resources that are available for families.
Dear Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteIt was really exciting to here about the organizations you chose in your town. In Texas they offer many different services for children with special needs, and the elderly. We need good and dedicated people in this field. I was wondering are you a special need teacher or do you plan on teaching in the field of special needs?
Hello Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteI love your introduction that ranks the early childhood field to the same level of importance as fields of education. What a statement!
As a foster mother, I applaud your interest in becoming a Residential Child Care Licensing Inspector since you would be able to apply the complex knowledge acquired during our master’s program for those children’s benefit. The foster care system needs to hire agents of social change such as yourself, who will apply state laws and also advocate for children’s best interest (which often times goes against those laws).
Do you already hold certificates or degrees in special needs education?
Dorcas, I enjoyed reading your blog post this week. All of your organizations were very interesting. My personal favorite is NAEYC. I feel like they have a lot of great resources and scholarly resources. Furthermore, the resources are well rounded and not just on one focus area. What is your dream job after graduation?
ReplyDelete