If you are going through a divorce, you may worry about dividing marital property and securing your financial future. Of course, if you have children, you must also focus on their future. A special needs child, though, needs extra attention.
There is no such thing as a standard special needs child. Your young one may have physical limitations that make navigating everyday life difficult. Or they may be a Down syndrome child or on the autism spectrum. Or they may have severe medical condition requiring round-the-clock care. While virtually all children need some guidance after a divorce, special needs kids may require a bit of additional assistance.
Easing the transition
Adjusting to a post-divorce family can be difficult for any child. If your son or daughter has special needs, though, you likely need to take steps to ease the transition. For example, you may need to lengthen custody times to give your young one more time to adjust to each visit. Further, you may want to duplicate living spaces in both homes. Either way, talking with a child psychologist may be helpful. By paying attention to your child’s unique needs, you can likely minimize the emotional toll your custody arrangement takes on your son or daughter.
Meeting academic needs
Providing your child with an adequate education is essential to ensure he or she grows into a successful adult. Still, divorce presents some challenges to educational continuity. If your young one already has an individual education plan, you may want to consult the plan when drafting your custody agreement or parenting plan. You may also need to think about your child’s schooling when deciding where to live after your divorce.
While you are likely to face a variety of parenting challenges following your divorce, you must work to meet the best interests of your children. Naturally, if your son or daughter has special needs, you need to think carefully about how your custody agreement or parenting arrangement is likely to affect your child.