would you consider this?

Im currently in my final year of Occupational Therapy, when i graduate i will be an OT and I am considering doing a 1year teaching thing to get me to be also trained as a teacher (either ECE or primary)
and am thinking of opening a centre/school in the future.

this centre/school would be a special needs school with suitably trained teachers and staff.
it would use my knowledge as an OT and teacher to cater for the childrens needs.
as i am aware there is not many special needs kindergartens and parents are often not able to put their children into care until they are 5 and can start school.

and by this stage of happening i am likely to be living in Christchurch.

so my question is...

If you had a special needs child and this centre/school was open in your town would you consider sending your child to this school? or am I thinking too much and its not really an option that would be adequetly used?

Are you thinking just for special needs kids? Don't know how that would fit with MOE policy around integration etc - they've really moved away from standalone units.

I think its a great idea! Both DH and MIL work with special needs kids- DH as a teacher aide and MIL as a physio.
Have you thought about contacting the local special needs schools and asking their opinion about it?

Does OT cover autism. Early intervention is key in autism and a daycare/early childhood centre that specialised in giving care specifically for autistic kids may be of huge benefit to parents. It can take a bit of the weight off parents shoulders and also give them an option of going back to work instead of not going back due to the commitment of therapy for these kids.

Integration is the focus of MOE but this is from kindy and school age. Before that I don't think there is much in the way of daycare help etc.

OT does cover autism, and i was thinking of a centre that caters for autism, downs syndrome and mild cerebal palsy. and some of the higher needs but it would also be open to other children in the family so they could go to the same centre so its easier for the parents, so is kind of integrated.

I know ABC childcare was keen to open a centre for special needs but no-one was willing to upfront and run it.

oh and i asked here because not many people seem to visit the parenting a child with special needs section

I was a PT student, should have done OT tho, off topic- I'm sure some parents may be interested in special care but definitely the aim these days is for integration. Funding would be a HUGE issue. Our kindy assoc continues to lose funding & the special needs kids that I know of it's been up to the individual families to apply for the extra funding/support, & it's getting harder. Sad but true not a lot of investment is being put into ECE, makes me wonder what mess there'll be in 10y.