Nitzan's Single-Parent Family Program is similar to our program for new-immigrant families. We know that Single parents often lead exhausting and demanding lives and cannot engage themselves in the long and demanding process of treating a child with a learning disability. These families also worry about the costs of diagnosis and treatment and usually defer to the school system to meet their child's special needs.
Nitzan's experience has shown that early diagnosis of learning disabilities is crucial. Many Israeli children with learning disabilities from single-parent families currently go un-identified until as late as high school or even university. Students who are diagnosed this late suffer needlessly and experience many setbacks in academics and to their self-esteem. It is much more demanding and costly to try to overcome learning disabilities as an adult.
The Single-Parent Family Program improves the opportunities for success for children with learning disabilities in such families. Single-parent families with children who are in 1st and 2nd grades are identified by municipal welfare authorities and local school personnel. The parents are invited to bring their children to the local Nitzan Center for evaluation. Nitzan staff meets with each child and his or her parents to review the test results. Nitzan prepares individualized programs tailored to meet the needs of each child, including recommendations for the parents and for educational personnel. Nitzan staff also works with the child's teacher(s) to facilitate the student's learning. Additionally, depending on individual needs, Nitzan provides direct services in the form of homework support, movement therapy, art therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, etc.
As a result of Nitzan's Single-Parent Family Program, these families are ensured early diagnosis of learning disabilities among their children. Early diagnosis, combined with Nitzan's tailoring of individualized plans, significantly improves academic and social achievements and opportunities for children with learning disabilities in these Israeli families.
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