Child-care center focuses on special-needs kids
Posted on Wednesday, April 2, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/hl/Business/24042/
An array of toothy grins, rolypoly bellies and 26 cherubic faces rule the roost at 918 Mt. Olive St.
Since its grand opening on Sept. 10, Friendship Community Care has been serving Siloam Springs children, ranging in age from 5 weeks to 5 years, with developmental disabilities.
Every weekday morning, just before 8 o’clock, 26 children arrive at the center by bus or are dropped off by parents. They’re greeted by a 15-person staff including full-time speech, physical and occupational therapists.
“ We’re unique in that we’re open year-round which isn’t something that you generally see, ” said Renee Philpot, director of the center. “ We don’t take weeks off in the summer like most, the point being that just because it’s vacation time doesn’t mean that children’s need for therapy and intervention stops. ”
Excluding weekends and a small number of national holidays throughout the year, Friendship Community Care is open until 3: 15 p. m. every weekday.
The main factor that sets Friendship Community Care aside from other centers for children is that each charge has an identified disability.
Philpot, who worked as a librarian for the Gravette School District for many years, was compelled to change her vocation after years of caring for her own son, who is now 7, who has special needs.
“ You know, over the years I had to learn to maneuver within the special education system and it just isn’t easy, ” Philpot said. “ It’s very overwhelming, you expect to come home with a perfect baby and when you realize that no, your baby isn’t perfect, it’s quite difficult. ”
Without an advisor, with little direction and no manual, Philpot spent the majority of her son’s life learning about his disabilities, enlightening others, remaining abreast of new techniques and learning skills to help the developmentally disabled.
“ I wanted to educate other parents and give back as much as I can, ” Philpot said. “ People thought that I was crazy when I left the school system for this, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. ”
Prior to accepting clients, Philpot and members of her staff attended training courses and obtained necessary certification. One of the preschool teachers is bilingual, so she is able to translate for the Hispanic families.
“ We have a lot of in-house training, ” Philpot said. “ I’m a certified teacher and the staff is under my direction and supervision. ”
Friendship Community Care came to Siloam Springs “ because Benton County was underserved as far as pediatric developmental disability services goes, ” Philpot said. “ There was a great need here and we’re happy to be able to address it. ”
Ten additional children receive outpatient therapy services from the pediatric facility.
The business is based inside a 3, 200-square-foot house that was remodeled into five classrooms and tailormade restrooms that are easily accessible to children. Each room is the setting for small, intimate classes with numbers rarely exceeding five students.
“ We all work and learn together but every child learns independently and has independent goals as well, ” Philpot said. “ We document daily progress and have close relationships with parents because what we do for them here cannot be successful if it’s not continued at home. ”
Therapists work with children separately, refining motor skills, movement, speech and physical disabilities. Similarly, the children are worked with on social skills and cognitive understanding.
“ We don’t just play, ” Philpot said. “ We play with purpose. ”
Tears of joy are not uncommon occurrences at Friendship Community Care. Philpot and staff members consider every small step forward a giant leap in progress. Seeing a child who had limited mobility push his body into a sitting position or bear weight on his legs is enough to elicit cheers from all the scrub-wearing staffers.
“ When you see something like that it validates that I am doing a good thing and that I’m where I’m supposed to be, ” Philpot said. “ The first child that we enrolled has made miraculous improvements and so are so many other of our kids. ”
While one client is accepted as private pay, most children are covered by private insurance and Medicaid, Philpot said.
“ Believe it or not, our prices are comparable to area daycares, ” Philpot said.
Although Philpot’s son wasn’t born the kind of perfect that she anticipated before his birth, she has found, after years of loving him, caring for him and laughing with him, that he is, in fact, perfect — perfect in his own way.
“ I absolutely attribute my son’s success in public school now to early intervention and education, ” Philpot said. “ It is absolutely vital to children’s growth and future education. ”