Special Needs
Meeting Children Where They Are
BlueSkies welcomes children and families from all social, economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and with a variety of special needs. The individualized, developmental approach to learning in the Children’s Program is appropriate and supportive to many children with special needs, though some children with special needs require a different environment, ratio, and teaching style (particularly those who are overwhelmed by large, busy, socially-focused groups of children). Enrollment for children with special needs is individually evaluated to ensure that BlueSkies can provide the level of support that is needed for each child to thrive.
We currently partner with Maggie Pantoni, a licensed marriage and family therapist who provides therapeutic services in both school-based and private practice settings. With a spirit of warmth and authenticity, she works with children and parents to offer support where they are stuck. Whether offering individual counseling, play therapy, or parent support, the cornerstones of her practice are curiosity and collaboration. You can read more about her here.
Early Intervention Subsidies
Maggie’s fee is $180 per hour. Families are eligible to have BlueSkies pay the first half of the $90 fee for the initial five sessions or “intake” sessions. After that intake, families receiving scholarship will pay on a sliding scale, and full-fee families will pay Maggie’s full fee.
In addition, parents can contract with a licensed physical therapist, occupational therapist, and/or speech therapist to provide some services, including evaluation, to their children on site at BlueSkies. We also work with multidisciplinary therapists from the Alameda County Regional Center assigned to children with IFSPs and IEPs.