Quick bg: I work for an after-hours care program for school-aged kids. Think "school-aged daycare" in a nutshell.
So one of the roles that staff can become is an Additional Funded Worker. These guys work with a special needs student (or studentS) ensuring that their needs are met. These guys are also not considered to be part of the standard adult: child ratio that all programs across the state are required to meet.*
One of the schools I've worked at has ONE AFW for 3 intellectually disabled children, who are mild/moderately disabled. They are great kids, although we had an moment the other day when I got one of the kids to join in some games: apparently said kid had been licking things on the playground before I came along.
The actual manager of that site got wind of me and has now asked me to come in again. This time because the shifts go for much longer, I suspect that I'm being asked to be an AFW (the former manager of that site works over at another school and is also keen on "stealing" me )
*-the current adult: child ratio varies slightly. Basically it goes something like this:
1-10 children: 1 adult on site.
11-30 children: 2 adults on site (after 15 kids, the ratio goes up to 1:15)
31-45 children: 3 adults on site.
etc.
For excursions during the holidays, the ratio becomes 1:8 across the board, but for excursions involving swimming, the number goes down to 1:5.
An additional funded worker is not counted as part of the staffing requirements, they are sent there according to the needs of the service/child.
So one of the roles that staff can become is an Additional Funded Worker. These guys work with a special needs student (or studentS) ensuring that their needs are met. These guys are also not considered to be part of the standard adult: child ratio that all programs across the state are required to meet.*
One of the schools I've worked at has ONE AFW for 3 intellectually disabled children, who are mild/moderately disabled. They are great kids, although we had an moment the other day when I got one of the kids to join in some games: apparently said kid had been licking things on the playground before I came along.
The actual manager of that site got wind of me and has now asked me to come in again. This time because the shifts go for much longer, I suspect that I'm being asked to be an AFW (the former manager of that site works over at another school and is also keen on "stealing" me )
*-the current adult: child ratio varies slightly. Basically it goes something like this:
1-10 children: 1 adult on site.
11-30 children: 2 adults on site (after 15 kids, the ratio goes up to 1:15)
31-45 children: 3 adults on site.
etc.
For excursions during the holidays, the ratio becomes 1:8 across the board, but for excursions involving swimming, the number goes down to 1:5.
An additional funded worker is not counted as part of the staffing requirements, they are sent there according to the needs of the service/child.
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