Scouting Magazine - The Scout Association

Health & wellbeingWhen I’m on theinternet, I appreciatewhat it must belike to be newto Scouting. There is a lot ofinformation out there and allsorts of people to help you, butunless you have a helpful searchengine (such as another leader),it’s easy to get lost. Here aresome useful phrases to use whenresearching special needs online:What is...?First of all you needto know what you are dealingwith. You probably don’t needlots of medical jargon or adetailed list of medication.If a Cub Scout comes to yourmeeting with asthma, you needto know what it is and what todo in the event of an attack.Living with...Whatever disability the individualhas, it is the daily effect that isof immediate concern. Shouldany activities be adaptedor avoided?Practical tips...In dealing with the specificneeds of any individual, therewill be a number of simple ideasand suggestions that will makeactivities easier for them.Which organisations...?There are many supportorganisations out there. Lotshave useful websites, but thephone numbers and peopleto contact for these areoften best found locally.How much areyou expectedto know?A littleknowledge, theysay, is adangerousthing. Ifyou areWELL PREPARED‘We have a Cub withAsperger Syndrome –although this didn’tbecome apparent untilhe went away on acamp. He was particularabout some routines andhad some very fussyeating habits. His mumhad put on a form that hedidn’t eat certain thingsbut didn’t go into anymore detail. The nexttime we went, after wehad done our homeworkonline and had a meetingwith the mum, we weremuch better prepared.’Julie, Cub Scout Leaderdealing with a Beaver Scoutwith particular needs which onlyarise in certain circumstances,then all you may need is anemergency contact number. Onthe other hand, if you are goingabroad with a Scout on specificallytimed medication, you will needa lot of information, preparationand training.Weigh up whether you needto have an in-depth knowledgeof a particular condition or justlearn how to help with an asthmapump. Knowing where to stop isoften as important as knowingwhere to start.Ask questions withinyour GroupIf the individual is moving fromsection to section there will besome basic information and advicethat can be passed on. Obviouslyneeds change and develop, butbuilding on what’s gone before isa helpful first step.Some of the best informationis found incidentally. You meetsomeone who’s had the samequestion and answered it, or bumpinto a Beaver Scout Leader whoknows what to do in a situation,or you pick up a magazine witha profile of the condition.more infoThe internet is no substitute for first-hand knowledge. Youneed to discuss a particular individual’s needs with themand/or their parents or carers. Within Scouting itself, there maybe other leaders with relevant experience or knowledge – askaround at meetings and gatherings. Your District Team shouldbe the next call, then onto the County/Area. If you are still inany doubt, try the Special Needs Team at Gilwell Park. There’slots of special needs information on our website – www.scouts.org.uk/specialneedswww.scouts.org.uk/magazine 65