Possible relocation to orlando area - child with cerebral palsy (Miami: new home, neighborhoods)

[mcgarcia.sp]

My husband and I have decided it is time for us to move out of Miami. We are looking at several different areas to relocate, both in and outside of Florida. However, since we already know the system within Florida we are more drawn to staying in the Sunshine State.

It should seem easy enough to just pick up the family and move to a new city, except that we have a daughter with severe special needs. She is 8 years old - has Cerebral palsy, wheelchair bound, non-verbal and requires complete care.

Are there any schools (public/private) in the Orlando or surrounding area that is great for a child with severe Cerebral Palsy?

Do these schools offer therapy services during school hours?

Are there great (not good) therapy centers in this area?

Are there any summer programs available for children with Cerebral Palsy?

Are there any support groups in the area for parents of children with special needs?

We also have 2 other children (9 and 3) who have only attended private Montessori school. We have never had to deal with the public school system and when we relocate my husband told me to forget private school. So, the big shock will be for MOMMY.

What are the public schools like in the Orlando and surrounding areas?

Which public schools would you recommend?

What areas in Orlando do you feel are VERY family friendly neighborhoods?

One of the reasons we are leaving Miami is because as our daughter gets older it is becoming more and more evident that this city is not tolerant or accepting of children with special needs. This does not have an impact on our daughter, but does impact our other children. We really need to find a "new home" that is accepting of our family dynamics.

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by mcgarcia.sp

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One of the reasons we are leaving Miami is because as our daughter gets older it is becoming more and more evident that this city is not tolerant or accepting of children with special needs. This does not have an impact on our daughter, but does impact our other children. We really need to find a "new home" that is accepting of our family dynamics.

You won't find a miraculous change moving to Central Florida which you might find a bit less progressive in that department. I'm sure as usual some will say this area is the "one size fits all" mecca for everyone...but the reality is states like Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Wisconsin and Minnesota are more enlightened in general and more suitable for families with Special Needs kids, particularly when dealing with far more visible physical problems.

[Tlaurino]

Have you heard of UCP of central Florida It has all your needs covered Please see linkBest Charter schools in Florida, Orlando - Schools for special needs children, schools for autistic children

[mcgarcia.sp]

Thank you both for your replies. I am taking all the information I am receiving in, making phone calls and doing research. Need to make sure the move is the right on.

M

[FloridaNative35]

Here is a good place to find resources: CFPC: Orange Country Resources

And the link above posted by Tlaurino is a great place to start.

[FloridaNative35]

As for public schools, Orlando is a big place. If you can narrow it down a bit (home budget, more specific area, other criteria), we can recommend specific schools.

[Caro71]

We also have a three year old son with cerebral palsy (moderate). We are looking at Conductive Education of Orlando. We will also tour UCP of Orlando. Winter Park has great schools for your other children. I really like the services offered for special needs children in Orlando that I am not finding in Tampa. My son did intensive suit therapy at Innovative Therapy. There is a great medical school at UCF. Once we move I plan on hiring a PT student to stretch my son on a daily basis. I think Orlando has a lot options.

[whitny]

We also have a child with CP, and have experiences with both CECO and UCP. If your child is confined to a wheelchair and needs more support, I'd suggest CECO. UCP's elementary program is still working out kinks imo. They are not full equiped to handle a child who needs adaptations and supports right now. There is a LOT of teaching to the FCAT, and tons of worksheets at the 2nd-4th grade level. The positive about UCP is that PT, OT, SLT is offered on site during the school day, and the therapists are great. CECO is ongoing, daily lifeskills therapy, plus a full school day. The minus about CECO is that the academics are not as challenging as a typical elementary program, so if your child needs to be challenged academically, they might not meet that need. Feel free to PM me/email me for more information if you decide to proceed. As one poster said, I find Florida in general (even here in Orlando) not as open to physical disabilites as northern areas of the US (New England, Mid Atlantic) The positive is the weather. As a parent of a child with CP, having to maneuver snow/ice/wind/cold for a child with CP is no easy task. Again, feel free to message me. GL.

[tinytrump]

My grand was special needs and If i knew about Tampa before,I think i would have brought him here, he passed several years back but think you should investigate here... they even made a park for special needs kids

[MelissaCECO]

Hello,
Has your daughter ever tried out Conductive Education? CECO is a school that specializes with children and adults with motor disabilities like Cerebral Palsy. We use an intensive holistic approach that increases physical and cognitive independence. Check out our website to learn more information: [url=http://www.ceco.org]CECO[/url].

Best,
Melissa