Behavioural and emotional disorder schools

Private schools for children with behavioural and emotional issues

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Many private schools in Canada support children with behavioural and emotional disorders. Which disorders or issues they support, and in what ways, varies between schools.

Behavioural and emotional support schools are a specific kind of special needs school. They’re sometimes referred to as “therapeutic schools.”

What are behavioural and emotional disorders?

Behavioural and emotional disorders can be innate or acquired. According to the Council for Exceptional Children, they can involve some of the following traits:

• An inability to have satisfactory relationships with peers and teachers
• An inability to learn, which can’t be explained by intellectual, sensory, or physical health factors
• Consistent or chronic troublesome behaviour or feelings
• A pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression
• The development of physical symptoms, pain, or unreasonable fears associated with personal or school problems

Some children with behavioural or emotional disorders have learning disabilities as well. And some have ADHD, or developmental disabilities, such as autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or intellectual disability.

What kinds of behavioural and emotional disorders do private schools support?

There are lots of different types of behavioural and emotional disorders. Many private (and public) schools in Canada provide support for one or more of these.

• Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD): A disruptive behavioural disorder which normally involves angry outbursts, often directed at people of authority. This behaviour must last continuously for six months or more and significantly interfere with daily functioning.
• Clinical depression: A persistent mood disorder, which can involve feelings of sadness, loss, and anger that can interfere with daily functioning.
• Clinical anxiety: A persistent disorder involving intense, relentless feelings of distress and fear that interfere with daily functioning.
• Troubled behaviour/troubled teens: A variety of troubling behaviours and emotions often found in older kids and teens. This can involve drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behaviour, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and unpredictability.
• Suicidal tendencies: Persistent thoughts about ending one’s life.
• Drug and alcohol abuse: Excessive use of drug and/or alcohol, which interferes with daily functioning.

There are several other behavioural and emotional disorders. This list includes passive-aggressive disorder, conduct disorder, kleptomania, reactive attachment disorder, disruptive behaviour disorder, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, trichotillomania disorders, and intermittent explosive disorder.

How do private schools support behavioural and emotional disorders?

Private schools in Canada support kids with behavioural and emotional issues in many different ways. First, they provide different kinds of environments to promote learning and growth. The main environments offered are dedicated schools, dedicated classes, integrated classes, part-time withdrawal classes, regular classes with resource support, and regular classes with indirect support.

Second, schools offer different forms of support for children with behavioural and emotional disorders. The three main types of support offered are accommodations, modifications, and remediations.

Accommodations

Accommodations are intended to level the playing field. They removes obstacles to learning by altering how children learn.

• Learning accommodations: These allow children to overcome learning challenges, and access grade-level expectations. Examples include self-contained spaces, resource rooms, extra time for tests, use of headphones, and strategic seating.
• Psychological accommodations: These allow children to cope with the emotional challenges that may stem from their disorders. Examples include psychotherapy, academic counselling, and support groups.

Modifications

Modifications change what’s taught, instead of how it’s taught. They may also involve lowering grade-level expectations.

• Assignment modifications: Get fewer or different assignments, write shorter papers, answer fewer or different questions on a test or assignment
• Curriculum modifications: Learn different material, simplify material, get graded using a different standard, get excused from a class assignment or project

Remediations

Remediations eliminate, reduce, or ameliorate challenges children with behavioural or emotional disorders face. These are often research-based therapeutic measures which involve intensive and individualized interventions and treatments.
 

Below, we list behavioural and emotional disorder schools. This includes boarding schools for behavioural problems. Find a behavioural and emotional support school near you.