School for Troubled Children
If you are the parent of a teen with behavioral problems, you may be interested in the possibility of placing him or her in a school for troubled children.
Such facilities specialize in caring for at-risk teens of both sexes and teaching them to become useful, mature adults. The Cal Farley’s programs are typical of such facilities. Located in Amarillo, Texas, Cal Farley’s offers “three types of services to children and families: residential, educational and community-based. All services are provided at no cost to the family of the children in our care.” (1)
The first type, or “campus-based, programs offer children a campus environment where children live in homes or cottages at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch or Cal Farley’s Girlstown, U.S.A. Ten to 12 children live in the homes with house parent couples providing supervision, mentoring and parenting. Our basic-care services offer 24-hour supervision in a small community setting.” (2) The campus-based programs are available to students from all over the country, and enable counselors to keep a close eye on their young charges.
Next, the community-based services offer “a variety of resources to children and families. Not all children require or would benefit from our residential services, but many families can benefit from our expertise without resorting to the trauma of out-of-home placement.” (3) Such services might include life-skills coaching, teaching children how to set and achieve goals, extra-agency referral, family and child counseling, and other support services.
Lastly, Cal Farley’s offers educational programs that provide children “academic, athletic and extracurricular opportunities similar to those offered at other Texas public schools.” (4)
Cal Farley’s Boy’s Ranch and Girlstown USA are fairly typical of the types of schools available. The Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center of Estes Park, Colorado, is another respected school for troubled children. Its curriculum is values-driven, and it makes a priority of teaching integrity, personal self-worth and respect for others. Its “fundamental philosophy, Eight Plus Five Equals Ten, has animated Eagle Rock since its inception. The eight themes, five expectations, and ten commitments shape daily living; they are the source and purpose of ongoing conversations.” (5)
If you are interested in learning more about the subject of choosing a school for troubled children, please visit:
Endnotes
- “About Us.” Cal Farley’s. 2012. Retr. 15 Mar. 2012 <http://calfarley.org/about/Pages/default.aspx>
- “Child Profile FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).” Cal Farley’s. 2012. Retr. 15 Mar. 2012 <http://calfarley.org/admissions/Pages/ChildProfileFAQs.aspx>
- “Mission and Philosophy.” Eagle Rock Schools. 2012. Retr. 15 Mar. 2012 <http://www.eaglerockschool.org/about_us/mission.aspx>