SPECIAL NEEDS ROUNDTABLE
Expert Tips for Supporting Children With Special Needs and Disabilities This Summer From maintaining routines and finding the right summer programs to supporting sensory needs, social development, and emotional regulation, experts share practical advice to help children with special needs and disabilities feel supported and engaged, and be set up for success throughout the summer months.
William Benson, PsyD
Emily Bushnell
Training Coordinator, ADHD & Behavior Disorders Center Director, Tourette’s and Trichotillomania Program Child Mind Institute
Executive Director Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship
If there’s one thing I want people to understand about supporting children with special needs and children with disabilities this summer, it’s that children with special needs deserve the opportunities that all children should have in the summer: fun, enrichment, and meaningful socialization. However, many summer programs and camps are not designed with special needs children in mind. It’s important for parents to identify programs in which their children can be challenged but successful. Don’t try to hide the difficulties your child has so that you can get them into a mainstream program, and at the same time, don’t keep them isolated because you’re nervous about how they’ll adapt. For their part, summer camps should strive to be more inclusive and train their staff to work successfully with neurodiverse children.
42 NewYorkFamily.com | June 2026
Since founding Endeavor in 2014, we’ve seen firsthand how summer can be a challenging time for families of children with special needs. Changes in routine, structure, and consistency can be genuinely hard, and parents often carry that weight quietly. My biggest piece of advice is to be proactive. Seek out programs that maintain structure while still feeling fun and enriching for your child. At Endeavor, we pride ourselves on providing an enriching environment that prioritizes safety and inclusivity because every child deserves a place where they can truly thrive.