Dazed - the poster before you (been there done that) had, in my experience of over 10 years on this board, a very rare experience. We've probably had ... gosh, I want to say a couple dozen kids who have been in Residential Treatment Center (RTC) placements over the years. Were all of the placements perfect? Nope. Were some of them bad enough that their families pulled the kids out? Yep, and I'm one of those families. But with all of the varied experiences, good and bad, I honestly cannot think of a single situation where the parent vehemently became anti-Residential Treatment Center (RTC) for everyone. I'm getting really old, but off the top of my head, I can't think of a single situation on this board where a child who was pulled from an Residential Treatment Center (RTC), for whatever reason, was not eventually placed again.
Are there some snake pits out there? Absolutely. If you make the decision that Residential Treatment Center (RTC) is necessary for your child, then you need to do your research. There's a list of questions in our archives to ask an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) - use it as a starting place and add your own questions. You can find the list here http://www.conductdisorders.com/for...ential Treatment Center (RTC)-need-input-200/
I don't know been there done that's story, but I take very strong exception to her statement that "reputable places lie, staff turn over is high with a difficult population and the vast majority limit contact with the outside world." My son was in 2 outstanding RTCs. Staff most certainly did not lie, and contact was limited only once, as part of his treatment plan - it was an extraordinary measure that his treatment team, of which we were a part, determined might possibly help him to focus on his issues. As far as staff turnover, my son still visits the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) he was in from 2000 to 2003 to visit with staff who are still there.
To be fair, my son was in a bad Residential Treatment Center (RTC) along the way. Yes, staff lied. Can't tell you about staff turnover because they were shut down by the state. I didn't pull him out soon enough because I lost sight of the most important thing, which was his safety. I allowed myself to listen to excuses and rationalizations from the staff. To be brutally honest, we didn't have any other options at that point. He was unstable, violent (that was his baseline from age 6-17), and we already knew we couldn't handle him at home. But that's on *me*. Just because you place a child in an Residential Treatment Center (RTC), that doesn't mean you can't pull them (as long as it isn't court ordered).
The responsibility falls on us as parents and advocates for our kids. Do your homework up front. Get opinions from professionals - one resource I heavily relied on was the therapist at the hospital where my son was very frequently admitted. She steered me away from a couple of RTCs up front. Tour a potential Residential Treatment Center (RTC). Look carefully at the kids' demeanor, interaction with staff, living quarters. Listen to what your gut tells you.
Making the decision to place a child is *never* done easily. It's not an easy answer, it doesn't solve the problem (immediately any way), it's incredibly difficult to do. I believe with all my heart that if there was a chance of managing a child's behaviors at home safely, while educating him/her and getting appropriate treatment, no parent would ever place their child. Unfortunately, there are some children who are downright dangerous in the home setting and then I think it's reasonable to consider Residential Treatment Center (RTC) placement.
I'm not in any way doubting been there done that's experience. I'm not even advocating Residential Treatment Center (RTC) placement for your son, or for anyone's child. It is a very individual decision that is made based on the needs of the child and the family. I just want to make sure that you understand that if you do your homework, stay in close touch with staff and your son after placement, and listen to any warning bells you may be hearing, that it is possible to find appropriate, safe, therapeutic placements.