19 Apr Why Working With Special Needs Children In The Behavioral Health Industry Is Such A Rewarding Career

Your work will take up about 40 hours of your time each week. Shouldn’t anything that is such a big part of your life bring you fulfillment and joy? If you’re looking for a career that is both rewarding and challenging in all the right ways, look no further than helping children with special needs in the behavioral health industry.

Children with special needs are incredible.

If you’re considering a career working with children with special needs, you no doubt have heard how amazing these kids can be. However much you may have seen this, it bears repeating: they help you as much as you support them.

In an article for The Odyssey, Ann Johnson (a Kinesiology major at the University of Maryland), wrote that everyone should spend some time working with kids with special needs.

“This summer I worked at a camp devoted to helping kids with moderate to severe disabilities — and let me tell you, it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had,” Johnson said. “I truly believe that if everyone had a chance to work with special needs kids at least once in their lifetime the world would be a better place.”

You will see the impact of your work.

Too often, people work hard all day long and never see the results of their work. It can be discouraging not to see it all pay off. You won’t experience that when you work in the youth behavioral health field. Working with children in this way allows you to see growth and progress in amazing, measurable ways.

While there may be setbacks, you will see the joy on each child’s face as they learn new things from you. These children will make leaps in their learning and development that will keep you in a state of awe, and help you to appreciate the little things that matter most. While you can expect tough days, you will always know that you’re working toward a worthwhile goal. You can feel good about a career choice that makes a difference in the lives of children and their families.

There’s plenty of room for growth.

Of course, there’s more to a rewarding career than the emotional side. You must be able to find work and provide for your own life. Working with children in behavioral health gives you these opportunities as well.

This area of care is expected to see a 31 percent rate of growth by 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s much faster than the national average. Best of all, you don’t need tons of education to get started. Entry-level jobs are available for those with a high school diploma (and a desire to help people). With advanced training, your opportunities and prospects increase.

You will make a difference.

The great Maya Angelou once said, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

If you strive each day to find ways to make people feel happy and cared for, you may be the perfect fit for this career. Contact Pathways today to see how you can start your rewarding career in youth behavioral health services.

Pathways of Pennsylvania has been serving communities in Pennsylvania since 1981. Every individual has a right to lead a meaningful and positive life, and we are changing lives, one day at a time. Pathways of Pennsylvania is comprised of four companies: Children’s Behavioral Health, Inc., Pathways Community Services, LLC, Raystown Developmental Services, Inc., and The ReDCo Group, Inc.