Thinking of Sending Your Troubled Teen to a Boot Camp?

(Welcome to Allison's readers, who have come here via her blog, 63 Days, which I review here. The following article was written by Henry Lawton, not me, and originally appeared on the site, NoSpank -- the Torturing Kids for Fun and Profit segment.  If you are looking for CEDU information, scroll down to the end of the article.)

I can say unequivocally that boot camps do not work. Such programs, in my view, have no concept of the fact that so-called "problem behavior" is always indicative of some sort of emotional problem.--Henry Lawton, 31-year veteran of  New Jersey Division of Youth & Family Services.

Having spent my career assessing troubled children for possible residential placement (NOT BOOT CAMPS) I can say unequivocally that boot camps do not work. Such programs, in my view, have no concept of the fact that so-called "problem behavior" is always indicative of some sort of emotional problem. Such problems generally stem from long term dysfunctional family settings (of course there are other causative factors but in my experience this was always at or very near the very top of the list). I don't think that responsible child welfare agencies or professionals use boot camps (if they do they are not worth the name of professional). Boot camps appear largely based on the premise that problem behavior stems from some sort of moral failure and that the failure can be remedied by the application of iron discipline. This is a totally fallacious assumption which ignores the underlying emotional genesis of behavior "problems."

            Troubled teenagers distrust all adults (often with some justice depending on the nature of the treatment they have received from the adults in their lives). Generally, it is only when a troubled kid is treated with honesty and respect by the adults working with them that they will begin to have a chance to face their problems and try to make changes. This sort of work is very hard, it takes a lot more than good intentions on the part of the helper, you have to find ways to show kids they matter and count for something no matter what they may have done. There is no one formula by which this might be done. When I speak of the importance of honesty in helping kids & their families face their underlying emotional issues, you would be mistaken to think that this means giving them a free ride. You expect them to face their issues, but not alone, rather it is with the support of adults who are honest and who care. If you think kids don't know the difference on these issues you are sadly mistaken.

            One of the great problems in treating emotionally troubled teens is finding a viable modality of treatment for them. In principle the best choice is a combination of individual & family therapy. Many parents are very resistant to the notion they play a role in why their children have problems. It is not that they are to blame (even though that may be the case sometimes, especially in situations of child abuse), rather it is the idea that no child grows up in a vacuum. Even those who can understand intellectually, often have problems when it comes to owning up to their own failures/dysfunctions.

            The complexity of the issues involved can often be quite intimidating to all parties involved, which is one reason why illusory solutions like boot camps can be so attractive. Unfortunately there is no quick fix, only hard patient work possibly for years with no certainty it will pay off. But with the kids I worked with, I found that when I could take the time and establish a caring, honest supportive relationship with them, they invariably did at least somewhat better. Of course our so called social services are generally not committed to an intensive casework approach for a variety of reasons, all short sighted and self defeating.

            Another reason for the false allure of the boot camp is because it allows the family to avoid its responsibility/role in the problems. When parents successfully avoid facing their part in the problems the child becomes the victimizer (some kids learn to exploit this, generally much to their sorrow) and the parents become the victimized. Boot camps and their ilk all too often consciously/unconsciously punish the child for the role it often never sought.

            Boot camps are by their very nature inherently abusive, the only thing that varies is the degree of abusiveness. Children are placed in such facilities due to ignorance, denial, belief in the idea of a quick fix, but most likely by parents unconsciously interested in punishing their children for their failures/dysfunctions. Such facilities help perpetuate the failure of society toward our troubled children because they cannot, will not and do not know how to treat the underlying emotional problems of the young people they are supposed to serve.
            _____

            The author, now retired, has had 31 years of experience in working for the New Jersey Division of Youth & Family Services. He held the position of Family Service Specialist 1, and worked mostly with troubled teenagers at risk of out-of-home placement in residential facilities. See My 31 years working with kids and their families, Mr. Lawton's letter to PTAVE of January 22, 2005.

            Copy right is waived.

"This is a relationship-based program, and they closed this like it was a factory," a counselor at one of the schools told the Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Wash.

Brown Schools operate 11 boarding schools and educational facilities in Idaho, Texas, Vermont, Florida and California, according to its Web site. Facilities in Austin and San Marcos were sold to Psychiatric Solutions Inc. in 2003.

• News Articles On Cedu Closing
  
  • (republished as new information appears) Timeline of CEDU Closing a summary, link-heavy post in chronological order of CEDU history, from founding to the present time.
  • April 14, 2005: Class Action Suit Filed Against McCown deLeeuw by Suddenly Jobless Faculty, Staff -- suit alleges violation of WARN Act.
  • April 6, 2005: McCown deLeeuw spokesman and TIAA-CREF spokesman blame each other for the schools' sudden collapse.  An outbreak of integrity does not ensue.
  • April 6, 2005 What would a person of integrity do? More on the new tradition of responsibility from McCown deLeeuw: stiff the employees out of their paychecks.
  • April 7, 2005: The CEDU closing is a catastrophe for employees and for the local economy.
  • April 4, 2005 CEDU closing is also a California economic disaster -- CEDU owes local small businesses thousands.
  • Interview with Paul Johnson, CEDU : Why did The Brown Schools board, and their masters, MDC, treat us this way?  (MDC had not made 401K contributions, part of the staff compensation package, for 3 months.)
  • April 3, 2005 King George's Head doesn't close school, has parents who are helping.
  • April 3, 2005 Employees out Paychecks, Parents Out Tuition,  but McCown deLeeuw Still Solvent. I can't decide which is more outrageous, the parents who were billed for tuition, who won't be reimbursed, or the employees, who were robbed of three weeks' pay.
  • April 3, 2005 TIAA comes through with funding -- too late.  The primary creditor supplies a bridge loan, but it's too late: most of the kids have left, are finding other programs.
  • March 29, 2005 More on CEDU closing text of articles from the Bonners Ferry local papers, outlining the hardship on students' families and on faculty, staff, and the ecoonomies arouond the schools.
  • March 27, 2005:CEDU Is Closing --my first article on CEDU closing.
    
  • March 27, 2005 Austin Statesman article on Brown Schools bankruptcy filing.  Link to actual filing, which has details.
  • February 12, 2005: Rocky Mountain Academy Folds
• Commentary
  
  • April 6,
  • April 5, 2005 Save CEDU! an alumnus declares it should be saved.
  • April 4, 2005 A Parent Contrasts the Caring of CEDU and the Heartlessness of its owners,  MDC
  • April 12, 2005 A Faculty Member Reflects on her experience at CEDU and the meaning of the closing.
  • CEDU Closing Shocks One Industry Expert (I've also heard from others who are equally shocked and outraged by MDC's decision and lack of care for the clients and families.)
• Other Articles on Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Treatment Programs
  
  • The Lure of Treating Kids Roughly to "Improve" Their Behavior (April 15, 2005)
  • Why Parents Seek Therapeutic Boarding Schools Newspaper Article: Therapeutic education industry booms as parents seek help for kids.  (Published in the Chicago Tribune 1/20/2004-- by Bonnie Miller Rubin) Background and History
  • CEDU: Who are the principals -- the decision-makers in the wreck of an educational institution.
  • 1990 Fortune Article mentioning McCown deLeeuw, mentioning that the firm believes in the "new paradigm" of bottom-up organization:

target well-positioned but underperforming businesses and restructure them to stress empowerment of employees, creativity, and openness.

• March 31, 2005: The Wall Street Journal surveys the "struggling teen" Industry -- a rather hurried job.  One of the glossed-over questions is why are these facilities for-profit at all?
• March 27, 2005:Preliminary Notes on CEDU management -- I got confused about who was managing CEDU when, so this was a first go-round.

Comments

[Storyteller]

Have you read this blog about teen boot camps? It's very chilling, very scary!

http://www.63days.com/

[Ray Girvan]

I dug out a few links about this - Brat Camp uncensored - relating to the UK TV coverage of such camps. The rationale makes me so angry: I had a lot of problems in my teens, and later, from the combination of clinical depression and the brainless reaction from my parents ("nothing to do with us / pull yourself together / you must have fallen into bad company"). It's a horrifying authoritarian fantasy that complex problems can be solved like this. Redcliff Ascent, one of the camps featured on Brat Camp, appears to be sceptical of psychiatric diagnoses such as major depression and bipolar disorder, viewing them just as labels enabling adolescents to shirk individual responsibility! I especially like the quote by Jordan Riak: "there is nothing in the sciences of pedagogy or child development that supports the educational or psychological value of making captive persons miserable".

[Rosisela Morales]

I have a 14 year old boy where do I go to fine him so help, He's about to be kick out of his school, he does respect no person older nor younger to him what do I do so I can HELP him I'm thinking of bootcamp but Idon't know what to do.

[liz]

I advised Ms. Morales to find an educational consultant near her. It's expensive, but worth it to find help for her son.

The Consultant & At Risk Teens Advising Families with Troubled Teens

In times of crisis a barrage of emotions often overwhelms parents. The confusion and desperation associated with a troubled teen can be extremely trying. As alternatives are explored, how do you know what options are available? Of the many forms of intervention, which meet the unique needs of your child?

Educational consultants help parents build a promising future for their child and their entire family.

Educational consultants are trained experts who possess comprehensive knowledge of placement options. Many consultants specialize in crisis intervention and have extensive experience advising families with children who have emotional and behavioral difficulties. This expertise is used to advise you on the most suitable placement for your child.

The consultant thoroughly interviews both the child and family to determine individual needs and concerns. Getting to know you and your child in a neutral environment is vital to discovering a solution.

In some cases, testing may be done to determine specific learning and behavioral patterns. Some consultants administer these tests themselves; others make referrals to other professionals for testing. Teens who are "acting out" can appear very similar although the underlying roots of the behavior may be quite different. An individualized approach is required to respond to a child's particular needs. A knowledgeable consultant can help you find which programs are suited for your child.

Research is done to find the best fit for your child. Because consultants have helped a variety of troubled teens, they are aware of a multitude of options and can expeditiously target the best choices. Educational consultants spend about 20% of their time on the road, visiting therapeutic programs and other educational institutions. Not tied to any institution or program, consultants can concentrate on what is best for your child and provide you with objective options.

After your child has been placed, the consultant follows up to monitor progress. Consultants often work as part of a treatment team in conjunction with therapists, and can also serve as a support for parents. Consultants look beyond the current placement and assist in planning for your child's continued progress.

Educational consultants advise on all facets of your child's care. This professional and confidential intervention often brings long-awaited direction to troubled families.

You can go to the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) website, and use their database to find a consultant close to you.

Good luck.

[EMILYSDAD]

WHAT A BLOODY TOSSER! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT TEENS!

[troubled Teens]

I have edited this comment so that the link is no longer clickable
Boot Camps at http://www.troubledteensguide.com/Teenager-Resources/Boot-Camp-For-Struggling-Teens/index.html
is a good choice for giving strict atmosphare to troubled teens. This will help teenagers to find new skills and arts. Overall, boot camps are designed to improve troubled teens moral and confidence

contrary to what the commenter claims, there is no evidence whatsoever that "boot camp" environments increase troubled teens' skills. They typically do not have art programs. If you are struggling with a teen's difficult behavior, do not send him or her to a boot camp.

[troubled Teens]

edited to remove clickable link and provide commentary.
http://www.troubledteensguide.com
allegedly is a list of
Safe schools for troubled teens provide safe environment to teens. Parents also feel safe to send troubled teens to safe school. To find out more about schools and programs, you must contact educational consutlants and seach school online

there is no evidence that bootcamps and "behavior modification" schools actually improve outcomes for troubled youth. I do not recommend any of these.

[troubledteenprogramforstefano]

i would say that not all of them. there are some boot camps which are good and are actually helping our teens from perplex, struggling situation. maybe one of the best things we can do to avoid that notion that boot camps are not that good, do have some background checks, get to know those people behind that organization before sending your teens there for rescue.

[Kelleen Sewell]

Is there such camps that teach kids morals and respect for adults and other kids? These are not bad kids I am talking about. They are not into drugs stealing or alcohol or gangs none of those things. They just feel it is ok to talk back and do as they please in the household. We do disapline by taking things away (restricting them) and not alowing them to go to their friends, but its not working. We are at our witts end on this and need some advise and was interested in camps.

[maria cristales]

I have a teen girl who became pregnant and now she does not want to listen. her boyfriend 19 is not living her alone. My daugter had a miscarriage and now she is against me. He doesn't have no job and drop out of school in sophmore year. My daughter was a good girl till she met this boy. Help don't know what tooooo dooo!!! if i can only send her away and put her back in track and make her see that she is messing her life up. is there any school that i can send her away with help don't know if she is upset too because my husband and i got separates.

[Kaira]

Nice post. Boots camps are really helpful for troubled teens. Parents always worried about their children's proper education and behavior. They must identify the institution which is fit and good for their teens.