A comparison of two models of education in residential treatment

All kinds of residential treatment centers for children must deal with the question of how best to provide for the children's education. At least two models exist, the autonomous school and the integrated psychoeducational model. The author outlines the differences between the two models in terms of the students, staff, and goals of each program. The advantages of both models are also discussed in detail. The primary advantage of the autonomous school is the clear definition of staff roles, the author says, while the main disadvantage is the risk of separating education from treatment goals. The psychoeducational model helps in formalizing education as part of treatment, but may cause role diffusion among the staff of different disciplines.