If your household does not have a stay at home parent, what do you do when your special needs child ages out of afterschool childcare?
We have about a year of a half to get this figured out, but it's something that has been weighing heavily on us for some time. DS is currently in the 4th grade at an elementary school that is K-5. He goes to afterschool care at the elementary school and does well there. In 6th grade he will move to middle school. The middle school has no afterschool care program. The local private childcares will not provide after school care to middle schoolers. It seems that typically developing 6th graders are considered old enough to be home alone after school.
DS definitely will not be able to be home alone after school at that age. Both DH and I need to work to support our family. So we are trying to figure out our options. Having family watch him is not an option - everyone either works or lives far away. Hiring someone may be possible, but the rates we have seen for special needs caregivers are pretty high. The only agency in the area that provides afterschool care to older special needs kids is too far away with no transportation available.
What have other families done in this situation?