But why institutionalise kids to keep them safe? no other western country does this to teenagers! There are hundreds of other options for normal adolescent issues? Even if a place does not aduse per se & I dont know if they all do, almost all of them advertise that the kid has to 'earn priveliges" and that among the issues they deal with are defiance, self esteem and the prennial favourite "manipulation". How does sending kids away with the message that they are either not good enough or they are "mentally ill" help them. What does it keep them safe from?
A very small percentage of kids end up at TBS? after the other options available fail to work. The schools deal with defiance, self esteem issues. Earning privileges isn?t anything new nor is it abusive. Virtually every job, household or life situation one will earn more money, freedom, vacation time etc. based on how maturely it is handled
Normal boarding schools do not use contact with the parent as either a reward, a punishment or therapy because they do not assume that they have more authority than the kid's family. They certainly dont keep kids there over summer and christmas because it is not seen as their role.
Normal boarding schools are not necessarily dealing with kids who may have a difficult home life. The childs home may be the problem, the family may be unhealthy and needs time to heal. The children are often removed from an unhealthy environment (Friends, family, inlaws etc.) and kept safe from them until the problems can be identified and hopefully resolved.
For me the question is not wheter TBS and wilderness therapy is abvusive or not (this is a linked sideline issue) the question is why anyone would think a kid is better off with stangers as their only parental figures and why the mentality of the industry is so bloddy spiteful.
If you speak to any of the parents they don?t feel, initially, that anyplace could be better for their child than home. But as home time after time fails them and their child they start to run out of options and the main concern is to get their child to a place that is safe for them, a place where they can flourish and grow. If this happens to be away from home, it may not be ideal, but the childs welfare has to come first and a separation for a time is ?sometimes? the best thing.
Many people don?t believe that here and that is fine, they have had other experiences and have a right to their opinions and choices.