Charleston Women-Summer 2021

www. Char l es tonWomen . com | www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com CW BY FAY M. BOUDE T I n July 2021, Beautiful Gate Center — the first multidisciplinary, integrated developmental learning center in the state of South Carolina — will open in North Charleston and begin serving tri-county area children and youth with Developmental Disabilities (DD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Founded by parents who know firsthand the frustrations and shortfalls of working within an imperfect system, the Beautiful Gate Center (BGC) was born out of a desire to improve the quality of life for families of children with developmental disabilities. Co-founders David and Angela Muirhead understand the unique challenges families with special needs face, and BGC was designed to deviate from traditional learning methods in that it will provide coordinated, cooperative, interdisciplinary services under one roof. While children in the state of South Carolina who are diagnosed with a developmental disability may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) through the public school system, IEPs can be confusing and challenging to obtain and follow and can be subject to changes or modification each year when a new teacher and IEP team is introduced, or if the family moves to a new school district. Children who qualify for special education Offering a Helping Hand Assisting Childrenwith Developmental Disabilities