I have 2 boys in our pack (of only 5) who have the same birthday... May 28, 2003.  One is in 4th grade and a Webelos, one is in 3rd grade and a Bear. The 3rd grader was held back because he was adopted from another country as a baby and for well over a year, he has been in psychiatric treatment including a month long stay (all of September) at a residential treatment facility.  Due to his violent outbursts at home that are often triggered by them asking him to do homework and chores, his parents are not willing to work on scout rank requirments with him at home at this time and he often misses meetings due to behaviour.  He has an older brother in the scout troop and a younger brother who didn't join this year as a Tiger because there was nobody else his age to join our pack.

My question is- would you still work with him as a Bear (he has completed next to nothing so far and it's already mid-December).  He is unlikely to complete the rank.  Or would you (maybe even without his knowledge) start keeping track of Webelos rank stuff since he is the exact same age as the only Webelos scout and likely to move to Boy Scouts when that child does?  This would be done now because you know it takes him so long to complete anything because he rarely gets the chance to work on scout stuff.  He wouldn't know the difference because all 5 kids will be treated to pretty much the same activities throughout the next year anyway.  OR- what is the guidelines for having a child with special needs achieve rank for Bear under these circumstances?  I have gotten NO answer from my district staff regarding this.  I don't like to see a child being left out- but I understand the need to have them fail sometimes and learn from that... I just don't know what's best for him at this age and how this would progress to Boy Scouts.

Also- we don't want to lose him because then we wouldn't have the needed 5 kids to make a Cub Pack.

-Jen