Pontotoc beauty school is first sensory safe certified school
KC's School of Hair Design hosts sensory safe haircuts once a month, and all of its students are trained in sensory safe haircuts.
PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) – Link to sign up to become a certified sensory safe salon.
Children with autism have a wide variety of support needs, and they vary from kid to kid.
What is common with nearly every autistic child is meltdowns, caused by sensory overload.
This isn’t a normal temper tantrum.
One triggering event is getting a simple haircut.
The lights, sounds, and sensations can all be too much for some kids.
Rebecca Neese, a cosmetology student at the school, said some parents have seen their kids be restrained for haircuts.
“A lot of parents have experienced stylists holding their children down,” Neese said. “I don’t feel like you should have to hold someone down to be able to give them a service, no matter what it is.”
Crystal Short, the Vice President of KC’s School of Hair Design said they do their best to prevent trauma and build trust.
“We start out with whatever needs to be done,” Short said. “But we want to make sure that we bridge that gap and that we also do not cause any trauma. We’re all about trust, not trauma.”
KC’s School of Hair Design is the first sensory safe certified school trained by The Sensory Safe Solution.
It is a nonprofit dedicated to training salons to properly handle people with sensory issues.
Before getting a haircut families fill out a questionnaire.
It tells the cosmetologist about the child’s likes, triggers, and support needs.
Neese said meeting kids where they are is the most important part of the work.
“It’s very crucial to be patient with them and make sure that they are comfortable no matter what is going on,” Neese said. “And like I said, sometimes we don’t even get them in the chair. But that’s okay because they know us now, and they know we’re not here to hurt them. We’re here to help them, and make them feel their best self.”
Neese said it warms her heart to see kids with high support needs get the care and haircuts they want.
“It’s heartwarming because I know that there are a lot of kids that don’t get the attention and respect and dignity that they deserve,” Neese said.
Short said the group is already seeing results.
“We started out in the floor and running around and and coloring all over his mother,” Short said. “And we were barely being able to even turn the clippers on. To now, he is in the chair every other Tuesday morning and it takes about 15 minutes to have his haircut and he’s out of here. To be able to know that you’re able to make a difference is what God put us here for.”
Every student that graduates from KC’s School of Hair Design is trained in sensory safe haircuts.
Sensory safe haircut days are available by appointment every third Monday of the month.
