Advocacy
As a parent/guardian, or as a student with special needs, planning for future educational and life needs can be stressful and daunting. You want to ensure the best opportunities to reach the highest level possible in school are available, and to provide all the tools necessary for success as an adult. Not knowing your rights, what to do, what not to do, what to agree to, or what to push for can be frustrating and overwhelming. It is easy to feel alone and unsupported, and it is also difficult to determine which services may or may not be educationally relevant for a school system to provide.
Allow us to serve as your special education advocates. We can assist you through this difficult and important process by analyzing current educational plans to ensure they are appropriate to the student’s needs and providing recommendations to maximize educationally relevant student services and supports. We can facilitate school meetings on your behalf, represent you in these meetings, or prepare you to advocate for yourself. We can negotiate with the school on your behalf; provide you with information about your rights, the law, and required procedures; and we can also support you in finding outside agencies and support services. At the end of the day, we are dedicated to ensuring you understand the relevant services available, that your child receives every relevant support available, that you understand why or why not a service may or may not be appropriate.
Support
It is easy to feel alone as you make important decisions for the educational future. It can be difficult to determine when to ask for support, where you might need support, what support you need, or how to get the support..
As your advocate, in addition to the supports listed in the above section, we offer support tailored to your specific needs or concerns. This may include support to help you understand the impact of a specific disability on school and life plans, or what needs to be considered in the long-term or short-term to attain your goals. We can also support with identifying and planning for appropriate transition services and even non-school based support options. We are available to support you in developing the individual education plan, as well as finding the best supports to meet those identified needs. With all of the acronyms and professional educators involved in interacting with a school or school system, navigating the gap between your expert knowledge of the special needs of your child and the school can be a daunting task. We can provide the support you need to ease your mind and ensure you are not overwhelmed.
Communication
Being in a meeting with educators can easily feel like you are learning a foreign language. Educational vocabulary is specific and school personnel often speak in their own jargon. In a fast-paced meeting, you can feel like important details are being missed or that you are not being heard.
We can serve as your interpreter ensuring you are heard and that the educators are explaining things in an understandable manner. We help support clear communication in of each meeting, and that your voice is heard. We can explain what is being said by the school to help you have a clear understanding, and we can share your thoughts and concerns to the school in a way they will better understand. We can also help you write letters to the school or prepare documents. Clear communication is the key to ensure all stakeholders are heard, all stakeholders understand the intent of the other, and, most importantly, you understand what you agree to or exactly what all transpired during a meeting.