{"id":1654,"date":"2015-08-12T08:14:28","date_gmt":"2015-08-12T15:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/specialneedsresourcefoundationofsandiego.org\/?p=1654"},"modified":"2015-08-12T08:14:28","modified_gmt":"2015-08-12T15:14:28","slug":"the-art-of-advocating-for-your-child-with-special-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/specialneedsresourcefoundationofsandiego.com\/the-art-of-advocating-for-your-child-with-special-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Parents are natural advocates for their children. We love our children, and we want the best for them.
\nAs a mother of four children, three with special needs, I know how important it is to advocate for my children. There is no one who will be more committed to making sure my children have access to the support, treatment and education they are guaranteed more than me.
\nMy youngest daughter was my second child to be diagnosed with special needs (each of my kids have different special needs). I was at first overwhelmed by my lack of knowledge and intimidated by how to best advocate for what she would require in school, when I did not yet know myself. I chose to dive in. Great hope impelled me. Here are important steps to take in learning to advocate for your child with special needs:
\nAccept your child’s diagnosis and become the expert about it.<\/strong>
\nGather information about your child’s special needs diagnosis, recommended remedial techniques and treatment. Learn all you can. Break the information down into terms that you can understand. This will help others appreciate your child’s special needs when you share the information with them.
\nI needed to fully comprehend my daughter’s diagnosis and the recommended care and treatments (therapies). I felt I would be a far more effective advocate for my child if my knowledge about my child’s special need bordered on encyclopedic. I fast-tracked my education. I purchased books, highlighted passages, and wrote in the margins where I required further clarification. I went online to reputable websites and printed out articles. I highlighted passages and made notes in the margins of those, too. I created an impressive section of resources in my personal library about each of my kids’ special needs.
\nI asked my child’s therapists about treatment and outcomes, recommendations of what to read, what I might expect, and clarification of my questions. I did the same with my daughter’s teachers and therapists when she attended developmental preschool. I took notebooks full of notes. I was driven by my love for her as well as trying to assure she was physically, emotionally and psychologically safe.
\nBecome \u00fcber-organized.<\/strong>
\nI purchased two binders and subject dividers with pockets. One binder contained written records sections for my child’s initial diagnosis and follow-up reports; therapy goals and therapy progress reports; copies of bills; medical paperwork; IEPs (Individualized Education Plans)\u2014the original and future updates; and teacher emails, notes, cards, etc. The other binder was my personal \u201ceducation primer.\u201d It held college-lined sheets of paper full of my journal entries; questions and the answers to them; definitions of terms\u2014technical and layman; highlighted recommended resources; and printed articles about my child\u2019s diagnosis. I made sure every paper that went into both binders was dated.
\nLearn about your child’s rights.<\/strong>
\nLegally, children with special needs are entitled to an \u201cappropriate\u201d education. Your child should have access to \u201cspecially designed instruction\u201d (20 U.S.C. \u00a71401) to meet their unique needs. Learn what this means for your child.
\nBecome competent about the \u201crules of the game.\u201d Research and understand your state’s and the federal education laws and regulations. These federal laws apply to children with special needs:<\/p>\n