Tips for Starting off on the Right Foot

Tips for Starting off on the Right Foot.

1. Educate Yourself!
Most parents, myself included had no idea where to start when thinking about school for our kids with disabilities. There are all sorts of groups, trainings, resources out there. The internet is FULL of content regarding Special Education. (Warning: make sure it is coming from a trustworthy source because there is also a LOT of misinformation out there.)  Different agencies will host trainings, some are even free, about Special Education Law. Take the time to attend if you can. 

2. Everything in Writing (or it didn't happen)
This can be tricky. We want to have and keep a good relationship with our kids team, and we can. If you have a phone or in person conversation with anyone regarding your child's education and/or IEP, follow it up with an email to them restating what you understood to be communicated in the meeting. You want a paper trail for everything. 

3. Teacher aren't the 'bad guys'.
The vast majority of teachers, therapists, etc in the school truly love kids and want the best one.  The system itself is broken, or was never actually inclusive of children with disabilities from the start. The system issues are perpetuated by the lack of training, policies that need updated, and the stance of 'this is the way we have always done it' instead of ensuring each child has what they need. There is also the issue that Special Education Law (IDEA) is mandated but it is also not fully funded. (This issue will be addressed further in a future post.)

4. Don't go alone to any meetings related to the IEP.
The IEP process is a very cumbersome process with a lot of nuances involved.  Add that to an already emotional issue and it is very hard to navigate for any of us. This person can be a friend to just be there as support and take notes, it could be a family member, or an advocate. Advocates aren't bad and can be extremely beneficial to have on your team be prevent issues rather than once things aren't going well. 

5. Communication, communication, communication!
It is so important to know what you want and expect for your child. Communicate those expectations and desires to your child's IEP team. Just as importantly, the team needs to communicate with you. Open and honest communication is vital for everyone's success and minimizes small concerns escalating into big ones. Talk with your team about the who, what when, where and why of ongoing communication. Some examples are communication logs, emails, phone calls, how much detail of daily happenings do you want to know about, progress on goals. 

6.   Community.
    Seek out other families who can relate. There are a lot of groups online that are disability specific and some that are more general.     If you are fortunate to live in a place where there are other families with children with a disability who can be a huge support.          Make time to build these relationships to share stories and resources. These friendships are likely to be some of your closest friends as you navigate this life you didn't really expect.