Home » Education & Career » Special Education » Find Your Child an ADVOCATE!

Find Your Child an ADVOCATE!

© Mary Pantazis

Does your child receive special education services? Is he or she getting everything that is stated on her IEP? What about the things that are not on the IEP? Do you as a parent know what services are really available to your child? Do you know where to go to get help in finding out what services your child should have and what services are available?

So often I have seen children not receive the services they deserved while another child receives everything available. Some parents struggle financially to raise their special needs children. These parents often do not know how to apply for the grants and programs that exist for their children. They may not know that there are special programs out there to help their children.

Advocates for Special Education children exist. They are out there and willing to help. There are programs that teach parents to be an advocate for their own child. Free classes and services that parents can attend to help their children to receive the services they should get.

Parents who attend meetings on their children and bring an advocate seem to be better prepared, and go away with many more services for the child.

Advocates have been trained to learn the laws of special education and they are able to work with the parent and the child to get to know what the child actually needs. If you have a special needs child please get an advocate.

In NH you can call the Parent Information Center and get an advocate to work with you that will cost you nothing. The person may not even attend meetings with you, but will be able to give you some great ideas for questions to ask.

Those of you who have attended meetings without an advocate and then with an advocate certainly see the difference in the way you are treated and the things you accomplish at the meeting.

If you are intimidated by the school staff then the advocate can certainly ask the questions for you.

Oftentimes, high school age special needs children really benefit the most from having an Advocate. The Advocate can help the parents to find the resources that will be available after graduation and even college.

Start by calling the Department of Education in your state and ask for the Special Education Department. Then ask where you can go to find yourself an advocate. They will guide you and help you to find one.

The copyright of the article Find Your Child an ADVOCATE! in Special Education is owned by Mary Pantazis. Permission to republish Find Your Child an ADVOCATE! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.