6 Steps to Advocate in Special Education
Advocating for anything is hard. Let’s face it it’s hard enough to ask for help in most situations, but when you are advocating for a child with learning needs it can be even harder. Where do you start, who to ask and how to do ensure the best outcome. Being able to know how to advocate effectively can give you all the confidence you need to be successful.
Asking for Help is Never Easy!!
I could say that line over and over again. As a person I am fairly stubborn, it’s never been a strong suit of mine to ask for or seek help when I need it. As a student with learning disability I was never good at asking teachers or others for help. I never wanted anyone to know I needed help. It took a teacher in High School to tell me that if I never asked for help I’d never get what I wanted.
Fast forward a few years, and now I am a mom to two boys who have learning needs. There have been many nights of crying, mostly from me, not knowing where to turn or where to start. I didn’t want to ask questions of their teachers cause I thought as a teacher myself I already knew. I didn’t want to be seen as the parent who doesn’t know how to parent her children. I was scared that asking for help would lead people to thinking that I wasn’t up to the task of supporting my kids.
All of these were fears that I slowly got over. In High School I started taking small steps, talking to my teachers one at a time about what I needed. Seeking support from the Guidance Councliors to help me build a plan. Building my team of people around me (friends, parents, and teachers) who could help lift me up and keep me going.
Once I had my own kids it quickly became clear I was once again going to be challenged by having to ask for help. I started small, I started with my family doctor telling them what others where seeing and what we were seeing. That got the ball rolling. From there I learned to build relationships with teachers, sometimes successfully and sometimes not so successful.
Advocacy Support
The simple truth, in my opinion for advocating with success, you have be the squeaky wheel.
It’s not fun.
It takes a ton of effort. It’s not a quick process.
The top 6 things to remember;
Don’t be afraid to speak up
- In a world where this is always stuff moving you have to speak up. Say what you need, ask. If you never ask you’ll never know if it’s possible.
Ask questions
- In the world of raising children there are no stupid or dumb questions. If you don’t know how can you advocate? How can you learn if you don’t ask questions.
Be open
- There will things suggested, there will be ideas given. Don’t shut anything down until you try,. Every child is different, no one thing will fit one child. It’s sometimes a case of being open to ideas and trying them.
Seek outside supports
- Support is key. From a professional, from a doctor, from a close friend. Finding support for yourself as the parent is as important as finding support your child. Check out my previous post Are You Advocating for Your Needs?
Be as informed as you can
- Do your research. Did you know that school boards post their Special Education Plans on their webpages for families to see? This is a great document to give you information. Start by evening learning what and Individual Education Plan is.
DON’T GIVE UP!!!
- You as the parent or guardian know your child best. Never doubt that gut to say somethings not right. If you need help seek it!
Remember in all the things that you do to advocate for a child, who might be struggling, is that you as the parent or guardian know them best. No one else knows them as well as you do. There is no one else out there, outside of themselves, who can be their voice when they don’t have one.
Teach them How to Advocate
None of these things are easy. My biggest piece of advice — build a solid team of people around you to help you in advocating.
That could be an outside support person, for example a psychologist. That could be a therapist who works with you and your child.
That could be hiring an advocate person to help you navigate the road to success.The number goal as parents or guardians to ensure we put children out into the world who feel successful and secure in themselves.
What you are doing when you advocate for you child is leading by example. You are showing them the road to one day be able to this for themselves. When our children are infants and can’t talk we do the talking, but as they grow up we allow them to speak for themselves.
It’s the same when it comes to advocating. In the beginning you are their voice. Include them in those early stages. Ask them what they think they need and talk openly about the conversations you have their teachers and support persons. By talking to them about their needs and wants allows you to better advocate for them with their voice in mind.
Over time you’ll see the power will shift! They will see the difference of being open and honest about their needs and goals. In turn you are teaching them to self-advocate.
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June can be a scary time of year for those who struggle with transitions. Looking at BIG T Transitions and little t transition can help you build a transition to ensures the success of your child.