Depending on the age of your Special Needs child, your child might not know or understand how to advocate for themselves. The Art of Advocacy is a process and a journey that is as unique as your child. There are many ways to help your child Advocate for themselves, but before you begin teaching them how to advocate – you must learn the skill yourself. Here’s a few ideas/articles/websites that could help you get going towards the building an advocacy plan that’s right for you and your child:
- 8 Ways to Advocate for a Child with Special Needs
- The Parent Advocate Website
- 10 things you must do before your child’s IEP meeting
- Fighting the Good Fight – How to Advocate for Your Special Needs Child
- IDEAL Lives Advocacy
- The Special Parent
- Advocacy Tutorial for Parents
- ABCs of Advocacy for Parents
Another suggestion I find helpful is if you child does not attend the Special Education Meetings, bring a picture – pass it around. This helps the people attending the meeting put a face to your child’s name and makes the discussions more relational.
