Recognizing parent rights

Right to consent to an assessment of the child

Right to be part of the team doing planning for the child

Right to obtain an independent evaluation of the child if parents disagree with school's results or recommendations or have been denied an assessment by the school

More rights...

Right to examine all school records that relate to identification, assessment, and placement

Right to consent to child's selected placement

Right to formal hearing and counsel in the event of disagreement with the school

Factors affecting partnerships (The ARC)

Professional mishandling of parents

Professional ignorance, hopelessness

Referral ad infinitum

Secrecy

"Deaf ear"

Omniscience

Treat parents as patients

Factors...

Parent mishandling of professionals

Shopping around

Unfair expectations

Issue of honesty

Unwillingness to listen

Treatment adherence

Unreasonable demands

Services to parents

Three levels of impact

Mild

Moderate

Severe/profound

Assist parents to understand the nature of the disability, the services, and programs. Encourage them to allow children emotional freedom to benefit

Programs are designed to help children adjust to society

Help parents maintain an accepting attitude and not become discouraged

Be honest in appraisal

Deal with both parents

Be precise without being overly technical

Point out who is responsible

Help parents grasp all issues

Remember referral agencies

Do not expect too much too soon

Allow parents concern and uncertainty

Use counseling techniques to focus on the positive

Parents need service at the first moment of identification

Parents need other parents who have experienced similar issues

Parents need professionals who are academically and emotionally sound

Respect parents' shock, fear, anxiety

Stages versus states

One position believes that parents progress through natural stages of reaction to their child's disability

Another position believes that parents will vary, over time, in their reactions and perceptions of their child and his/her disabilities

Family-centered services

Traditional approaches

Focus on the child

Focus on deficits, pathology, illness

Focus on power and control of case manager

Focus on working within complex, uncoordinated service systems

Family-centered services

New approaches

Sift to a focus on the child in context of the family

Shift to a view of all children and families having strengths and resources

Shift to a recognition that families are ultimate decision makers

Shift to making systems more responsive to children and families

In family-centered care...

Families are center of service universe

Being personal is more important than being professional

Family strengths are identified first

Parents are valued as experts

Listening is more important than providing information

Families are given options rather than advice

Conversations replace checklists and assessments

More...

Disagreement means collaboration and compromise

We risk being vulnerable

We don't give up on people

We empower rather than control

What's best for the child is the same as what's best for the family

Training that affects families includes them as co-trainers

We do "for" and "with" rather than "to"

Self-advocacy skills

Problem solving and decision making

Communication

Self-awareness

Goal setting

Networking

Believing in yourself