Advocates Play A Vital Role in the Sped Process

It is great having Pam on staff as a full-time advocate. She is able to bring her "mom-sense" and special education expertise to the table without making every case a replay of her personal battles with the school. Not every advocate I have seen is able to maintain this level of objectivity, which can lead to increased hostilities instead of moving towards possible resolution. My colleague and fellow COPAAN, Robert Crabtree has written a useful list of dos and don'ts for parents and their advocates. If this list was followed there would lot more effective non-attorney special education advocates, which would be a good thing for parents. Parents would be well advised to insist that their advocates follow many of these points.

Comments

[Dawn - Donte's Mom & Advocate]

I have not been on the blog in a while since my son graduated with his diploma in May 09 but I wanted to share with all my fellow advocates that Managing the Art of Living (www.managingtheartofliving.org) is a wonderful opportunity for self-direction. I am a part of my son's Microboard and through our training on PATHS we have created a great group of family and friends to assist my son in realizing one of his goal - a place of his own.

We are completing our application with State to become a self-directed CILA and yippee!!! we do not have consider a traditional CILA provider agency.

If you plan to attend this year's transitional conference in Schaumburg, be sure to sit in on the presentation for Managing the Art of Living which now has a state association for all Microboards & Co-ops.