Advocacy
Also see Advocate for Your Child
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Being a parent of a child with special needs brings many new experiences. Over time, we continue to improve our parenting skills. One important skill to learn is advocating for our children. This may include advocating within various systems that serve our children: health care, education, or Regional Centers. This may also involve advocating for your child to be included in recreational activities, the community, or family events. Building your advocacy skills will serve you well in many settings. Skills take time to develop. Certain skills come easier to some of us than others. All of us have said or done things that we wish we hadn’t. In hindsight, we may realize that these actions have not helped us help our child. Be patient with yourself, and keep trying. It has been said that we do the best we can with what we know, and when we know more, we do better. This packet provides information on seven skills that you can learn to use to increase your ability to advocate for your child. Matrix Parent Advisors are also available to coach you and offer advice on your journey. You know your child best and are the one who is the constant from year to year. As a parent, your advocacy efforts reflect the values, hopes and dreams you have for your child.. You are your child’s best advocate. Matrix can be your advisor in that process.
Matrix Packets
Matrix Help! Sheets (Downloads in both English and Spanish)
Materials from Other Organizations
- Self-Advocacy Publications, Disability Rights California
- Publicaciones de Autodefensa, Disability Rights California
- LD Advocates Guide
- Parent Advocacy: What you should do…and not do
- Parents’ Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: Rights Regarding Children’s Education Records
- Steps to Success: Communicating With Your Child’s School
- Working Together: A Parents’ Guide (pdf)
Websites
- Disability Rights California
- Advocacy Institute
- Americans with Disabilities Act Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities
- CADRE (National Center on Dispute Resolution)
- Center for Law and Education: CAPS — Parents, Students, community members, educators and advocates all working to make high quality public education a reality for ALL students.
- Community Alliance for Special Education
- Council for Disability Rights
- COPAA (Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates)
- Federation for Children with Special Needs
- Future of Children
- PACER (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights)
- U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
- Wrightslaw