For my last post, I decided to share the site http://www.goodjobbuddy.org/Good-Job-Buddy. Sarah L. is friends with this family and she suggested that I look at it. It is a wonderful site dedicated to their son Isaac who is diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Our focus this quarter has been on family-centered practice and developing an understanding and appreciation of the diverse needs that families possess. This site offers a family’s perspective and personal story. I was moved by what the family chronicles and found the site to be extremely informative. Everyone should take some time and visit the site as it exemplifies the importance of getting to know the families we will be working and collaborating with.

I have learned so much this quarter about appreciating families and their unique situations and how this increases the child’s opportunity to achieve success. I will refer to the many resources I discovered during my inquiry. I enjoyed reading many other blogs and found helpful information and resources that I will also utilize.

Educators need to be able to empathize with families and understand their feelings in order to best support them. Families are unique and face a variety challenges that are specific to them. I found an article written by a parent of a child diagnosed with disabilities. The article brings to light the emotions, stressors, and feelings experienced by this parent. I felt the article was heart- warming and allowed me to gain an appreciation for what this family is experiencing. Getting to know the family on a more personal level will increase the success of collaborative efforts and will build trusting relationships. It’s important to recognize the child and family as just that, a child and a family, not as a disability.

 http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/parenting-child-disability-00000000010773/index.html

Parenting a Child with a Disability by Judith Scott

We discussed collaborating and supporting families of children diagnosed with disabilities in class this week. In order to do this, teachers must be knowledgeable of the disability and the resources available. I found this site, http://womenshealth.gov/illnesses-disabilities/parenting/parenting-child-with-disability.cfm. It has information about parenting, programs and services, interventions, education, laws, legal rights, and organizations. There are links to all these resources. This site along with the NICHCY would be valuable resources for parents and educators.

I interviewed a friend for our assignment and we discussed education. Her son is diagnosed with Autism and is in the second grade. She said that one of her biggest challenges and worries is transitioning to a new classroom and teacher each year (our chapter readings focused on this). She said that every year she feels like they are starting over and she has to “spell out” everything for the new teacher. It doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be that way. Teachers need to collaborate and make plans well in advance to ensure a smooth transition. I would allow the student to frequently visit the new teacher and classroom, if necessary, before the end of the year. I would want to do everything I could for the family and child to make it a positive and easy experience. We need to be mindful of the child’s and family’s needs throughout the entire school year and into the following year.

I referred to Chapter 5 of our text for this post because it focuses on providing coping and stress supports for families of children with disabilities. This chapter should be read by all educators because it highlights the benefits for effective collaboration and the need for teachers to be informed of resources available to families.  The text states that, “families of children with disabilities who access various support services – personal and professional – are able to cope more successfully with stress.” (pg. 115) Educators need to be able to link families to school related and community services that will increase the likelihood of the family feeling some relief from stress and the child achieving their goals. Collaboration with all families is essential to the development and growth of children. It is even more critical when the child is diagnosed with a disability. For this reason, educators must empathize with the family; understand the family dynamic and culture, have in-depth knowledge of the disability, and know what resources are available.

Fiedler C.R., Simpson, R.L., & Clark, D.M. Parents and Families of Children with Disabilities.       (2007). Pearson. Upper Saddle River: NJ.

I visited my preschool mentor teacher the other day and our discussion got me thinking. The preschool is designed for children with disabilities. When I was there it was challenging at times. There were several students with severe disabilities. As we were talking about some of the children that were in the class last year and how they are doing, my thoughts turned to one particular student. He was diagnosed with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities. I found out that he did not transition to a general education kindergarten classroom. His parents are struggling to give him the support he needs along with his two siblings. What got me thinking was that this young boy was adopted as an infant by this couple. They knew at the time that the birth mother did use drugs when she was pregnant but I don’t know if they or anyone could have expected or predicted the extent of his disabilities. Does this cause even greater stress? Some may adopt a child knowing that there may be disabilities present but what if you are unaware when you adopt?

There was a wealth of information about adopting children with disabilities and/or how to cope with having adopted a child with a disability online. The NICHCY had an 8 page resource guide specifically for foster or adoptive families.  The NICHCY provides links to more resources, information, and organizations that families can utilize. I found the information to be thorough and very informative.

I plan on looking into this topic a bit more. I did not find any research studies during my initial search but I will continue to explore.

The NICHCY site is a wonderful resource for families and educators. I will use this site in the future to assist with finding resources, support groups, organizations, and information. It would be beneficial to visit this site.

http://nichcy.org

I found a study conducted by researchers at the Texas A&M University Center on Disability and Development that examined challenges faced by parents of children with disabilities. The data collected from seven focus groups with 40 parents each revealed common themes. The parents identified that a “fundamental lack of match between their needs and the resources and supports available to meet those needs. This lack of a match seems to be one of the greatest impediments to optimal wellbeing for these parents.” Parents in the study did not identify child-specific disabilities as the most significant challenge. They also did not describe their experience of raising a child with a disability as a burden. The findings of the study confirmed the need for family-centered services.

This study is interesting because it supports the information found in our text and the significance of family-centered practice. The parents in the study felt that not having the necessary resources and supports to assist with caring for their child was a major cause of stress. This study highlights the important role we have as educators in supporting families and being informed about the resources available to them.

Texas A&M University (2010, June 24). Researchers call for Support for Parents of Children

      With Disabilities. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com

I found an article that I thought was interesting and decided to share it. In the article, Dr. Bankar examines the important role of parents in the rehabilitation process of a child with a disability. He studied factors that influence and increase the success of children with disabilities. He states that “Parental acceptance and parental involvement for the child with disability can be effective only if parents and (the most importantly) the rehabilitation professionals would look after the following issues in the rehabilitation process.”

1.    Stress of parents of child with disability

2.    Factors affecting parental acceptance and involvement

3.    Facilitating parental acceptance and involvement in rehabilitation process

Basically, parents must accept their child’s disability and be committed and involved in order for the child to experience success. This may seem so simple but if a parent is overwhelmed or cannot cope, it will prove difficult to meet the needs of the child. Parents and families need an outlet to express their feelings and emotions to help manage stress. Most of what I have read and found confirms that parents and families need to take time for themselves and find ways to relieve the pressures, stress, and possible demands of having a child with a disability.

Role of Parental Acceptance and Involvement in the Rehabilitation Process of Child with Disability. Bankar, Neelkanth // Golden Research Thoughts; Jan2012, Vol. 2 Issue 1, Special section p1 b