Home > Special Insights Archive > April - May 2003 > Effective Advocacy

It can be quite easy for parents of children with special needs to become overwhelmed. Trying to prioritize everything from homework to teacher conferences, or from IEP development to soccer practice, can be a taxing venture for even the most energetic of parents.

Now, for a number of reasons, some of the protections and services that our children have enjoyed over the years are now being put into question. And, as a parent of a child with special needs, it is imperative that you pay particular attention to the happenings in Washington, D.C., during this budget year. In the past few editions of Special Insights, we have shared information about the No Child Left Behind Act which continues to be shaped and formed, while also this year, Congress will have to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This comes in conjunction with several other pieces of important legislation that are coming up for reauthorization.

To maintain critical services and protections your child needs, it is important that you communicate your concerns to your U.S. Senator and Respresentative, as well as your state Senator and Assemblyperson (if you are unsure who they are, call the League of Women Voters at 884-3550). Advocates, mostly parents of children with special needs, have had to strongly lobby in the past to help ensure that these protections stay in place. It appears to be that time again. Now, parents need to become more educated on what kind of impact decisions made in Washington and Albany can have on their child's educational and vocational programs. Following are some general tips when contacting public officials:

• Indentify yourself as a parent of a child with special needs and a constituent. Be courteous with them.
  
• Gauge how familiar they are with your issue(s) before you attempt to educate him/her.
  
• Present your concerns and stay focused. Be clear and precise. Be sure to get to the point quickly by being brief and direct. When presenting a particular subject, don't assume that the legislator or aide has any prior knowledge of what you are trying to present. Try to stress how important the educational and/or vocational programs are to you as a parent of a child with special needs. Stress the affects that the loss of your child's program(s) will be on him/her.
  
• Speak from your own experience on the issue(s) that you are addressing.
  
• Be able to listen as well as speak. Effective advocates can carry the importance of their message and the urgency of it to legislators and aides, but they also should realize that these public servants have to report to other constituents, and thus, decisions have to be made based on priorities. See if they are willing to carry your issue(s) to the leader of their body.
  
• Be persistent and follow up with them. Continue to follow the progress of your issue(s) in the media.
  
• Vote.
  
• Check out other parent groups such as the Special Education PTAs, PTAs, PTOs, Home School Associations, Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (Buffalo Public Schools), and other parent groups, to get more information and help with effective advocacy.
  

Finally, in addition to all of the responsibilities that you have as a parent of a child with special needs, you need to consider exercising your right as a citizen and inform your representative of your concerns about your child's education. Never before in recent history have our children's rights and protections been so threatened. Don't assume others are going to do what is required. Our elected officials need to hear from you as a parent.

Feel free to call us with questions of for more assistance.

Click to go back to Archive Page