Atypical Familia

  • Home
  • About
  • Autism
    • Our Autism Journey
    • Autism Resources
    • Autism Parenting
    • Tips
    • Autism in NYC
  • Familia
    • Atypical Mami
    • Atypical Dad
    • Atypical Kid
  • Travel
    • Special Needs Travel
    • Philly
    • Road Trips
    • Sesame Place
    • Walt Disney World
  • Life
    • Culture
    • Marriage
    • The Personal
    • Working Mom Life
  • Food + Fun
    • Food
    • DIY
    • FREE Printables
    • Holidays
  • Contact
    • PR Friendly
  • Shop
You are here: Home / Autism Resources / How To Advocate For Your Child with Autism

How To Advocate For Your Child with Autism

February 1, 2016 by Lisa 1 Comment

From the moment Norrin was diagnosed with autism, I knew I had to be his advocate. I didn’t have a background in special education and I no clue how the system worked but I knew I had to learn.

NOTE: This is not meant to be legal advice. I am not an attorney or a (professional) special education advocate. Just wanted to share the resources and things that have helped me advocate for my son.

Advocate for your child with autism

I remember sitting through our first IFSP meeting. I practically memorized the evaluations. Pages were tabbed, sections highlighted and my scribbles filled the margins. One of the coordinators offered less than what was initially recommended. And I said something like, “On page 16, it says…” I think everyone in the room was surprised. That was the moment I knew I couldn’t rely on anyone to secure the services my son needed.

But it was the year Norrin was going through the Turning 5 process and his first year of Kindergarten that I really had to fight. I couldn’t afford a special education attorney and while I did work with a special education consultant, I couldn’t really afford to have her attend meetings with me. So I spent a lot of time reading, researching and writing letters. When it came time to sue the Department of Education, I felt confident in my ability to advocate for Norrin.

An informed parent is a powerful parent. 6 Books to help you advocate for your special needs child. Click To Tweet

Special Education Advocate for your Child with Special Needs Autism

6 Books* To Help You Advocate for Your Child with Autism

Top Left to Right: 1 // 2 // 3  Bottom Left to Right 4 // 5 // 6

*contains Amazon affiliate links

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition “provides a clear roadmap to the laws and how to get better services for all children with disabilities.” There is no need to read this book from cover to cover, it’s simply a reference point. It’s easy to understand and gives parents a better understanding fo the law. It is a must have resource and one that I refer to time and time again.

Wrightslaw: All About IEPs. If you have a child with autism or any other special need, chances are you will need to attend an IEP meeting. “In this comprehensive, easy to read book, you will find clear, concise answers to frequently asked questions about IEPs. Learn what the law says about IEP Teams and IEP Meetings, Parental Rights and Consent, Steps in Developing the IEP, Placement, Transition, Assistive Technology and Strategies to Resolve Disagreements.”

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide. I think one of the hardest things about this process is keeping your emotions in check. As a parent, it’s difficult to sit through any of these meetings without getting emotional. And trust me, I’ve gotten emotional. But even when emotional, I never allowed my emotions to completely take over. This book really helped to understand that I can still express my love and concern for my child while still being a strong advocate.

“… you will learn your child’s disability and educational needs, how to create a simple method for organizing your child’s file and devising a master plan for your child’s special education. You will understand parent-school conflict, how to create paper trails and effective letter writing. This book includes dozens of worksheets, forms and sample letters that you can tailor to your needs.”

How To Compromise With Your School District Without Compromising Your Child: A Field Guide For Getting Effective Services For Children With Special Needs. It can feel like everything is a huge battle. There was a time when everything was. I was always writing letters and requesting meetings. Over the years, I’ve learned it’s all about picking and choosing your battles. You have to be willing to compromise with your school district. And compromise isn’t always such a bad thing.   

The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child. This is a book I still refer to when prepping for an IEP meeting especially as Norrin’s educational needs change. The Complete EIP guide is a valuable resource for parents with “all the forms, sample letters, and resources that you could possibly need at any stage of the IEP process.”

The Everyday Advocate: Standing Up for Your Child with Autism or Other Special Needs. What I especially love about this book is that it’s written by Areva Martin Esq., an attorney and the mother of an autistic child. Martin provides “step-by-step instructions on how parents can assert themselves – with doctors, teachers, school officials, neighbors, or even family members – and get the best results for their child.”

Online Resources To Help You Advocate

Advocates for Children

  • A Guide to Help You Advocate for Your Child’s Educational Rights Listening & Advocacy Tips
  • Guide to Special Education

IDEA “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.”

Due Process Complaint in Details.”Due process is a longstanding approach within IDEA to resolving disputes. This article will take you through the key points and content of IDEA’s provisions regarding due process complaints.” via Center for Parent Information and Resources

Parent to Parent. If you’re looking to connect with other parents who have been there, done that Parent 2 Parent is an excellent resource. There is nothing like talking to a parent who truly understands what you are going through. For NYS visit – parenttoparentnys.org

Resources for Children with Special Needs.

Part 200 and 201: Students with Disabilities  & Procedural Safeguards for Students with Disabilities Subject to Discipline

Tips to Make Advocating for Your Child Easier

Keep Notes. It’s impossible to remember it all. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! So if you make a phone call or send a letter – keep a log of everything. If calls or letters go unanswered, keep a note of that too.

Put it in Writing. Phone calls are great but after every phone, follow up with an email and/or fax. I usually start with “As per our conversation on [fill in the date]…” and then write everything discussed during your call. From Emotions to Advocacy and The Complete Guide to IEPs have great samples on how to write a letter.

Scan & Save Documents (on a Flash Drive and/or Email to Yourself). As a working parent, I did a lot of my correspondence during the day. I didn’t want to constantly carry around Norrin’s paperwork, so I started scanning all of his docs and keeping them on a flash drive. If I needed to reference a document or email to someone, I always had it with me.

Never Go to a Meeting Alone. You will want someone with you not only for moral support but also to keep track of everything that goes on during the meeting.


What tips, online resources or books have been helpful to you? 

Related

Filed Under: Autism, Autism Resources, Autism/Special Needs Book Reviews, Special Education Tagged With: Amazon affiliate, Autism Parenting, Autism Resources, Special Needs Parenting

« Romantic Movies Perfect for Valentine’s Day
Special Needs Family Travel: Autism on the Seas »

Trackbacks

  1. Our 20 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2016 says:
    January 13, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    […] 20. How To Advocate For Your Child with Autism […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Welcome!

LQ blog image

Hi, I'm Lisa aka @laliquin on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & Snapchat. I'm a 40-something mom raising a son with autism in The Bronx, NYC.

Atypical Familia is a personal blog & resource site for Typical Parents raising Extraordinary Kids. We focus on autism parenting, special needs travel, work/life balance, family entertainment and more. This is parenting from a unique perspective.

Learn more about our Atypical Familia...
youtube-glitter
Autism Parenting Tips from an Autism Mom | Atypical Familia Lisa Quinones-Fontanez

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget
Hit a Grand Slam for Autism 300x300
download
wayfair-blogger-button StreamTeam_Red&Black_Transparent
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Let’s Connect!

LQ blog image

I'm Lisa aka @laliquin on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & Snapchat. Get to know more about me and my familia!

Atypical Familia focuses on autism parenting, special needs travel, work/life balance, family entertainment and more. If you'd like to work with us, send us an email: autismwonderland(@)gmail.com. 

lqf-babble_contributor_badge_white_2x
TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

laliquin

No caption needed… my face says it all. 💙 No caption needed… my face says it all. 💙
I’ve had these skates for 5 years and I finally I’ve had these skates for 5 years and I finally got to skate in them for real. “Why do my skates feel funny?” I wondered. I assumed it was because I’m not used to roller skates. So I spent the first 15 minutes skating with my skates on the wrong feet 🙄😐🤦🏻‍♀️ but once I fixed them - skating was a little bit easier. 🤣🤣
When the student becomes the teacher… I got to w When the student becomes the teacher… I got to workout with one of my (favorite) former students this morning! From the moment I met her 2 years ago, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. In the classroom, she is enthusiastic, bright, confident and strong. But at the gym she’s next level! Mel really pushed me today and I know I’ll feel it tomorrow. It wasn’t easy keeping up with this 19 year old. I held my own up until she said 20 minutes on the stair master after our work out. I lasted 5 minutes and then did 15 on the elliptical. 🫠🫠 And obviously we needed a quick locker room photo shoot. 🤣 Also…I don’t know if it’s the angle or the lighting but I can’t believe my arms/back look like that! 😳🥹
Solid women don’t crumble. Period. Solid women don’t crumble. Period.
I’m so grateful to be his mom. 💙 I’m so grateful to be his mom. 💙
When I think about where I was and where I am now, When I think about where I was and where I am now, I am so damn grateful. I used to believe that I “wasted” the best years of my life. I was so wrong. I am living my best years and fully present in my life. 🤍 5/6/18 🤍 5 years one day at a time (sometimes one hour, one minute, one second).
She’s a mood. She’s a mood.
In case anyone’s wondering how my life is going… 😬😐🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Started reading Carmen and Grace by @melissacossaq Started reading Carmen and Grace by @melissacossaquino on the 6 train. By page 5, I had to close the book and take a minute to absorb the words on the page. Ok ok ok, I also may have begun tearing up a bit. I love when a book makes me feel. There are times when I come across a book, and the words are exactly what I need at that precise moment. This is that book, this is the time. “The only way out for you is through.” 🤍 

#latinaliterature #latinawriters #latinawriter #latinasinacademia #latinassupportinglatinas #bronxwriters
Last week he was so excited about his first game a Last week he was so excited about his first game and today baseball is cancelled because of the rain. He sent me a video at 7am - fully dressed in his uniform for his 1pm game - and a text saying he was disappointed. 😕  It’s after 12 and he’s still in his uniform.
I didn’t think I’d be able to make his first g I didn’t think I’d be able to make his first game but I surprised him. When he saw me he said, “Mama! What the hell are you doing here?” But he was totally happy to see me. Grateful @d3sportsandrec exists! 💙
After class flex. This month I hit my “goal” w After class flex. This month I hit my “goal” weight and for the first time since before Norrin was born, I’m wearing a size 6 jean. Does it feel good? Yes. It does. But what feels even better is that I feel strong. Stronger than I’ve ever felt in my entire life. Thanks for an amazing class @freelikeoj_allday & @tiabrooks_0106 for always offering to take a picture.
Here’s another dirty mirror bathroom selfie beca Here’s another dirty mirror bathroom selfie because I feel cuter than usual today. 🥰
Rompers seem like such a cute easy outfit until yo Rompers seem like such a cute easy outfit until you have to pee. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I almost dislocated a shoulder trying to get in and out of this.
Earlier this week, I was unpacking my spring/summe Earlier this week, I was unpacking my spring/summer clothes. I found 3 dresses that I’ve had forever - probably 15 years. They were probably only worn once. I held on to them, even though I couldn’t fit into them. Because I knew one day, I would fit into them again. Over the last 2 years, I’ve lost some weight but they still didn’t fit last summer. When I tried them on this week, they fit! I haven’t been able to fit into these dresses in more than a decade. And so yesterday I put on the blue dress. I didn’t go anywhere spectacular. I wasn’t on a date. I visited a friend in the neighborhood, went to a meeting and then White Castle (don’t judge me). When I first bought this dress and when it fit, I held on to it - waiting for an occasion. I refuse to do that. I’m not waiting for a man to take me out, or a party or an event. If I want to wear something, I will wear it. I am the special occasion. I am the event. I am worth getting dressed up for. 

Also - I realize that holding on to clothing for 15 years hoping it will fit again is probably not normal. But oh well. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣
As Featured In 2017 - bottom footer

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

 

Loading Comments...