Tips For Advocating For Your Neurodiverse Child/Teen
Advocating for your neurodiverse child or teen is essential for ensuring they receive the support, accommodations, and understanding they need to thrive.
In my practice I have regular conversations with parents and teens on how to get their support and education needs met. Here are some tips for effective advocacy:
Educate Yourself: Take the time to learn about your child's neurodiversity, including their specific diagnosis, strengths, challenges, and rights. Understanding their needs will empower you to advocate more effectively.
Build a Support Network: Connect with other parents of neurodiverse children, support groups, advocacy organizations, and professionals who specialize in your child's neurodiversity. They can provide valuable guidance, resources, and emotional support. Some useful organisations to check out resources and support:
The ADHD Foundation: www.theadhdfoundation.org.uk
Autism support for families: www.autism.org.uk
Supporting siblings: www.sibs.org.uk
Gloucestershire Young Carers: www.glosyoungcarers.org.uk
Gloucestershire Autism support group: https://nasgloucestershire.org.uk/
Glos Families Directory has a wealth of resources and support info for families: https://www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk/kb5/gloucs/glosfamilies/family.page?familychannel=2_1_9
Communicate Effectively: Clearly articulate your child's needs, strengths, and challenges when communicating with teachers, school administrators, healthcare providers, and other relevant professionals. Be specific about what support and accommodations you believe will benefit your child. It’s really helpful that you are your child’s ‘translator’ in the room with the professional.
Collaborate with Professionals: Work collaboratively with professionals involved in your child's care and education, including doctors, therapists, educators, and specialists. Share information, exchange ideas, and develop a comprehensive support plan tailored to your child's individual needs, as you are the person who is the expert on your child, and you know them best.
Document Everything: Keep detailed records of assessments, evaluations, meetings, emails, and conversations related to your child's neurodiversity and the support they receive. Documentation can be invaluable for tracking progress, advocating for services, and resolving disputes.
Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Under the Children and Families Act 2014, your LA must always think about how your child, or you if you are a young person, can be supported to facilitate development and to help your child or you achieve the “best possible educational and other outcomes. Understand your child's rights to accommodations, modifications, and services in educational settings and beyond. Especially useful when you are following an EHCP process with your local authority.
Prepare for Meetings: Before meetings with educators, healthcare providers, or other professionals, prepare an agenda, gather relevant documents, and outline your key points and concerns. Be prepared to advocate assertively and negotiate for your child's needs. Your local Sendiass will help you to know your child’s rights and support you to prepare for meetings. Their website for Gloucestershire is https://sendiassglos.org.uk/ .
Stay Calm and Persistent: Advocacy can be challenging and sometimes frustrating, but it's essential to remain calm, persistent, and focused on your child's best interests. Keep advocating until you see meaningful progress and positive outcomes.
Empower Your Child: Involve your child in the advocacy process as appropriate, encouraging them to voice their own needs, preferences, and goals. Help them develop self-advocacy skills and confidence in expressing themselves.
Celebrate Progress: Celebrate milestones and successes along the way, no matter how small. Recognize and appreciate the progress your child makes and continue to advocate for their ongoing growth and development.
Look After You: Advocating for your children takes resilience and energy and it means ‘fighting’ and challenging to help get their needs met. Make sure you have a robust support system around you and you are making your own self-care a priority.
Remember that advocating for your neurodiverse child is a journey that requires patience, persistence, and resilience. By being informed, proactive, and collaborative, you can help ensure your child receives the support and opportunities they need to thrive and self-care that helps you thrive!
Check out our website for Workshops and our Coaching and Mentoring Service. www.neurothrive.org.uk