Another student in an appropriate placement!

I had GREAT news yesterday! One of my families finally got word from the District that FAPE would be offered at the non-public school we had chosen! the family is ecstatic - they have worked long and hard for this moment and I was so very thrilled to be a part of their lives.

One of the best parts of my job is the satisfaction I get from helping families better their lives. I am always telling my clients that the disability doesn't just affect the child, it affects the whole family and it is that pressing need that I bring to my advocacy.

I am NOT your usual, "run-of-the-mill" advocate. I do not ever profess to be an expert in Special Education Law nor can I produce magic data from the thousands of reports I have read. Instead, I bring common sense and logic to an emotionally charged atmosphere. I am trained in mediation, not confrontation, and I have honed those skills (though, why I can't seem to bring them to the forefront in my personal relationships is beyond me!). In the IEP meeting, I work hard to bring the team together either to produce a fabulous working document and team, or to ensure that everyone is in agreement that a more appropriate placement is in order.

It is vital to me that the parents I work with and, yes, train are better equipped to deal with the stress in their lives, not only the stress from the school but in every area. I see no point in pouring hard earned dollars into countless IEP meetings when there is no possible way for the family to be supported at home. So, while I am indeed called in to work almost exclusively on educational issues, I often find that this is only part of the problem. I am so very grateful that I have had the opportunity over the years to work for a number of support agencies and support people who helped me to look at the people first, not the "problem". This approach has served me, and my clients, very well over the years and I look forward to continuing this journey.

Lazy Summer Days

School is finally over! Well, maybe not for all of us as some of our kids are attending summer school. Honestly, I don't think I'd have stayed sane if it weren't for school and summer school!! don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but I also very much enjoyed being able to breathe for a while and school provided that period of respite. Those days are pretty much gone for me - my eldest (Sam) and his sister (Lucy) are now graduates. And my youngest (Mac) is being homeschooled. But I continue to try and find some time for myself.

Summer does provide a break from my work as an educational consultant and advocate. Most of my clients are on the autism spectum and that really is my area of expertise. But I very much enjoy meeting clients who are facing other challenges and being able to help certainly warms my soul!

But, as the saying goes, "no rest for the wicked". This summer, I'm helping a few clients who have unresolved IEP/placement issues, I'm working on my webpage (http://www.merrynaffleck.com), and I'm putting together my next project - a series of webinars designed to help give parents some training and confidence to be better advocates for their kids. So, stay tuned and I'll let you know the progress and how you can attend my webinars.

In the meantime, enjoy the summer!! Have fun, smile, relax with your kids. Trust me - the time disappears faster than you think possible.

Cheers

Merryn Affleck