In February 1999 the Best Practices for Family Involvement in CSPD was developed by educators and parents as a guide for providing strategies for parental involvement in the educational system. Since that time, the Elementary and Secondary School Act of 1965 was reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and in 2004 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Both laws strongly embrace the role of parents in the education of their children and place significant responsibility on states, districts, and schools to involve parents in decision-making through stringent notice requirements and participation options.
The purpose of the State Improvement Grant (SIG), authorized under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, is to assist state educational agencies and their partners with reforming and improving their systems for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional services. State Improvement Grants are specifically designed to help states provide services in three areas--education, early intervention, and transition from school to the community. However, 75 percent of the money must be spent on professional development programs for educators, administrators, and related service personnel.
Best Practices for Family Involvement in CSPD, developed in 1999 and updated in 2006, is a resource for all members of Regional Coordinating Councils, Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPA), Community Advisory Councils (CAC), parent groups, and other entities involved in working with families. The purpose of this document is to assist in the development of best practices for pervasive and lasting systems change in family-professional collaboration in California.
When the term "families" is used in this book, it may refer to any combination of individuals supporting the person with disabilities. It is not limited to the traditional concept of a family. And includes any non-traditional family group.
The philosophy of this publication is based on the knowledge that involving families productively is more likely to result in a positive outcome for students. In addition, family involvement provides a positive, collaborative, win-win environment for all stakeholders. This is true for students in both special and general education. The "No Child Left Behind Act " of 2001 highlights and strengthens the role of families.
The purpose of Best Practices for Family Involvement in CSPD is to enable families, care givers, and individuals with disabilities to become active participants in all state, regional, and local entities that plan and implement in-service and pre-service personnel development activities related to individuals with disabilities. It also provides strategies for networking with each other and with professionals.
In 1997 the Family Involvement Personnel Development Activities Survey was distributed to Regional Coordinating Council members, such as Special Education Local Plan Areas, Local Educational Agencies, Regional Centers, Family Resource Centers, and parent groups. The purpose of the survey was to gather information about methods these organizations use to include family members as active participants in various aspects of personnel development. Best Practices for Family Involvement in CSPD is based on the results of this survey.
Additional literature from the California Department of Education, Center for Family Involvement in Schools, the North Central Regional Education Laboratory, UCLA / School Mental Health Project Center for Mental Health in Schools, U.S. Department of Education, etc. supports the results of the 1997 survey. Websites and additional information can be found in the Resources Section. (See AVI)
Federal laws such as the IDEA 2004, NCLB, Early Start Regulation, Head Start Regulations, and proposals for grant awards require parent involvement in all aspects of education, from planning to implementation. Best Practices for Family Involvement in CSPD provides a creative plan for carrying out systems change into the future.
Many families are not aware of the Family-School Partnership Act. The Family-School Partnership Act is a California law that allows parents, grandparents, and guardians to take time off from work to participate in their children';s school or childcare activities. If you meet the following criteria you may take up to 40 hours each year (up to eight hours in any calendar month) to participate in activities at your child';s school or day care facility: you are a parent, guardian, or grandparent who has custody of a child enrolled in a California public or private school, kindergarten through grade twelve, or licensed childcare facility,
You may use vacation, compensatory time off, or unpaid leave under some circumstances, any of which would need to be scheduled according to the rules in your unit. Go to http://www.cde.ca.gov - the California Department of Education website for additional information or call (916) 642-7163.
Systemic involvement of families is required in the areas of training, program development, policy making, evaluation, and leadership development in order to meet the spirit of the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act of 2004, the No Child Left Behind Act, and other federal laws and regulations.
When successful systemic involvement of families occurs, the system becomes responsive to the needs of families, including the families'; linguistic and socioeconomic status, resulting in more collaborative family involvement. This will generate success for the student and respectful working relationships with the family. It will also increase family satisfaction with the system. Finally, the system that includes families increases its knowledge base of students'; needs and its capacity to serve them.
Entities must have written policies and bylaws mandating family involvement at all levels. (See A 1) Careful consideration needs to be given to the composition of various committees and the appropriate amount of family involvement. Schools and teachers need to develop attitudes and policies that are reflective of, and sensitive to, the community they serve. Before parents can be involved, they must feel comfortable with the staff and school.
For example:
Written policies and bylaws may include resources and strategies for the following:
One key to involving all parents is creating an atmosphere in which teachers, administrators, and families all value parental involvement. Schools that develop partnerships with families can provide information to parents about different ways they can be involved and understand the barriers that keep parents from being more active. (See AI)
It can be beneficial to meet with parent attendees prior to an event to orient and/or mentor them that they are active participants in the event.
Families must know that your staff respect and appreciate their time, input, expertise, and involvement.
There are many possibilities for family involvement: participation on curriculum committees, grant writing teams, school reform efforts, new program committees, Parent Teacher Student Association, School Site Councils, Head Start Advisory Committees, Early Childhood Learning Centers, Title I program committees, and bilingual/bicultural committees, such as the English Language Learners Advisory Committee.
Parent involvement is also necessary on local school boards, Community Advisory Committees, agency boards (local, regional, state and federal), local plan review committees, budget committees, and personnel hiring panels. (See AI) Through the State Improvement Grant, the Department of Education established the Family Participation Fund to provide financial assistance to families. The fund assists families that do not have any other agency support in becoming active members of decision-making committees, task forces, and other policy-making bodies. (See A3)
To evaluate family satisfaction with the system, program efficacy, and student outcomes, regular assessments should be conducted, and evaluation forms provided at each event. If an evaluation committee is formed, families should be included. If an evaluation is tied to an activity specified under a grant, make sure that the necessary questions are included. (See AV)
Families as well as professionals need to be trained as experts and leaders. This can be done by reaching out to other parents for involvement, by encouraging them to chair or lead committees, and by encouraging and training them to present or co-present.
Laws change. They are updated, re-authorized, and rescinded. The services that these laws are meant to deliver are sometimes affected by federal, state, and local budgets. Trying to keep up with these changes can be overwhelming. Because things can change quickly, the Internet is an ideal place to track current legislative action. Be willing to tell your story. (AVI)
Despite the demands of daily life, many families welcome the opportunity to speak out on issues that concern them and their children. What are some of the actions that families, professionals, and the community can take to let their voices be heard?
Source: Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, San Francisco.
Strategies must be developed to inculcate the value of parent involvement if staff is to become willing to work with families. This can be accomplished by having parents and professionals jointly share problem-solving approaches and success stories, and by providing research data about family involvement to your staff. (See AIV)
Discussions with professionals should include the correlation between family involvement and the amount of services requested by families; their satisfaction with services; and the positive working relationships that can be developed.
The data should indicate the number of fair hearings and complaints that are filed and when alternative dispute resolutions (ADR) are used when families are included as equal collaborators, versus when they are not. It should also indicate the spirit or reciprocity and give and take, which may result.
Additional methods for instilling willingness in staff include the following:
Families should be given ample opportunity to network with other families at all levels. This may be accomplished by connecting families with appropriate support groups, making referrals to other appropriate resources (national, regional, state, and local), and providing written newsletters and materials. (See AXI)
The most effective collaborative team members are those who are able to see the "big picture." Collaborative team members have the following strengths:
Assessing the needs of families should be done in a thoughtful, careful way that addresses the needs of your overall constituency. Needs assessments can be written or spoken, and can be done with individuals or whole groups. You may choose to do a sampling of your constituency, or assess the needs of all. Whenever assessing training needs of families, you must take into consideration the cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic aspects of your population, as well as the variety of family structures.
For example, some individuals may prefer to work with a large group of people, brainstorming responses to questions together. Others may prefer to work alone, at their leisure, perhaps with other family members filling out a written form. Always remember specific language needs. This may require putting written materials into a variety of languages or using oral interpreters for groups. In addition, you may need to simplify your materials to accommodate a variety of learning styles and/or educational levels. (Follow-up questions may be required to insure that you understand what they truly mean to say.)
Socioeconomic factors may also need to be considered. For example, single parent families may not be able to participate in meetings, but could respond to a written or telephone survey at home. Because the cost of envelopes and/or postage may be a barrier for some, the inclusion of a stamped return envelope may be necessary. Childcare and transportation issues always need to be taken into consideration. Please use caution at all times when interpreting responses from families; to make sure that the accurate meaning is conveyed.
It is important to remember that respondents to surveys often need follow-up reminders. Phone calls and follow-up letters should be planned into your process to insure a timely response. Many families of people with disabilities are dealing with crises on a regular basis and may need reminders to respond to your survey.
Persons placing the phone calls should be able to communicate in the languages that people may speak
Your group should determine the frequency of conducting needs assessments. Many organizations assess on a yearly basis; others may do it less often, with brief "probes" in the interim. It is important that needs assessment be conducted often enough to accurately reflect the current needs of families.
A survey conducted by California for organizations that provide support and training for personnel working with families of special education students stated that 62 organizations noted that parents were their primary target audience. Of these, three use a verbal method and 40 use a written method of assessing training needs. Other methods noted for assessing families'; training needs include peer support, dialogue, committees, workshop evaluation forms that ask for other areas of need, and attendance at seminars and conferences. (See AIX)
Outcome Data 2004-2005 from the Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers National Technical Assistance Center, "Parents Centers Helping Families", reported that 68 percent of direct assistance was provided to parents of children with disabilities. One hundred Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Resource Centers provided this information.
It is critical that parents and family members be included in planning and developing your event. This provides buy-in and perspective that is critical to its success. Most important, of course, is that the topic is relevant to your audience. Utilizing any needs assessment effort will increase the likelihood that the topic will be of interest and value. The format should be non-threatening to families and presented clearly to insure understanding. Also consider the fact that many people are sensitive to smells or fragrances. Indicate on the flyers that this event is to take place in a scent-free environment. Care should be given to provide a warm and welcoming environment with signs, decorations, food, and materials that are friendly, easily understood, and in different languages, as appropriate.
The presentation should be focused toward the needs of families. Families may come to your event overwhelmed with many concerns about other issues, and you must make sure that the activity you are presenting feels pertinent to them and gains their attention.
Simple Rule to Follow: Be flexible and make it simple. If presenting to a small group, flexibility should be planned so that the agenda can be changed (or thrown out) if there are better ways to meet the needs of the group. Adequate time should be provided in the presentation for questions from the participants.
In any size of group, you might have a staff member assigned to address participants'; individual concerns that are different from those on the agenda. Strategies could include introducing a staff person to deal with the issue immediately and outside the room, or to explain to the participant that staff will deal with it at a later time. You could also schedule a telephone appointment with the family member to discuss their concerns and issues.
Advertisement materials should be clear, understandable and welcoming. Of course, appropriate languages must be used. Information should be complete, with the name of the contact person, phone numbers, and/or email address for questions. If the flyers are printed double-sided and in two different languages, remember to specify (in Spanish or other languages) on the English side, that the flip side is in Spanish. (See AVIII) Persons fielding phone calls or e-mails should be able to respond in the languages that are spoken by the people you serve.
Send out "Save the Date" cards advertising an event at least two months in advance and don';t forget to send them in different languages. Reminders could also be sent by email.
AIII and AIV - Registration "tear-off" is one way to determine the attendance that you may have, as well as help you with reminder phone calls and/or e-mails. Some organizations have found that charging a small stipend actually encourages people to attend events for which they have enrolled. One strategy is to consider the stipend a "deposit" that is refundable upon attendance (or turning in an evaluation). However, it is important that a registration fee never be a barrier for families, so a scholarship option should always be provided.
Spread the word. Methods of outreach need to be pursued. In addition to flyers and mailings, you may place articles in community newspapers, libraries, supermarkets, church newsletters, doctor';s offices, parent-run agencies (such as the Family Empowerment Centers, Parent Training and Information Centers, Community Parent Resource Centers, and Family Resource Centers), and disability-specific groups.
Public Service announcements (PSAs) may be placed on the radio in a variety of languages spoken by the people you serve. Advertising through the schools may be by teachers who send notices home, through postings in school newsletters, and by announcements distributed through school offices and/or PTSA representatives.
Create a listserve. A listserve is an email discussion group. Members of the group can post requests, relay information, or gather advice by using a listserve. It';s an easy way to communicate and network with your colleagues, since messages are sent to your own email address. Remember: all families do not have access to a computer and/or the Internet.
Follow-up is an effective way to get a good turnout. Personal phone calls are found to be extremely effective, especially within a few days of a particular event. Leaders of disability groups and parent support groups can be solicited to implement "telephone trees," listserves, and other methods to get the word out. Follow-up notes, postcards, or letters to people who have expressed an interest or who have registered can be effective.
SELPAs may ask CAC members to do outreach and follow-up within their districts and communities.
When planning and coordinating trainings for families, it can be a challenge to determine times that will be most convenient for your audience. Some families prefer mornings when their children are in school; other prefer evenings because of their own work and childcare needs; and still others prefer weekends. Your needs assessment should include questions about the most likely times for training to meet the needs of your families. Remember: you will not be able to please all.
Location is also an important consideration. People are most likely to attend an event that is held at a location familiar to them within the community. Local schools, churches, and community centers often provide a good location with which families are familiar. Of course, closeness and accessibility are important. If you serve a large geographical area, consider offering your event in a variety of locations. Site accessibility for people with physical limitations is also an important consideration.
One rule of thumb may be to offer trainings at a variety of times and places, and see which are most popular for your audiences. Keep trying different times and locations, remembering that no one time and location will ever meet the needs of everyone! Individual outreach is an effective method for encouraging families to attend events and also for determining the scheduling and other constraints they may be facing.
Childcare is always an important issue when training families, particularly with families of children with special needs. Often families are not able to get out of the home without support for their childcare needs. Who provides (and pays for) childcare can be of a concern. In some instances, participating SELPAs donate instructional aide time to cover childcare at events. Other organizations maintain a "pool" of trained childcare providers. For children with disabilities, extra staffing and training may be necessary.
Liability about childcare should be a concern. Check with your insurance carrier to see if coverage for liability for childcare is included or can be added.
In addition, some children require specialized nursing or other support due to intensive medical needs. It may be more appropriate to provide stipends to families of these children to pay for their own trained providers in the home. Stipends to families to procure their own childcare are an alternative to providing childcare on site. This is an advantage to families who have ready childcare, but may be a disadvantage to those who do not. This is usually a more costly alternative than providing on-site care, but it may be easier in the long run. It may be appropriate to offer both options.
Some families for whom it is authorized may utilize respite hours from a regional center. Additionally, some local organizations that specialize in children with disabilities may have staff that is trained to work with and provide childcare to individuals with special needs.
If you are offering on-site childcare, have the family fill out a form that will contain the information needed regarding medications or specific needs. For instance, if the child has asthma - make sure that the child';s inhaler is provided. If the child is on a specific diet, has the food been provided by the parent?
During the event, provide quality time for children. Don';t place them in a room that does not have toys or activities to keep them occupied. Keep in mind that crayons, color books, and/or markers may be an appropriate activity for some children, but other children may have a tendency to put such objects into their mouths.
You must consider the transportation needs of families. Depending on the location of the workshop, you may need to provide transportation (e.g., vans, buses) or coordinate transportation among the families attending. If it is within walking distance of the community, walking may be an option, as may be public transportation. In these cases, the timing of your event would be important and you would probably want to avoid late evening times. The events committee could coordinate this activity.
Providing food is a way of setting a tone at your event that is warm and makes people fell welcome. It is important to have a budget for food, but it is also a good idea to involve attendees themselves in bringing food. This helps people to feel needed and involved and is considered important in some cultures. Families who have difficulty purchasing food items may be encouraged to provide decoration, such as a tablecloth or candle, as a way of encouraging their involvement. Items that are culturally appropriate are especially effective.
When decorating, consider that many families have allergies to different scents and when contemplating balloons, some children may be allergic to latex.
Simple snacks are usually appreciated. If you provide a meal, consideration should be given to the appropriateness of expenditure of public funds. Local businesses may be approached for donations of food items for your event
You must make sure that your materials and verbal presentation are given in languages that reflect your audience. Interpreters should be trained and consideration given to the variety of dialects within a particular language that parents may use.
Language interpretation may be provided in a variety of ways. One method involves simply having an interpreter sit next to the people needing interpretation and speak quietly to them. However, this can be distracting to others in the room and difficult for the recipient. Another way is to use microphone and headsets. This is a preferred method because the people needing interpretation can sit anywhere they choose in the room and still receive the interpretation, with a minimal of disruption to others. A disadvantage of this approach is that the interpreter is "one step behind" the English speaker, and it can be hard to keep up. (See AX.)
The most effective method is to provide a speaker who can give the presentation directly in the desired language. This may require you to have more than one presentation, each in a separate room. It may be difficult to find a speaker in the second language that is qualified to present the topic as your primary speaker.
It is also necessary to have all your written materials in the languages that will be presented. A problem can occur with visual materials, such as overheads, slides, and PowerPoint presentations. It would be optimal to have overheads and PowerPoint presentations in both languages, but another idea is to have the interpreter copy the overheads and/or PowerPoint onto flip charts in the second language prior to the event. How feasible this is depends upon the size and scope of the materials presented.
Providing interpretation for people with hearing impairments is another important consideration. Properly trained sign language interpreters must be provided as needed. The person with hearing impairments may have an interpreter that they prefer to use, or a particular style of interpretation that they require. Sometimes the person with hearing impairments will even assist in arranging for the interpreter, if financial considerations are addressed.
Another method of providing interpretation for people with hearing impairments is using a large screen computer display. There are companies that will provide this service to organizations. Explore the use of assistive technology. (See AX)
Persons who are visually impaired or blind may also need accommodations, such as large-print materials and handouts and the use of good contrast with printed materials (black on white background), materials e-mailed to the participant a few days prior to the workshop, or materials be tape-recorded and given to the participant prior to the workshop (although this makes following along more difficult). If the event provides participants with pens and pencils for note taking, a twenty-twenty pen or similar pen works best for persons with visual impairments. These pens can be bought from the Braille Institute.
Additional accommodations can include seating the person in with the visual impairment the front row, if the person has usable vision. The presenter can verbalize out loud when writing on a board or flip chart. If small group activity is to be used, make sure a reader is present to help the person with visual impairment to follow along with the materials.
It is necessary to have your audience communicate their needs for interpretation to you early enough so that it can be provided. A rule of thumb is to ask for at least ten days advance notice. Information about necessary accommodations needs to be included in the registration forms.
When there is a parent and professional team presenting, the parent and professional should be involved together in developing the workshop, rather than the parent being "given" their assigned part. Any presentations for families should always be jargon-free, or provide adequate explanation of jargon--if it is necessary to use it. This includes acronyms! A good strategy is to encourage the audience to feel free to ask for an explanation at any time that jargon, acronyms, or unclear terms be used. Consider appointing several audience members as "jargon police" to ask for clarification.
Parents'; personal stories are almost always helpful and interesting, but they need to be short and to the point. It is important to reflect on the story, but to also emphasize the positive outcomes from which others can learn. If possible, help all parties to understand that negotiation is part of life and is not always a negative thing. Learning to advocate for children in ways that are positive and non-threatening is an important skill for all. Families need to learn to tell their stories. (AVIII.)
It is important to provide training for parents, as well as professionals, in professional presentation skills. For example, all presenters should have strategies for dealing with "problem participants," deferring questions until another time, handling time constraints, using ground rules, etc. When parents and professionals present together, they should respect and support each other during the presentation. They should communicate clearly and honestly with each other before the presentation as to each other';s perspectives, and make sure that each is comfortable with the other';s viewpoint. During the presentation, they should be supportive of each other, assisting each other with "sticky" situations, as needed. If either presenter disagrees with the other, it should be communicated privately, not publicly. However, it is okay to disagree on some viewpoints, as long as it is courteous and upholds the credibility of both presenters.
Some parents need to be encouraged to do presenting and facilitating. Group leaders should encourage parents to develop and use their skills, as appropriate. Some parents will be comfortable speaking in small groups and many are happy to "tell" their child';s story. Encouraging parents and family members to become presenters about outcomes that are positive helps them to become better advocates for their children and contributors to "the system."
Parents need to be trained in the laws and regulations pertaining to individuals with disabilities. Laws vary in content across numerous sectors: 0-5 years, school age, adult services, eligibility criteria, services, assistive technology, and service providers. All presenters, parents, or professionals must remember that they do not have to know the answer to EVERYTHING. It is always okay to admit you do not know, to defer the question to your co-presenter, to ask for ideas from the audience, or to promise to get back to them with the answer at a later date.
It is also a good idea to encourage families to look for resources and information to answer their questions on their own. This gives parents responsibility and reaps much more information for them in the long run. If you promise to look up information for someone, however, make sure that you write the promise down and that you do get the information back to the person that requested it. (See AVIII.)
Parent evaluation of training events can take as many different forms as does your needs assessment. It can be written, oral, word-of-mouth, etc. Of course, your relevant languages must be addressed. Evaluation of specific events and activities should be conducted, as well as evaluation of your overall training program. Assistance in completing evaluations should be provided, as needed, in tactful ways. Sometimes an incentive is required to get the evaluation from the respondents. Examples of incentives include raffle tickets, candy, or some kind of printed materials.
Use the evaluation results from your audiences in meaningful ways. Evaluation forms should be used as a tool to evaluate whether or not you met the audience';s need for information and training. There will always be differences of opinion in audiences, but presenters should look for commonalties in perceptions and adjust as appropriate. Many organizations need the evaluations and sign-in sheets in order to meet their legal and funding requirements. Your evaluations should also serve as a tool to determine further training needs. (See AV)
All pre-service training for professionals who will be involved with children and young people with disabilities should address the value of family-professional collaboration. Research indicates that when professionals value and solicit collaboration with families, better outcomes for children are the result.
Professionals who include families at all levels of decision making and programming create an environment in which families are able to focus their passion, diffuse their anger, and focus on positive solutions for children. In addition, families feel "listened to" and that there opinions are valued.
Professionals should be given strategies for informal mediation and alternative dispute resolution to assist families and professionals to resolve conflicts in respectful and collaborative ways. Professionals also need to be given strategies to be culturally sensitive to the needs of families with whom they may collaborate.
All professionals should be trained in ways to empower families to be part of the system at all levels. Professionals should embrace the values of parent involvement by welcoming parents and validating and accommodating their attendance at various activities, committees, etc. They should have skills and strategies to work with family members who are new to committees and working groups, by providing information in user-friendly ways or serving as a mentor to the person who is new.
Professionals should value the input of the family and be responsive to their input at all levels, from individual child-specific programming decisions up to system-wide decisions. In addition, professionals who will be involved in leadership and presentation roles should be skilled at including and collaborating with family members as co-leaders and co-presenters.
Collaborating and partnering with parent groups--such as the Family Empowerment Centers, Parent Training and Information Centers, Community Parent Resource Centers and Family Resource Centers--will enhance the value and credibility of the training.
Professionals who will be involved in the education and training of children and young people with disabilities should be trained in the following categories of family and professional collaboration:
Teachers should value and have strategies for regularly communicating with families about their child and the day-to-day activities of the classroom and the school. This may include regular phone calls or notes sent home. If phoning is the preferred method, families and teachers should communicate as to the most appropriate times to call. Many teachers and parents prefer to communicate via email. Don';t assume that all families have Internet access, especially families whose primary language is not English, even though the child may have access to a computer.
Parents should be welcomed to the school on an individual basis, according to district policy regarding parent visitations. Whenever possible, parents should be welcomed and encouraged to volunteer in the classroom and be part of the daily program. Don';t forget grandparents--their expertise is invaluable and children feel comfortable with grandparents. Teachers should be given strategies that make parents feel welcomed at school meetings: these include the provision of a clear agenda, food, childcare, and language accommodations to meet the needs of families.
Teachers should be in regular contact with parents about their child';s progress, particularly at the time of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting. The law requires that parents of children with disabilities be informed of progress toward goals at least as often as parents of children without disabilities are informed of their child';s progress. Don';t assume that an upcoming IEP meeting is a parent conference meeting. Invite the parent of a student with a disability to parent conferences. A best practice is that the parent and teacher meet informally prior to an IEP meeting, to share what will be discussed, including any input the parent may want to share. Parents should be encouraged to share any ideas they may have regarding goals and objectives, transition needs and services, program accommodations, and supports.
Whenever family members are included on committees, it is imperative that professionals be trained in strategies for welcoming. One such strategy involves making sure that everyone is introduced and each person';s role is made clear. In addition, each committee member should provide background information and a brief summary of what has been accomplished so far so that the person who is new feels more knowledgeable and/or comfortable. Use of acronyms should be minimized, but acronym definitions should be used whenever possible.
When family members are invited to sit on committees and task forces, professionals should know to provide them with materials and information to assist them in becoming active involved members of the group. This may require providing printed materials in different languages and compiling information in ways that are easy to assimilate. When appropriate, committee members who already are serving on the committee should volunteer to be "mentors" to the person who is new, providing background, clarification, etc., as appropriate, before, during, and after the meeting.
If the family member is willing, they should be given an active role to play in the group, including leadership or support positions or follow-up tasks. Finally, the most important way that families can be made to feel welcome is by acting on their input. This means that ideas and opinions that are shared should be responded to thoughtfully and implemented when appropriate.
Professionals should be adequately trained in methods for communication with parents in ways that are family friendly. In communications between home and school, professionals should use a warm, informal, understandable writing style. Again, if any jargon is used in the correspondence, it should be fully defined.
Some parents prefer to communicate by e-mail, fax, or other methods if the technology is available. Communication may be necessary in large print or Braille for parents with visual impairments. Clearly, all communication must always be provided in the language that is spoken by the parents. Families should be encouraged in written communications to respond in writing or to call back if desired, ensuring a two-way flow of communication between home and school.
Newsletters and information sheets are another way to ensure communication between home and school. Professionals should be trained to develop interesting and meaningful documents for families to keep them apprised of activities at school. (See AI) Many of the strategies described in the previous section regarding understandable language, use of jargon, etc., should be applied.
In pre-service and in-service trainings, professionals should be given strategies for co-leading or co-presenting with family members. Many of these strategies have been covered in Section 3, including planning, presenting, and handling disagreements that may arise. Professionals should learn the value of including parents as co-presenters in presentations in order to increase the interest, credibility, and applicability of the information presented.
Methods for training professionals in strategies for family and professional collaboration may include the following:
Colleges and universities that train professionals in the field of disabilities should include mandatory course work and demonstration of competency in the area of family and professional collaboration and partnership. This would include training for educational professionals, including teachers, specialists, administrators, agency personnel (such as social workers), therapists, case managers and counselors, and medical professionals.
College and university courses should include parent presentations on life experiences and the care of an individual with a disability. Many professionals are unaware of the daily stress that families are under in caring for their child with a disability, caring for other members of their family, and in caring for themselves.
In addition to pre-service level training, in-service training should also focus on the development or improvement of the skills for professionals in family and professional collaboration. In-service activities should be targeted toward all professionals and volunteers. Instruction should be specifically focused toward increasing or improving skills and abilities to work with the local population and any particular needs that they may have.
Whenever possible, parents and family members should be included in planning and presenting the pre-service and in-service programs that are provided to professionals on this topic. The parent perspective provides useful insight for professionals to assist them in developing their skills. (See AVIII)
Resources
Quick Find On-Line Clearinghouse http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/homework.htm