Transcript 618: Lifelong Integration

618: Lifelong Integration
Supporting Families
React to these statements in
Chapter 7
• “The family's ability to function effectively
depends on how clearly the boundaries and
rules of the family are defined and how cohesive
and flexible the family is during the life-cycle
changes” (p.250).
• “Informing family members about their child’s
educational or physical disabilities can be
extremely sensitive and requires skills typically
associated with problem-solving, collaborating,
and counseling” (p.255).
Families today (Correa et al., 2005, 248-9)
• 69% of children with 2 parents; 23% with their
mother; 5% with father; 3% with neither
• 1/3 of children who live with their father reside
with the father’s unmarried partner as well
• Just over 1/10 of the children who live with their
mother live with their mother’s unmarried partner
as well
• 36% of homeless population have children
Parents Role with Special Needs
• Individualized Family Serve Plans (IFSP) as Part C
of P.L. 99-457 (1986)
• IDEA 97 and IDEIA 04 push the role of the parent as
part of the IEP team with more money for parent
training and information centers and organizations
• More researchers recently are finding positive or
neutral effects of children with disabilities on the
familial system (Cho, Singer, & Brenner, 2001)
• Still, increased family stress is evident in research
on families of children with disabilities (Singer,
2002).
Divorce and Disabilities
• Researchers conclude that children are better off when a
conflict-laden marriage ends (Amato & Booth, 1997)
• Higher rates of divorce or separation in families of children
with disabilities (Witt et al, 2003)
• However, other researchers, such as Ferguson (2001),
found that parents of children with developmental and
intellectual disabilities show patterns of resilience and
adaptation.
• Some families explain that their child is a source of joy and
have taught many valuable life lessons for the group
(Hastings & Taunt, 2002)
• Familial reactions of either strengthening or weakening vary
greatly (Risdal & Singer, 2004)
• What makes a family grow stronger when having a child
with a disability?
Helping Parents Cope
• Parent Support Groups can help with stress management
and parent solidarity (Nixon & Singer, 1993)
• Fathers who employ a problem-focused coping strategy
(dealing directly with the problem) felt better about their
marriages (Gavidia & Stoneman, 2006). Fathers
experience more stress in such relationships (Strachen,
2006)
• Mothers whose husbands employed such coping
strategies felt better about their marriages (Gavidia &
Stoneman, 2006).
• For information on problem-focused coping go to
http://www.stressanderos.org/problem-focusedcoping.htm
Acknowledging a Disability –
When Parents Grieve
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•
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Parental Conflict
“Doctor” Shopping
Defensiveness
Find the Cause
Find the Cure
Acceptance v Rejection
Conferencing with Parents
• Trust of educators varies among parents
• What should take place before a meeting?
– Provide agendas
– Set the environment (desks, tables, sound,
visuals)
– Prepare team members
• Meetings
– Take A L A P
(ask questions, listen, accept that disagreements may
occur, end the conference with a positive plan)
Working with parents
• Avoid barriers to communication
– Watch your educational vocabulary but still
explain everything
– avoid distance
– do not blame
– work with parents
– avoid labeling, just describe
“So you want to tutor your own
child?”
• Home tutoring and teaching may add undue
stress to the family
• Suggestions
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–
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–
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Make sessions short (20 minutes max)
Enjoy the time and make it positive
Incorporate high child involvement
Keep a running record for me to review
Reteach and support our class lesson
Warn me before you teach something new
Parental Rights
• IEP member (with rights to educational records)
• Due Process
– A set of legal procedures to ensure the fairness of
education al decisions and the accountability of
both professionals and parents in making those
decisions.
– The parent can call a hearing when they do not
agree with the school’s plan for their child; outside
and independent evaluation at public expense
– State mediator allowed to work with both parties
– Attorney fees are reimbursed if parent prevails
Communicating with Parents
• Turnbull and Turnbull (2001) with the Beach
Center for Families of Children with Disabilities
(as listed in Correa et al, 2005, p. 262):
– Professionals must understand and appreciate the
personalities and behaviors of team members
– Both parties must respect and trust each other
– Relationship must be viewed as a partnership
Supporting Families
•
Examine the list on page 269-270
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
13.
Establish an advisory committee on family – pro goals
Gather extensive info on strengths and needs
Identify needs for school involvement
Develop manuals on policies for parents to follow and support
Provide videotapes on how to instruct and support
Involve families in class projects
Develop a survival vocab list in the native language
Provide lists of care and sitting
Include parents in all meetings including transition
(and 12) Contact and communicate with all parents
Organize a parent call line or tree
Design full service schools
Questions
• Which of the strategies on the pages 269270 list could be applied in your current or
future setting? How?
• A family seems to be having difficulty at
home with their child who has been
labeled as having developmental delays.
What might you do to help?