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Building A Family Support Network. March 4, 2005 Cheri Dowling Maryann Swann. Partners For Success Statewide Outreach Center For Families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children. Parents and Educators Working Together to Support Families. Partnerships. Parent Educator
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Building A Family SupportNetwork March 4, 2005 Cheri Dowling Maryann Swann
Partners For SuccessStatewide Outreach CenterFor Families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children Parents and Educators Working Together to Support Families
Partnerships • Parent • Educator • Maryland School for the Deaf • Maryland State Department of Education
Who Are We? Maryann Swann Education Coordinator
Who Are We? Cheri Dowling Parent Coordinator
WHAT DO WE DO? • Manage Office • Public Relations • Resource Information System • Workshops • Provide Parent to Parent Support
Manage Office • Newsletter • Maintain Library • Respond to Parent requests • Correspondence • Staffing of Office
Public Relations • Committee members • Speaking engagements • Community Fairs
Resources • Information • Information • Information
Workshops • Understanding Special Education • IEP Process • Transition from IFSP to IEP • Procedural Safeguards and Parent Rights • Recordkeeping • Problem Solving • Signing to Children • Transition from IEP to Adulthood
What is the Parent to Parent Network? • Connects families • Provides a safe place for parents to meet and talk • Supports the idea that all families have the right to come to their own decision regarding communication options and other relevant decisions.
Parent to Parent Resources • The Parent to Parent Handbook. Connecting Families of Children with Special Needs. By: Betsy Santelli, Florene Stewart poyadue, and Jane Leora Young • Parent to Parent Video By: Child Development Media, Inc. 5632 Van Nuys Blvd, Suite 286, Van Nuys, CA 91401, (818) 994-0933, Fax (818) 994-0153
Parent to Parent Organizations • Partners for Success • Beach Center on Families and Disabilities • Family Net Works • The Arc of Montgomery County, MD • New Jersey Statewide Parent to Parent • Parent to Parent of PA • Parent to Parent of Virginia • Common Bonds of West Virginia
Putting The Pieces Together • Manage Network • Network Trainers • Family Matching • Follow Up With Support
Mentor Family • They will listen and support families • They are not experts • Provide support through understanding and shared experiences • Friendships • Training
Characteristics of a Mentor Family • Parent of a child who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing • Genuine desire to assist another family • Empathetic • Non-judgmental • Positive energy • Hopeful outlook
Requesting Family • Parent of a child who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing • Feeling connected • One to one matches • Friendship • Support
Listening Skills • Reflective Listening • Active Listening • Effective Listening
Responses • Appropriate • Inappropriate
Four Stages of Adaptation • Surviving • Searching • Settling In • Separating
How To Contact Us Cheri Dowling Maryann Swann Partners for Success PO Box 894 Columbia, MD 21044 (410) 480-4597(v/tty) (410) 480-4598 (fax) Partners@msd.edu CAD800@aol.com