October 2016
"Special" Reports
Make yourself a priority for a change!

Most parents will tell you that their children are their priority.  As you might expect, Special Kids Crusade gets quite a few inquiries from moms and dads who are looking for activities, programs and systems of support for their children who have special needs.  

Special Kids Crusade's Mom's Night Out is one of several monthly support groups listed on SKC's monthly calendar.
Rarely, however, do we get asked about systems of support for themselves, as parents.  I don't have to tell you that having a child with a special need can be a very isolating experience.  As your child grows and his or her needs become more demanding on your time and energy, a parent's ability to break away and do something for her or himself becomes even  more difficult.  In addition, you find you begin to have less and less in common with parents of "typical" children who are your child's peers.  

You aren't alone. Each month, Special Kids Crusade lists a number of parenting support groups designed for parents who have a lot in common with you!  Nobody will know exactly what you are experiencing...but knowing that others struggle with the same types of issues that you are facing can make the parenting journey less lonely. Be sure to bookmark Special Kids Crusade's Happenings page and make note of the upcoming events you can attend.  

It's okay to make yourself a priority, every once in a while, too!
Can a mom and her child 
both become regional center consumers?
Jennifer Lucas, Advocate with the Silicon Valley-Monterey Bay Office of the State Council for Developmental Disabilities
 
Dear Advocate:  
I am a parent who was a Special Education student, myself, during my school years. I am now 22 years old. My child also has a learning disability, has an IEP in school and has been diagnosed with Intellectual delay from his neurologist.  Can we both become regional center consumers?  

That's a great question!  The answer is...it depends.  Frequently (but not always), if someone qualifies for regional center services, they likely will qualify for special education services.  However, the opposite is not true. The eligibility requirements for
regional center services (which are only in California and covered by the Lanterman Act) are much more narrow than the eligibility requirements for special education (which are covered under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - IDEA). To give you an idea in terms of numbers (these are very rough estimates from a quick web search), approximately 700,000 students in California receive special education services, while about 120,000 students are served by regional centers.
 
To qualify for special education services, a student must fall within 1 of 13 categories (i.e., emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, intellectual disability, autism, hearing impairment, etc.) and the disability must adversely affect educational performance.  It is important to point out that educational performance is not the same as academic performance.  Educational performance is a broader concept that includes a child's academic, social, health, emotional, communicative, physical and vocational needs.  In addition to grades and standardized tests scores, schools must consider how a child's emotional, health or other conditions adversely affect her non-academic performance in social, behavioral and other domains as well. 
 
The regional center system serves individuals with developmental disabilities. California law defines a developmental disability as a disability that starts before age 18, is expected to continue indefinitely, and is a "substantial disability" for that person.  To qualify for regional center services, an individual must have one of five conditions  (cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, intellectual disability, and other conditions closely related to intellectual disability or that require similar treatment) and the condition must be a substantial disability for the individual.  "Substantial disability" means the individual must have be impacted in at least three of these areas: Communication skills (receptive and expressive language), Learning abilities, Self-care, Mobility, Self-direction, Independent living skills, and Economic self-sufficiency.  The degree of impact in these areas is often determined through some type of adaptive behavior assessment.    Department of Developmental Services regulations define a substantial   disability as "a major impairment of c ognitive and/or social functioning."  This means an individual can show they are substantially disabled by a major impairment of either their cognitive functioning (thinking, intellect), or their social functioning (how they relate to others). They do not have to prove both.  Many individuals with autism, for example, have significant problems interacting socially. They may not have problems with their thinking and they may even score high on intelligence testing. But, if they prove that their social skills are significantly impaired by autism (and this affects at least three of those above areas), they may be eligible for regional center services. 
 
In your case, you will want to look over your old IEPs and assessments to see what your eligibility category was and to what extent it impacted you.  If you qualified under autism, intellectual disability or another category that might align with one of the regional center categories and you believe you have a substantial disability in three or more of the areas mentioned above, then applying for regional center services makes sense.  Some individuals get assessed on their own prior to applying for regional center eligibility so they have an idea if they will qualify for regional center.  Other individuals choose to apply for regional center eligibility with just their past school records/assessments in hand and wait to hear from the regional center regarding whether they qualify or whether the regional center will need to do additional assessments.  If the regional center finds that you are not eligible, keep in mind you have the right to appeal their decision.  Good luck!

Do you have a question that you would like answered in an upcoming "Ask the Advocate" column?  Email lori@specialkidscrusade.org with the title "Ask the Advocate" in your subject line. All questions appearing in this column will be posted anonymously.  
Mark your calendars!
CLICK on the links, below, for event details.
11th Annual Fiesta Familiar de la Costa Central - Saturday, October 1 
NAMI Family to Family Education Course - 6 week session begins Saturday, October 1 
10th Annual Family Science Day - Sunday, October 2
Kernes Pool 25th Annual Splash-a-thon- Sunday, October 2 
EFMP Women's Support Group - Tues. Oct. 4 
Hand and Tandem Cycling Series & Rock Climbing with No Limits - Saturday, October 8 
Special Needs Support and IHSS Benefits: What you Need to Know (San Jose) - Saturday, October 8 
Special Kids Crusade's Mom's Night Out - Monday, October 10 
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Support Group - Thursday, October 13 
Shared Adventures Archery Lessons - Saturday, October 15 
REACH Theatre presents Red Riding Hood and the Mod, Mod Wolves - Saturday, October 15 
Working with Spanish Speaking Youth and Families: Cultural and Language Considerations - Tuesday, October 18 
Parents of Special Needs Children Support Group (Spanish) - Thursday, October 20 
Chuparrosa Parent Support Group (Greenfield) - Friday, October 21
Sibshop for Siblings of Children with Special Needs - Saturday, October 22 
18th Annual Service Above Self SARC Awards Dinner - Saturday, October 22
Webinar: Navigating the Criminal Justice System for people w/ Disabilities
- Thurs. October 27
EFMP Men's Support Group - Thursday, October 27 
Chuparrosa Parent Support Group (King City) - Friday, Oct. 28 
USCEDD is conducting a survey to help guide their focus for future resources.  CLICK HERE to take the quick survey!
Creating Inclusive & Engaging Circle Times

Imagine this...
You are currently sitting in front of twelve 3-year-olds and you are questioning almost all of your life choices to this point. You are wondering why you didn't order the extra large coffee prior to coming into work and mentally making notes on where you should send your resume. "Why are you so distressed?" someone might ask. Well... about half of the class has decided it's time to take off their shoes, another three have taken it upon themselves to redecorate your circle time chart, one child has decided the middle of the group is the best place to take a nap, another has not stopped crying since her mother dropped her off an hour ago, and oh yeah, you are pretty sure someone went to the bathroom in their pants.

Whether you are a teacher, a volunteer at your church, or helping out in your child's class, the story above may have sounded way too real. Even the most seasoned teachers can tell you stories from a circle time gone wrong that you might never believe. However, letting these experiences push you to give up on circle time is not the way to go. In Carol Copple and Sue Bredekamp's book Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice, they state that children "develop best when they are part of a community of learners - a community in which all participants consider and contribute to one another's well being and learning." Circle time is an amazing time to develop your community of learners; however, this most likely won't come without challenges along the way.  

When challenges arise it is essential to take a step back and ask yourself a few questions instead of immediately sending your resume to a spa in Hawaii.

Is the length of my circle time developmentally appropriate?
Typically a 10 minute circle time is the longest you want to push preschoolers. Toddlers should sit for less and, of course, older children can sit for longer.

What activities are happening before or after my circle time?Unless restricted by school policies, sometimes changing the placement of circle time in your day could increase children's motivation to be active in it. If you have not let little ones move around or actively play for an hour or so before you sit down to read a book you may be in for a wild ride...

At what point in my circle time are children disengaging? By being mindful of the motivating aspects of your circles and one's where you tend to have children running for the door , you can inform your planning for future circles and individualize your circle to meet your children's needs.

Are you giving your children meaningful opportunities to contribute? As previously stated, circle time's teach children many important social and adaptive skills. They move children from being attenders in the group to collaborators. It is essential to give children roles during circle time as well as time to not only answer, but ask questions.

Do some of my learners need extra support or a different style of instruction?  There are a number of proven techniques that provide motivation and encourage engagement for learners who don't have the skills yet to be participators in your circle time. It is important to remember that circle time may be the most valuable time for these children and that there is guidance out there to help you help them become successful collaborators in circle time. 

While many of the above questions might not be new to you, it is important to remember to ask these questions instead of just powering through a year of circle times that end in time-outs and tears. According to Peggy Ashbrook, author of Science Learning in the Early Years, holding regular short discussions can "build children's capacity to participate and contribute." These are building block skills that a child will carry with them to adulthood.  

Learn tips and techniques to add value to your circle time by attending Creating Inclusive and Engaging Circle Times on Tuesday, October 4.