A non-profit organization providing support to North Carolina parents and professionals for more than 25 years

Empowering and supporting families through transitions

Learning objectives Understand the importance of preparing families for the process of transitions Understand BEGINNINGS’ role in providing parents with the information they need to make informed decisions for their families Understand BEGINNINGS’ role in empowering parents to be the best advocates for their children who are deaf or hard of hearing

Definitions of transition A passage from one state, stage, or place to another Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary A change in what we do, who we’re with, how we feel, what we need, where we go Partnerships for Inclusion

Who do we serve? BEGINNINGS helps families with children aged birth to 22 who have an identified hearing loss, at no cost to the families. We provide support and resources to the professionals who serve those children, at no cost to the professionals or districts.

Communication with families We understand the relationship between professionals and the family/parent We recognize the family is the constant in the child’s life, while the service systems and personnel within those systems change We are the professional constant who supports families throughout the child’s academic career

Communication with families We recognize family strengths and individuality, and respect different methods of coping We honor the racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic diversity of families We provide emotional support to families We plan ahead and facilitate effective parent and professional meetings

We encourage collaboration Cooperation is initiated by one party to achieve his or her goals. Collaboration is a relationship between two or more equal parties for mutually beneficial goal achievement.

Identification of hearing loss BEGINNINGS receives referrals for children ages birth to 22 through the state database, audiologists, early intervention teachers, school teachers, self-referrals We contact families and check on how they are handling the news of the hearing loss We explain our services and arrange to meet with them at their home

Initial home visit We listen to their story, ask what they need We discuss the grief and emotion surrounding an identification of hearing loss We build a relationship with the family, often times being the first professional to ask the family how they are coping We explain hearing loss, how to read an audiogram and the importance of medical care and follow-up

Initial home visit We teach parents about communication choices and language options, explain they will need to make a choice We explain amplification options We encourage parents to advocate for their children, to know they can make decisions for their children and their family We connect them to resources

Initial home visit When a child is younger than 3 years old, we discuss the importance of early intervention, and strongly encourage families to take advantage of the services available We explain the agencies involved in providing services to children at this age and the IFSP We discuss language acquisition and provide strategies to help their child acquire language

Initial home visit When a child is older than 3 years old, we discuss school issues and the difference between IDEA and Section 504 We encourage families to build a good working relationship with their district We teach families how to request meetings and evaluations and what services/accommodations may be appropriate

The transition from early intervention to preschool services

IDEA 2004 changes in early childhood transition Parents can invite early intervention personnel to attend IEP meetings The IEP team must consider the services and information contained in the child’s IFSP The lead agency may initiate a transition planning conference as early as 9 months before a child’s 3rd birthday This slide covers the change in IDEA that provides more support to families through EI to preschool services.

We reconnect As a child approaches their 3rd birthday, the parent educator reaches out to the early intervention teacher and the family We meet with the family to explain the transition from early intervention services to preschool services, and how that will impact their family We review the IFSP

“Potential eligibility” In North Carolina, all children enrolled in the Infant-Toddler Program at the time of transition shall be deemed “potentially eligible” for Preschool Program services.

Prepare families for the transition planning conference We explain IDEA We discuss with the parents how to become successful advocates for their child We inform the family of their rights We discuss important steps for the family to take to prepare for the transition planning conference We create a list of questions for the family to ask

Support families during the transition planning conference We remind the parent of their rights We review the current IFSP outcomes, progress and need for services We develop a timeline for completing evaluations and gathering necessary documentation for eligibility determination

Prepare families for the assessment process We provide an overview of the assessment process and the steps involved We help the family begin to observe and document their child’s strengths and needs We explain how appropriate assessments impact educational services

Support families during the assessment process We monitor the parents’ understanding of educational terminology We involve parents in assessing and clarifying their child’s strengths, needs and goals We help the parents request appropriate assessments and understand the results We model being an advocate

Prepare families for the IEP process We tell parents what to expect, who will attend and what will be discussed at the IEP meeting We explain federal and state laws and regulations as well as eligibility We familiarize parents with educational terminology and the IEP forms

Prepare families for the IEP process We explain the differences between the IFSP and the IEP We provide information and resources for becoming a good advocate We have the parents write questions and goals to take to the IEP meeting

Support families during the IEP process We remind the parents of their rights under Part B of IDEA We monitor the parents’ understanding of educational terminology We encourage parents to share their concerns, goals, priorities and expectations during the meeting We model advocacy skills

Support families after the IEP process We review the IEP documents with the parents and discuss questions or concerns they may have about the IEP process We remind the parents the IEP is a living document and can be amended or rewritten We offer additional support at future IEP meetings as requested by the parent

Transition to school age We review the IEP documents with the parents We answer questions the parents may have about service delivery We discuss classroom accommodations, including the possible of use of FM system We can observe students in school and provide in-service training to teachers

During the school years We review the IEP documents with the parents We discuss questions or concerns they may have regarding the IEP process and their child’s progress in school If a child is ready to be exited from an IEP, we review Section 504 and how it may apply to their child We attend meetings with families as requested

Post-secondary transition planning We explain the federal and state policies that guide transition planning We encourage student involvement in IEP meetings, at an appropriate age We explain the planning process starts when a student is 14 years old We explain the IEP requirements for when a student turns 16 years old

Post-secondary transition planning We explain North Carolina graduation requirements We explain the difference between Future-Ready Core and Future-Ready Occupational

Post-secondary options We discuss available resources, including vocational rehabilitation services We connect parents with resources to help students determine their strengths and set goals for themselves We educate families about post-secondary education options and employment opportunities Talk about online tools including Phonak’s GAP program, Pepnet, and 411 on Disclosure