1. Healthy Communication
Advocating for Your Child

2. About us David Scott, MA, LAC, LPCC Stacy Scott, MEd
Worked in Clinical Behavioral Health for 10 years
Experienced in behavioral strategies for children
Advocated for children with various agencies: schools, social services, juvenile court, etc.
Stacy Scott, MEd
Worked in Special Education for seven years
Treatment foster parent for six years
Advocated for children as a professional and parent

3. Our story Our Heart for Children Treatment Foster Care with PATH
Our Adoption

4. The role of communication
Extremely important in advocating for your child
Both verbal and nonverbal
How do you obtain what your child needs without angering all of your child’s providers?

5. Communication Elements
Verbal vs. Nonverbal Communication
Breakdown of the numbers (with a caveat)
55% is body language
38% is tone of voice
7% is actual words spoke (Mehrabian & Wiener, 1967 and Mehrabian & Ferris, 1967)
Three C’s of Nonverbal Communication
Context
Clusters
Congruence
Mehrabian, Albert (1972). Nonverbal Communication. Chicago, IL: Aldine-Atherton. ISBN 
Context: what environment is the situation taking place, history between the people, a person’s role in the situation (is there a power dynamic)
Clusters: Seeing nonverbal cues as they work together, rather than focusing on one cue in isolation
Congruence: Do spoken words, match the tone and body language? When someone says, “I’m fine” with slumped shoulders, a frown, and a soft tone, most likely they’re not fine.

6. Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Cues to Consider
Posture
Gestures
Facial Expressions
Paraverbal Communication
Inflection
Pacing
Pitch
Tone

7. Communication Styles
Passive
Aggressive
Passive Aggressive
Assertive

8. Professionalism Advocating for your child is your JOB as a parent
Conducting yourself as if you were at a work meeting is EXTREMELY important
Imagine yourself in a courtroom. Would your behavior or the way you speak get you charged with contempt of court? If so, reassess and start over!

9. Hot buttons What really irks you? What gets under your skin?
What about how someone communicates to you sets you off?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you be successful!

10. Responding Assertive, assertive, ASSERTIVE!!!!
You can advocate for your child without embarrassing yourself and losing the respect of the professionals in the room.

11. Roadblocks When all of your attempts have failed, what do you do next?
Know the Law!
It is there to make sure your child gets what s/he needs
Team up with another advocate
DD case manager (if applicable)
Other professionals involved in your child’s life (therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, SLP, OT, PT, etc.)
Protection and Advocacy
Lawyer up!

12. Questions