TRAIN TO BE AN ADVOCATE!

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is offering the Parent Consultant Training Institute in Belchertown MA this spring.

Western MA Spring 2015

Location: Belchertown High School

142 Springfield Road

Belchertown, MA 01007

Time: 3:30 pm - 9:00 pm each day    LATE AFTERNOON-EVENING COURSE

Session Dates: Tuesdays (April 7th, 14th, 28th, May 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th and June 2nd)

Do you find yourself wishing you knew more about laws that support your child/student or that you wish you understood the Individual Education Program (IEP) process better or how to request a special education evaluation? Stop wishing and register for the “Parent Consultant Training Institute” near you! 

The Parent Training and Information Center at the Federation for Children with Special Needs is offering an opportunity for Massachusetts parents and professionals to learn more about the state and federal Special Education laws and process. We believe that parents and professionals who understand the process are better able to collaborate effectively to develop supports and services that enable children/students with disabilities to succeed.

The extensive agenda includes speakers from the Massachusetts Department Elementary and Secondary Education, distinguished attorneys and other professionals in the field of special education. Some of the topics that are presented are: Federal (IDEA 2004) and State Law, Individual Education Program (IEP), Writing Measurable goals, objectives and benchmarks, Program Quality Assurance and the due process system, Access to the General Education Curricula, Evaluations, Positive Behavioral supports, Effective Communication, Transition for students 14-22 and more!

In addition, participants have the option, through an internship, to acquire the necessary skills to assist parents of children with special needs to effectively design and/or manage their children’s special education program. Participants who choose to meet the requirements of the internship are issued a Certificate of Completion, with which some professionals have been granted PDPs from their school districts. This Federation supervised internship requires 25 hours of phone consultation at a Federation site as well as 25 hours of advocacy at no fee based on Federation referrals. Participants who elect to only attend classroom sessions are issued a Certificate of Attendance. 

Tuition for parents is $325, professionals $425. Limited scholarships are available for parents through the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC). You may contact them directly at 617-770-7676 for more information or to apply for a scholarship. 

To apply: Download the application or call the office and request an application by mail. Fill it out and send it in with your payment. Even if you are applying for funding or a scholarship, you must send in your application as soon as they are being accepted. You must send payment with your application, or send a note attached to the application regarding your payment circumstances. You will receive an email to confirm receipt of your application. Those who are accepted into the class will receive another email soon thereafter. We usually receive more applications than we have space so, if for some reason you are not accepted into a class, we encourage you to apply again. For more information regarding the Parent Consultant Training Institute, please contact Laura Yellick at lyellick@fcsn.org.

For more information go to:  http://fcsn.org/pti/advocacy/become_a_parent_consultant.php

Download an application to attend a Parent Consultant Training Institute.