speak up

In just a few short weeks, the kiddos will be pouring back into their classrooms.  Many Charlotte families have chosen to continue participation in private speech therapy services over the summer months.  With the start of school, IEP services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and exceptional education will resume.  School services from an IEP and private therapy services, such as those provided at Child and Family Development, do not have to exist in separate worlds.  As a speech-language pathologist in a private setting, I prefer to have as much information as possible about the services my clients are receiving outside of my therapy room---be it down the hall in physical therapy, occupational therapy, or ed therapy, or down the road at the elementary school.  "More is more" when it comes to using all the information available to help your child learn and grow.  So if your child is receiving services through an IEP and/or in a private therapy setting, I recommend considering the following suggestions as you prepare for a successful school year:
 

• locate your copy of the IEP, review the goals, and think about how close your child is to meeting these goals
• share a copy of the IEP with your therapists in private practice, so they can potentially shape their treatment to support what's going on at school
• compare IEP goals to the treatment plan from Child and Family Development
• share a copy of your treatment plan from C&FD with your child's teacher as well as their school therapists
• if you would like your child's teacher and private therapist to communicate, sign a Release of Information form at C&FD
• ask your child's private therapists for goal suggestions in preparation for IEP meetings
• ask your child's teacher what you can be doing outside of the classroom to help your child, then share these suggestions with your private therapist