We provide support and consultation for the following: Early Intervention, IEP/504 Meetings, Documentation / Evaluation Review, Communication and drafting letters to school, Mediation, Transition Planning, School Observation and Recommendations for Out of District Placement
When our children receive a diagnosis often time we don’t know what we need to do and where to seek help, there seems to be so many questions and limited answers and when you do not know the language this makes it so much harder to navigate. We at PAIS are here to help with answering those questions, to fill applications and guide you through all of the red tape.
We help families make sense of the diagnostic report and guide them on what to do next such as share the report with the school and pediatrician, what services your child needs at school and where to seek home based services.
We offer assistance in navigating the juvenile justice system when required. Our aim is to assist you in locating community services that can prevent your child from entering the juvenile system, while ensuring these services are culturally sensitive.
Being a parent of a special needs individual is no easy feat and it can take a toll on the caretaker having to do it all, often on their own. Our support group is here to help individuals to know that they’re not alone, to feel supported and get advice from other parents who have been there and can shed some light on the day to day challenges.
We offer workshops in a number of topics such as:
• Understanding the Special
• Education process
• Reading and understanding the IEP forms and documents
• Out of District Placement, the pros and cons
• Transition, what should I expect?
• My kid is turning 18, now what?
• What is Guardianship and what are my options?
• Special Needs Trust and what you need to know
• Adult Transition Services / Job Training
• Independent Living.
IEP Clinics are run by parent advocates who will sit with parents and review their child’s most recent IEP, their most recent evaluations/reports, and specific concerns they have. This is a great opportunity for parents to make sure that their kid’s IEP is updated with the most recent information and that all the information such as accommodations and services are accurate. Furthermore, parent advocates can also review goals and make sure that each one is measurable and attainable.
We can refer you to outpatient services in your area, check if there are waiting lists and help you through the process of filling out packets in order to speed the process.
After attending this very educational workshop, you will feel a lot more confident and be in a much better condition to help parents. This training will help you, the interpreter in the following ways:
• Learn the differences between an advocate and an interpreter.
• Do’s and don’ts of interpreting in a special education setting.
• Review the different modes of interpreting (simultaneously or consecutively) to determine what’s the best approach.
• Review the procedural safeguards (protection of special needs students and their data)
• Learn the different types of meetings (Evaluation, IEP, 504 Plans).
• Learn the vocabulary and acronyms used in the special education setting.
Our staff at PAIS are bilingual (Portuguese/English) and can help with your interpreting needs associated with our services, we will be happy to help you communicate over the phone or video conferences.
