A support for families of children with special needs and the staff who serve them.
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The Special Needs Liaison is a neutral and confidential resource for families and staff in SRVUSD, providing information, training and advice on special needs issues and topics, and supporting relationships between families and staff.
The Special Needs Liaison is a parent of a child with special needs. The Liaison works to help children succeed by fostering collaborative and productive partnerships between the District and families of children with special needs.
Liaison services are available to families and staff at any point in the special education process, whether the need is information, guidance, support, facilitation or dispute resolution. No referral is necessary to contact the Special Needs Liaison. All communications are confidential unless you agree otherwise.
Services Provided by the Special Needs Liaison
Information, Assistance and Resources:
The Special Needs Liaison can provide information, resources and assistance regarding both special and general education, including:
- Eligibility for special education
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s)
- 504 Plans
- Accommodations / Modifications
- Student Success Teams (SST’s)
- Procedural rights & safeguards
- District and community resources for children with special needs, families and staff
Facilitation and Support:
The Special Needs Liaison can facilitate and support relationships between families of children with special needs and the District. The Liaison uses a neutral approach, focused on fostering the child’s success through partnership and collaboration between families and staff. The Liaison can:
- Have confidential discussions with families and staff
- Make site observations, home visits, or facilitate potential placement observations
- Attend IEP, 504 or SST meetings
- Attend staff meetings
- Facilitate creative solutions
Alternative Dispute Resolution:
The Special Needs Liaison can provide a level of local Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), employing:
- Confidential discussions with families and staff
- IEP participation, consultation and facilitation.
- Facilitation and informal dispute resolution, local resolution sessions
Education and Training:
The SpecialNeeds Liaison gives recurring training and educational seminars to both families and staff, including workshops on:
- SST, 504 and IEP processes
- Special Education
- Effective Collaboration
- Effective Communication
The Special Needs Liaison also hosts a series of informal brown bag lunches on varying topics regarding special needs, including:
- Accommodations in the General Education Classroom
- Early Start – Special Education for Ages 0 – 3
- State Testing & Special Needs
- Transition to Middle School for Children with Special Needs
Parent Support Network
The Special Needs Liaison facilitates and makes referrals to the District’s Parent Support Network. The Parent Support Network is a parent-to-parent network of parents of children with special needs. Volunteers undergo extensive SELPA training in supporting families of children with special needs, and empowering parents to help their children succeed through special education.