Today, adoptive parents, foster parents and service providers gathered at “Understanding Early Intervention and Special Education,” a free training event hosted by the Valley Trauma Center.
At the training, Cindy Rodas, an Education Advocate with Alliance for Children’s Rights, discussed how to identify developmental delays, who has the right to consent for special education services for child, how to advocate for individualized education plans and gave a general overview of education rights of foster youth.
Navigating the special education system can be tricky for any family, but it can be especially challenging for adopted children or children in the foster care system. The training highlighted some key tactics to navigate the system and obtain the best educational outcome for a child.
The training was hosted by Valley Trauma Center’s Adoption Promotion and Support Service program, which works in collaboration with the Department of Children and Family Services to promote stability and permanency for children who have been abused. When reunion with parents is not possible and adoption is considered the best option for child stability and safety, VTC provides services to families in need of adoption support or at risk of adoption disruption at any stage of the adoption process.