Blogs from our ‘Handicapped children’ Category

PACER, SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN MINNESOTA

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

 

 

PACER, SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN MN

PACER is the Minnesota Parent Training and Information Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs.  It can be reached here:  http://www.pacer.org/

If you have a handicapped  / special needs child, this site may prove useful to you.  It is active in the state of Minnesota.

PACER is a good source of materials regarding the IEP process. (Individualized Education Program http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualized_Education_Program ) The IEP process is how parents, teachers, and other care givers for special needs / handicapped students commonly interact with the IDEA legislation:   Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , which is the federal law governing how states and public agencies provide for service to children with disabilities in regard to special education and other matters.

PACER recently held an informative workshop in Minneapolis, MN on the IDEA legislation.  PACER provides free publications to parents of handicapped children.  It also provides some transition-to-adult information and housing information.

Here is one of PACER’s recent e-news emails regarding events and resources in Minnesota.

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FACEBOOK SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT GUIDE TO PLANNING
BULLYING PREVENTION EVENTS

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center,
with the support of Facebook, has developed a practical new toolkit that
students can use to hold bullying prevention events in their schools and
communities. “Unite Against Bullying: A Student Event
Planning Guide” is a step-by-step guide that helps teens plan, promote,
and execute a variety of events designed to raise awareness of bullying
prevention and generate support for the cause. Learn more

NEW “SIMPLY SAID” VIDEO OFFERS EASY EXPLANATION OF ACCESSIBLE
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

A new video – featuring drawings – makes it
quick and easy to learn more about Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) and
how they can benefit children with disabilities. The video, “Accessible
Instructional Materials (AIM): Simply Said,” was recently released by the
National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials and was produced by PACER
Center. Accessible Instructional Materials provide the same information found
in textbooks or handouts in a format that students with disabilities can use
more easily. Simply Said is an ongoing video
series designed by PACER’s Simon Technology Center to explain complex topics in
easy-to-understand language.

“GUIDEPOSTS FOR SUCCESS” CAN HELP YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES
PLAN THEIR TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD

Planning the transition from youth to
adulthood can be challenging for young people, especially for those with
disabilities. A new InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and
Disability for Youth – “The Guideposts for Success: A Framework for Families
Preparing Youth for Adulthood” – examines how the Guideposts
for Success can be used as a framework from which families of youth
with disabilities, and the professionals who serve them, can consider the
support needs of their youth during the transition process. Learn more

PACER LAUNCHES REDESIGNED KIDS AGAINST BULLYING WEBSITE

Looking for a great resource to help
elementary school students learn about bullying? Check out the newly redesigned
PACER KIDS AGAINST BULLYING website. This
creative, innovative educational resource was designed by and for children to
learn about bullying prevention, engage in activities, and be inspired to take
action. It still features the popular Club Crew, a cast of 12 original animated
characters, but has a fresh new look with brighter colors, more videos, and
plenty of new ways for kids to interact. Learn more

Save the Date!

PACER ROCKS IS SATURDAY, FEB. 2

PACER Rocks the ‘80s! Dust off the spandex,
squeeze into your acid washed jeans, and join PACER Center for an evening of
80’s music, dancing, and fun with the band Brat
Pack Radio Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Fine Line Music
Cafe in downtown Minneapolis. This Friends of PACER event raises money to
support two important programs for children: the National Bullying Prevention
Center and the Simon Technology Center. More

NEW VIDEO SERIES RAISES AWARENESS OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Assistive Technology (AT) devices can be
highly effective tools to help individuals with disabilities participate fully
in school, at home, and in the community. PACER’s Simon Technology Center and
the Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) have released the new
video series “AT in Action” to raise awareness of available devices. The videos
offer real-world examples of how innovative AT is making a difference in the
lives of individuals with disabilities. The fully-captioned video series was
funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP). View the latest video 

Save the Date!

PACER’s 31st ANNUAL BENEFIT IS MAY 11

Make plans to attend PACER Center’s 31st
Annual Benefit on Saturday, May 11, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Past
performers at the Benefit have included Earth, Wind & Fire, Sheryl Crow,
Bonnie Raitt, and Jennifer Hudson. Who will it be in 2013? Stay tuned for an
upcoming announcement! For more on the Benefit, or to donate to the Silent
Auction, visit PACER.org. For information on
becoming a corporate sponsor for the event, please contact Mary Schrock at
(952) 838-9000.

PUBLICATIONS

New! “Planning for Your Child’s
Transition to Kindergarten: a Timeline”

Making the transition to kindergarten can be challenging for children with
disabilities and their families. This practical handout will help parents work
with their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team so they can
effectively plan for the child’s success in kindergarten. Free. Download item PHP-c201.pdf.

WORKSHOPS

PACER Center is offering 14 different
workshops in November beginning Nov. 1 with “Juvenile Justice and Youth with
Disabilities: What Professionals Need to Know.” PACER conducts a wide variety
of workshops for parents of children with disabilities and professionals
working with families. Topics cover areas of interest in special education,
including information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), the Individualized Education Program (IEP), early childhood, transition
planning for students age 14-21, assistive technology, and more. Learn
more

 

 

Thank you for your attention.  We hope you find this useful.

Thomas Moore

Office Manager

 

Moore Family Law, P.A.

www.MooreFamilyLawMN.com

 

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AUTISM’S IMPACT ONTHE COURTS, DIVORCE, AND FAMILY LAW

Friday, April 6th, 2012

AUTISM
AWARENESS AND DIAGNOSIS –

THE IMPACT ON
COURTS, DIVORCE, AND FAMILY LAW

 

If you have a special needs child with autism spectrum disorder, this is for you.  If you are an attorney or court officer
dealing with a handicapped child with autism, this is for you.  We think there have been several recent important developments regarding autism. First – Autism Awareness Day:

Autism Awareness Day 2012

Also, regarding the causes of autism:

New Discoveries in the Hunt for the Causes
of Autism

And, with the most impact on family law attorneys and lawyers, family courts, and parents of special needs who are undergoing a divorce:

Proposed Changes in the Definition of Autism

Regarding the impact of all this on the Courts, divorce, family law, and handicapped children, here are a few words from Jennifer Moore, family Law attorney:

“The discoveries in the causes of autism, and especially the proposed changes in the definition of autism spectrum disorder, will likely cause some confusion  for those dealing with persons with autism or other handicaps:  social service workers, doctors, teachers, parents and other caregivers, and also the courts, lawyers, and attorneys.

“Parents, educators, social service workers and sometimes lawyers have to work out an IEP or ILP for those with special needs such as autism causes.  (IEP = Individualized Education Plan)     (ILP = Individualized Living Plan – also known as Independent Living Plan, etc.).

“Parents especially have to be the ‘external brain,’ and the best advocate, for their special needs children as part of the struggle to provide these children, and adults, the best, most productive, loving and fulfilling  life they can achieve .  Attorneys, parties in family law matters, and even courts, may not understand the implications of the new developments in diagnosing and defining the autism spectrum disorder.

“Lawyers and parents of autistic children have no choice but to become informed and help educate schools, social services, and the courts.”

We hope this is useful to you.

Tom Moore

Office Manager

www.moorefamilylawMN.com

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SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW

 

I’m the father of two special needs children and the office manager in a MN family law practice. I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes
to gathering up useful links.  Here are some articles I’ve culled about handicapped / special needs children, their parenting,  the role of the
law, lawyers, and attorneys.

Frank talk from the parent of a special needs child:

By the way, Huffington Post has a good section called Huffpost Parents  , which has run insightful articles on divorce.

Special needs children and the alternatives available for their treatment under the law  These sorts of decisions become especially important at the critical and –usually – heart rending times when your child needs to be placed in a hpspital, assisted living facility,or other more restrictive environment.

Touette Syndrom Association (TSA) Minnesota   - a scrappy parent run and effective group for those with Tourette Syndrome.  Fair Warning – my son has Tourette’s and was in the TSA for years; both my former wife and myself were active in the Tourette Syndrome Association and now my daughter and son and their mom are getting involvedi n it again.  It’s been a great group where you can commune with others in the same boat not to mention draw courage inspiration and ideas from others.

Here’s a discussion of Tourette Syndrome:

My own take on this.  I hope this helps.  Someone once told me that having a special needs child was like having a child who dies not once but over and over – as when you discover they are handicapped.  When you learn the handicap is serious indeed. When you learn she is going to die young, never learn to read, live the rest of their life under the care of strangers, be so alone – you fear- so all alone when you and his other caretakers die. When you see that she really does not grasp the world in its consistency and wonder, when you have that insight as to how the world appears, sounds, acts to her.  When you lose one dream, then another—the dreams every parent has for their child – You’ll not be able to care for her.  Professionals are required. He’ll never join the Army and be a hero.  She’ll never get out
of that wheelchair.  He will not get a driver’s license.  The sickening realization that yes the government, Wall Street,  and most public
institutions are irremediably corrupt and  actively maliciously and for profit destroying what little safety net he has.    I know for me experiencing events similar to these marked some of the worst days – and nights—of my life.

Love your child handicapped or no:

Thomas Moore

Office Manager

www.MooreFamilyLawMN.com

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Posted in Blog, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Handicapped children, love, MN attorney, MN Lawyer, Special Needs Children | No Comments »

Divorce Laws and Special Needs Children

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

DIVORCE LAWS AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

 

 TO PARENTS CONSIDERING DIVORCE; AND WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

Our family law firm is finding an increasing number of special needs children involved in divorce, custody, alimony, and child support litigation in our practice.  We welcome them with open arms.  

These developments in family law pose questions for family law courts and for family law attorneys.  For instance, what if one party in the divorce does not believe the child to be handicapped and another party does?  What if the attorney you choose has no experience and no informed opinions about your special needs child?  What if the special needs child was convicted of a petty misdemeanor?  These may seem petty questions indeed at first blush, but the situations from which they arise; and the consequences, can be serious indeed.  

YOUR FAMILY LAW LAWER AND YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD

If you child is special needs, you want your attorney to be sensitive to the extra stress he might feel from the divorce – something he may not be capable of understanding intellectually but which he may be very expressive emotionally.   You do not want an attorney who downplays the skills to deal with your child:  an attorney for example who may see no difference at all between your child and others; or a lawyer who thinks that for a successful case; some friendly chat with a colleague or neighbor has a special needs child will suffice for training.  No.  You want the  family lawyer you choose to understand, know about, and have strategies for  dealing with what you have to deal with.  For instance, suitable friends and schools, Special Olympics, assisted living, hospitalization, what the special needs child’s rights are under IDEA and other laws relating to the rights of handicapped persons. Possible or actual encounters with law enforcement no matter how minor. And, of course, the endless round of medications, their effects, their side effects, their dosages, what it’s like dealing with the doctor who administers them; the fact their effect changes due to stress, growing up and just plain body chemistry.  I’d say, deeply before you invest in a family law attorney and even deeper before you choose, if you have a special needs child.

  Thomas G. Moore

www.moorefamilylawmn.com

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HOW DO CHILDREN FARE IN A DIVORCE

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

 

Children.  Divorce.  Some Data and My Own Experience 

This post is based on an article by Robert Hughes, Jr. in the Huffington Post. 

 INFORMATION REGARDING CHILDREN AND DIVORCE

Mr. Hughes’ basic conclusion is that children suffered most in divorced families where there was rigidity and failure to adapt to the children’s needs and other changing circumstances.  Children suffered less – but they still suffered – in divorced families where there was flexibility in visitations, regarding changing circumstances, and in view of the evolving needs of the children as they grew up. 

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND DIVORCE

Good article.  I have been divorced once and that was plenty, believe me!  One of the worst days of my life was watching my soon-to-be former wife take our two children from me inTexasto her family inMinnesota.  This is even though we had sensibly agreed to stay partners in raising our two young children, not to badmouth one another, not us use the children as bargaining chips, to be flexible in terms of custody, alimony, and visitation – child support being set by statute in MN.   

 The impact on the children was severe.  I don’t think it could have been worse if our children were not special needs.  It took something like ten years for my daughter to accept me back into her trust.  For my son, it took six years at least.  Divorce has very long term consequences.  Both of them have a strong streak of independence and a sense of their own worth as human beings, divorce or no divorce.  Both are now grown and feel free remind me upon occasion that “Dad, this isn’t the old days like when you were growing up.  I’m not you, you know!”  Blunt as they are about things like this, I’m proud of them for that. They are developing, full, persons.

 A lot of this came out through therapy, love, and their confronting me with what I had done wrong.  If this happens to you, stop, listen, and learn from your children.  They need you to do that.

 Thomas Moore

Office Manager

 MooreFamily Law, P.A.

www.moorefamilylawMN.com

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Child Custody and Special Needs Children

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

Child custody in divorce cases can be a difficult issue. Even in the best of circumstances it takes patience and energy to decide who will have custody and to what extent they will have that custody. In divorce cases involving special needs children the custody agreements are of even greater importance and require even more patience and understanding.

In custody cases impacting special needs children it is important that attorneys, parents and all other concerned parties clearly understand the child’s needs, condition and disabilities. Prior to discussion of possible custody arrangements all parties should speak with the child(ren) involved. Parents should be interviewed both individually and together. Doctors and health care professionals need to consulted, and specialized educators need to have input as well.

When making decisions about which parent would be best to maintain custody of a special needs child numerous factors must be weighed in order to arrive at the best possible arrangement for the child. It is important to consider the level of communication between the parents, availability of child care resources, medical resources, and the child’s ability or limitations in adjusting to changes in residence, school, community and religion.

In addition to all these factors, time must be a major consideration. Parenting a child with special needs is emotionally demanding and time consuming. Single parents and their legal representatives will need to weigh all of these issues before determining custody.

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HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW IN MN

Friday, October 7th, 2011

 

HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW IN MN

My Personal Take as a Family Law Firm Employee

I’m no expert except through personal experience and what I know from what our office attorney tells me.

 But I do have two adult children,living nearby here in MN, who shall remain nameless, who have not only been EXASPERATING!  At times — through no fault of their own — but who have also taught me so very much about me, them, and yes the nature of the universe.  I’ll try to keep a bit more focused on family law and special needs though.  I tend to be obsessive compulsive myself, not to mention ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder), so here goes…..

 Parents, Family Law, and Special Needs Children

One thing that concerns me recently is that sometimes, during a divorce and its attendant issues of child custody, alimony and child support – during this stressful time one parent may take the position that “there is nothing wrong with my son!”  “I’m not putting my daughter on drugs” etc.  Sometimes a parent, even though with the best intentions, will refuse to allow their child to be tested for any handicap.  This can hurt the child since there are many times when properly identifying a child’s special needs is a step towards making the adaptations at home, school, socially, on trips, etc. – adaptations that can help the child mature, find work-arounds for their condition, and to reduce stress levels for all concerned. 

 Child Custody and Handicapped Children

The above can be especially troublesome if legal custody is split between the parents.  It can make difficult or impossible the obtaining of signatures need for IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) and ISP (Individualized Service Plan) paperwork signed and the plans for the children drawn up by his or her caregivers and used in the child’s best interest. 

 What You Can Do For Your Special Needs Child

You can enjoy them. 

You can move to a state with better services for them.  Minnesota is better than many, for instance.

You can avoid totally sacrificing yourself for their sake. 

You can be their best, strongest and most consistent advocate in all important matters. 

You can make sure you have some “Me” time for yourself.

 In your divorce or other crises, you can bargain away things less important for things more important. 

You can do your best to make sure that the agreements you make — your divorce, child custody, child support, last will and testament, and so on; reflect your child’s needs, your needs, and those others whom you also love.

 Thomas Moore

Office Manager

www.moorefamilylawMN.com

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