Does your child participate in a counseling or social skills group at school? Maybe they have a speech therapist they work with once a week? Or perhaps they have a 1:1 aide in the classroom? These are called related services in an IEP — services and specialized supports that a child needs to meet their educational goals — and can range from transportation services to therapies to nursing services and more!
This week, we’re breaking down related services: what they are, how they can help your child access and benefit from their education, and how you can request them in an IEP.
- There are lots of related services listed under IDEA, but the ones that will support your child’s education and help them thrive in the classroom will be personalized for them. Read our article What Are Related Services in an IEP? to get an overview of what’s available.
- Private therapy clinics focus on living skills and activities versus solely school-based skills. Assessments, eligibility, focus, cost, delivery — we break down all you need to know in IEP Related Services: The Difference Between School-Based and Clinic-Based Services.
- If you’re wondering what services you can ask for in an IEP and how to ask for them, check out our article 5 Tips to Help Parents Request Services in an IEP. Special education advocate Dr. Sarah Pelangka explains how to get the related services and supports your child needs, including visual aids, progress reports, inclusion specialists, and more.
- To dive deeper into some of the specific services that can be written into IEPs to help our kids access their education, check out our articles on assistive technology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, 1:1 aides and paraeducators, nursing services, and transition services.
Which IEP related services support your child’s education?
Event Recap: Getting Ready for Summer with Regional Center
On May 4th, we sat down with Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck for a Facebook Live event about accessing Regional Center summer services like respite and 1:1 aides for summer camps. In case you missed it or you’re ready for another watch to take notes, see the full recording here or check out the highlights in our article Frequently Asked Questions about Regional Center Summer Services.
Undivided Office Hours
Our next Office Hours speaker is Undivided Director of Health Plan Advocacy, Leslie Lobel! On Wednesday, May 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST, Leslie will be available to answer all of your questions about insurance, including pre-authorizations, explanation of benefits, out-of-network claims, optimizing in-network coverage, and more. Stop by for five minutes or the whole hour! Bi-weekly Office Hours are virtual Q&A sessions with experts that are open to Undivided members only, so if you’d like to attend, sign up here to begin your free Kickstart!
- If you’re requesting a 1:1 aide in your child’s IEP as a related service, be sure to follow these tips from Undivided Education Advocate Lisa Carey. Watch on YouTube→
- If the school is denying services that your child needs, you may end up having to go to due process. The parents in our private Facebook group can help you with referrals for an attorney. Join the discussion→
- Another helpful tip from Education Advocate Lisa Carey: if something in an IEP or assessment seems off to you, trust your gut! Watch the reel on Instagram→
- Undivided is looking for more part-time Navigators to support our families. We’d love to have you join our team! Learn more on LinkedIn→
This newsletter was originally sent to our subscribers on 5/11/23. Subscribe to our newsletter to get more resources like this in your inbox, or check out our full library of articles, templates, and videos at undivided.io/resources.
