Does your child have a 1:1 aide at school? Maybe their teacher partners with an occupational therapist to help build stronger handwriting or motor skills. Or perhaps a bus with extra support gets them safely to and from school each day. These are all examples of related services — but they’re just the beginning. IDEA lists 16 types of related services — and there are a few that aren’t even on that list!
Related services can help kids make meaningful progress toward IEP goals, access the general education curriculum, and participate in school life alongside their classmates. So if you’re only thinking about speech and OT, you may be missing supports that could make a real difference for your child. Which related services is your child missing?
Types of related services
Every kid’s needs look different — and so does their menu of related services. Check out our deep dives here:
- Assistive technology (AT)
- Audiological services
- Counseling and psychological services
- Inclusion support
- Interpreting services
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- Orientation and mobility (O&M) services
- Parent counseling and training
- Physical therapy (PT)
- Recreational services
- School health and nursing services
- Speech-language pathology (SLP)
- Individualized intervention services (i.e. 1:1 aide support)
- Transportation
- Vision services
- Adapted P.E. — coming soon!
Tips
- “Accept as many services as possible at the start so you can have what’s needed when it comes up.” — Shari A, Undivided parent. 5 more tips on requesting related services.
- “A lot of parents say their child doesn’t need clinic-based services because they get services at school or vice-versa, but I encourage parents to access as many options as possible because it’s going to help. We work on similar things in a completely different way.” — Melissa Epstein, OTR/L-MA. Read more on the differences.
- They say: “We only give [X] minutes of that service a week here.” You say: “Do all your students who have this service have the same goals and needs as my child?” 5 ways to respond when denied services.
Undivided Conversations → Streaming on Facebook and YouTube
Get the IEP Related Services and Supports Your Child Needs → Saturday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. PT. What counts as a “related service” in an IEP, and how do you know if your child is getting the right support? Watch (or listen) to this conversation with Special Education Advocate Dr. Sarah Pelangka as she breaks down services like speech therapy, OT, 1:1 aides, AAC, counseling, and more.
Turn Your Child’s IEP into an Advocacy Plan: an IEP Assistant Walkthrough → Thursday, September 17, 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT
Prep for discussions with your IEP team like never before! Undivided’s IEP Assistant is debuting new features like the ability to upload assessments and private reports to get even more personalized insights on how to strengthen your child’s IEP. Join us for a FREE webinar with CEO Seth Besse, who will give you an up-close-and-personal tour of the IEP Assistant and answer questions about how it all works. PLUS — during our live event, get a promo code for one free month off a new Undivided membership! RSVP here to sign up→
The Parent Circle for Undivided members → Thursday, September 24, 12:30 p.m. PT
The Parent Circle is a monthly gathering over Zoom where parents can connect with other parents who understand this journey. Led by a licensed therapist specializing in supporting parents of children with disabilities (and a mom herself), each session offers thoughtful conversation, practical coping strategies, and plenty of room for honest, real-life discussion. This event is open to Undivided members only, so if you’re a member, RSVP here→
Office hours for Undivided members → Wednesday, September 16, 12:00 p.m. PT
If you’re the parent of a teen in California, join us for office hours with Transition Consultant Joanna Kent, who can answer questions about the transition to adulthood and public benefits programs for teens and young adults with disabilities. During office hours, you can ask your question in our members-only Zoom session and get answers right away. Sign up here to participate→
How does Undivided’s IEP Assistant review your child’s services and suggest improvements? Check out this Instagram reel→
Undivided helps families advocate for IEP services that many parents don’t even know are available. Hear how from Navigator Kelly on our YouTube channel→
This week in our private Facebook group for parents: local meetups, school refusal, caregiver recommendations, and more. Join the discussion→
Stay updated with disability and education news. Connect with Undivided on LinkedIn→
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