by Joann Conrad

Created on: January 04, 2009

How do you guarantee services for your child? Well if you are aware of the autism spectrum and the complications in obtaining services you know the key to obtaining services is being prepared.

You know your student. If you need an emergency placement they are out there and you need to call an autism hot line! If you are needing residential services you may not need to use the school / residential setting your district suggests. You are entitled to the services that meet your students needs. If you start out at the site the IEP team recommends and you have taken and asked for appropriate documentation of progress on all IEP goals you will know if your students needs are not being met. Your IEP data can be your best friend in making sure your child's needs are being met.

If you are not at all happy with the setting here are some things to keep in mind. These ideas are for the general ed. class or any setting your student is in. If your student is not seen by a speech professional and he is being labelled by the professionals as having characteristics in common with those on the autism spectrum he is not getting the best services. You can demand this be put in place. Your student even those that fall under the Ausperger's label and usually have higher level communication abilities still need a visual back up plan for when the worse case scenario situation occurs.

Many times the speech materials are being made and not used. Many times the parent can cut through red tape just by showing up and observing what is occurring and what is not and ask for as many meetings as it takes for implementations to occur. Parents often come in knowing more about educating their student then any teacher and many times can show the teacher what type of picture schedule or math tools work best! I hold a masters in special education and learned more about Autism communciation tools and teaching math from one parent in ten minutes then I did from a "master teacher supervisor" in a year!

Don't expect the schools to do what they will say they will. Sometimes wires get crossed! Do not wait for IEP meetings to find out if goals are being met. When choosing a residential placement make multiple visits at various times meet all the staff in various settings, eat the food...be at the residences during changes from school to home see how arrival and departures are handled unannounced. Staying on top of the situations will help you be organized because you will know what support

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