Training and Workshops

Raising Special Kids provides workshops and trainings for professionals, support groups and for families of children with disabilities and special health needs.

All of workshops may be presented at your site or at our office. We can also individually tailor some of our workshops to meet your specific needs.

* Workshop appropriate for families (F) , professionals (P) and/or available in Spanish (S)

Special Education Workshops

Individual Education Plans (IEP) – Understanding the basics of the IEP process and how to be an effective member of the IEP team. F P S

Advanced IEP – Participants will receive an in-depth view of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which governs the IEP and strategies to help maximize the potential of each student. F P S

IEP Partner – Understand the IEP Partner process and develop competence to assist other parents with their child’s IEP. F P
Section 504 Plans – Learn about the rules and regulations of a 504 plan and practical uses of accommodations. F P S
Understanding Evaluations – Learn how to interpret the results of your child’s evaluation and how to use that information to get your child appropriate services. F P S
Transition from Early Intervention to Preschool – Learn how to transition your child from early intervention services provided by AzEIP, to public preschool services provided by the school district. F P S

Transition from Preschool into Kindergarten – Transition tips, understanding inclusion options, general information on the qualification differences from pre-k to kindergarten. F P S
High School Transition – A blend of self-advocacy and strength-based team planning, this workshop is a springboard for preparing and planning for transition from high school. F P
Parent Rights – Learn about rights and responsibilities of parents with a student in special education. F P S
Parents as Advocates – Identifying and utilizing parent leadership. FPS
Inclusion – Understand inclusion, the pros and cons and how it affects teaching. F P S
Self Advocacy – Learn about self-determination and Student-led IEP’s through role-playing and video clips. F P
Extended School Year – What is it? How does your child qualify? F P S

Family Support Workshops

Introduction to Raising Special Kids – Learn about our strong commitment to serve families and professionals with information and training to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and special health needs. F P S

Can You Hear Me Now? – Advocacy techniques for families. What to ask and how to ask for it. F S

Positive Behavior Support – Approaches and procedures that help families and caregivers pursue realistic behavioral expectations. F P S

How to Collaborate with Professionals – Learn tools for clear and effective communication with service providers. F S

Resilient Families – Learn ways to help your families “bounce back” and thrive in the face of challenges. F P

Parent Volunteer Training – Join us for a dynamic introduction on volunteering for Raising Special Kids. F S

Health Care Systems Workshop

Health Care Systems Overview – An overview of the state’s agencies that fund and provide services fro Arizona’s children wit disabilities and special health needs and how to access them. F P S

For Professionals

Physician Residency -

Physicians in pediatrics and family practice residency training, in nine separate programs across the valley, complete a one-hour orientation at Raising Special Kids which covers:

The importance of “Family-Centered Care” and how it improves clinical success
The impact on the family when making a diagnosis and relaying sensitive information
A “frame of reference” when working with a family of a child with special needs
How to establish Parent/Professional collaboration in decision-making
How to refer families to Raising Special Kids and other community resources
Cultural Awareness on issues relating to disability and diagnosis
The importance of using “People First Language”, with the emphasis on the person rather than the disability
Research demonstrating the effectiveness of Parent-to-Parent Support in meeting the needs of families

Residents also complete a two-hour Home Visit with our Family Faculty, trained volunteer parents who are raising a child with special needs. The visit promotes:

Improved communication between physicians and families
Interaction with both family and child outside of the clinical setting or without a medical crisis
A broader perspective on disability as parents share their story

More than 70 volunteer families from Raising Special Kids are trained as Family Faculty to host physicians. Clinical Experience Agreements are in place with the following programs:

Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Maricopa Medical Center
Good Samaritan Hospital
St. Joseph’s Pediatrics
St. Joseph’s Family Practice
Phoenix Baptist Hospital
John C. Lincoln Hospital
Scottsdale Healthcare
Midwestern University (medical students)

Student Nursing –

A four-hour workshop that presents the family perspective on caring for a child with a disability or special health needs. Topics include: family centered care, the parent-professional partnership, medical home, cultural competence, breaking the diagnosis, and other aspects of communicating with families. In addition to the information presented by Raising Special Kids, parents of children with disabilities and special health needs will share their insights and personal stories about dealing with medical professionals.

Pre Service Teachers –
Designed for college students in both regular and special education, emphasizing Individual Education Plans (IEP) and Section 504 Plans, as well as inclusion and parent/professional collaboration.

Parent Panels -
Parents of children with disabilities and/or special health needs are provided for open discussion panels to answer questions regarding their experience in raising their child, including how they navigated the school and health care systems.

Professional/Parent Collaboration –
Training for education, medical and social workers on understanding the family perspective and how to build an effective partnership with them.

For more information, contact Raising Special Kids at (602) 242-4366, or (800) 237-3007.

Raising Special Kids is a 501 © (3) nonprofit organization. All programs and services are offered at no charge to families. For more information, call (602) 242-4366, or (800) 237-3007 toll free.