This document provides information for families with children who have special needs. It discusses the roles of Family Connection, a nonprofit organization in South Carolina that links these families to resources and support. It also discusses the roles of Beginnings SC, an organization that provides services like parent education and counseling, screening, and training. The document aims to explain the characteristics of children with special needs, clarify the roles of select support agencies in South Carolina, and provide knowledge and ideas to help participants in their work with families.

1. Crafting Collaboration
in an Un-Collaborative
World
Resources and Ideas for Families with Children with
Special Needs

2. • Mary Reaves-
Program Manager
• Cara Senterfeit-
Executive Director
• Christy Sears-
Associate Director

3. Our Part
• Explain the critical characteristics of
children with special needs!
• Clarify the roles of select agencies in SC
that work with families of children with
special needs!
• Provide knowledge/ideas applicable to
participants’ current caseload

4. Your Part
List 3 families with
whom you work
that need
additional supports

5. Each Family is Different

6. Cycle of grief

7. Each Family is Different

8. Each Family is Different

9. Family
Connec-on
is
a
statewide
nonprofit
organiza-on
that
links
families
who
have
a
child
or
family
member
with
special
healthcare
needs
or
disabili-es
with
resources,
support
and
educa-on.
!
We
provide
support
around
any
special
healthcare
need,
such
as
an
upcoming
surgery,
developmental
delays,
premature
birth,
physical
limita-ons
and
all
diagnoses
including
au-sm,
Down
syndrome,
ADHD
and
cerebral
palsy.

10. Hearing Loss
• 30 Million Word gap?
• Incidental language
• 1/5
• 3-4 per 10 kids
• 1 in 7
• Warning signs for late onset hearing loss
• Then what?

11. Role:
Our
support
for
families
includes
a
vast
family-­‐to-­‐family
network,
statewide
offices
and
a
host
of
programs
that
educate,
inspire
and
empower
families
and
their
children
to
live
rich,
fulfilling
lives
in
spite
of
many
challenges.

12. • New Diagnosis Support
• Parent to Parent Matching
• Resource Parents
• Project Breath Easy
• Support Groups
• Healthcare Connection
• BabyNet Connection
• Staff trainings with other
organizations, like Beginnings SC

13. Role:
• Parent Education and Counseling
• OAE Screening
• Training Modules
• Awareness and Advocacy
• Consultation and Technical Assistance

14. Collaboration

15. Collaboration-How to

16. Family Connection and
Beginnings Collaboration
• Referrals
• Targeted expertise

17. Your turn, again
• Evaluation, please!

18. Mary Reaves—Beginnings SC
mreaves@scbegin.org
!
Christy Sears—Family Connection
csears@familyconnectionsc.org
!
Cara Senterfeit—Beginnings SC
csenterfeit@scbegin.org