If you have a child with special needs, you know how difficult it can be to find the services and programs designed to help you meet those needs.

Understanding and negotiating the maze of special classes, special schools, funding sources, and available educational, social, psychological and medical services can be overwhelming. Too often, the very systems that are designed to deliver these services are unresponsive and unable to provide the attention that each child requires and that is his or her right under law.

The JF&CS Child Advocacy Program is designed to help children and their families obtain the most appropriate services to which they are entitled.

• Secure a free, appropriate public education for your child
• Ensure that the school is compliant with respect to the provision of special education laws.
• Work cooperatively with the school on behalf of the child.
• Educate parents on their rights with respect to special education.
• Enable parents to become equal members of the district Child Study Team that makes educational decisions regarding their child.
• Help district Child Study Teams work cooperatively with parents to develop appropriate educational plans for a child with a disability.

Why Do We Have a Child Advocacy Program?

• As public and school-based programs are shrinking and becoming less accessible, parents often need more help and support in developing individual educational plans and services for their children.
• There are few specialists who can assist children and families in this area.
• Undetected learning problems and poorly conceived remedies can adversely impact upon a child throughout the life cycle.
• Children whose special educational, social and psychological needs are attended to will usually become better adjusted, more manageable and able to develop more consistent and age appropriate relationships within the family and the community.

What Does Child Advocacy Include?

• Consultation with parents who are concerned about their child's learning problems or other special needs, or with the level and/or quality of service they and their child are receiving.
• Psychological, neurological and educational testing and evaluation, if not previously done.
• Review of evaluations (current and/or previous), their implications and development of an proposed action plan.
• Meeting with parents and school personnel to discuss implementation of the plan as well as clarification of parties' rights and responsibilities.
• Follow-up with family and/or service providers to ensure appropriate disposition.

Fees and Appointments

Fees for the Child Advocacy Program are determined at the initial consultation.

Appointments are available during the day and the evening at our Wayne and Fair Lawn offices.

The JF&CS Child Advocacy Program reflects our mission of preserving and strengthening family life and our tradition of caring and helping individuals and families in all stages to lead more fulfilled and productive lives.

We urge you to call for more information to learn about this very special and important service.

For further information, or to make an appointment, please call us at
(973)595-011 (Wayne) or (201) 796-5151 (Fair Lawn) or email at info@jfcsnj.org.