Chapter 13: Working With Families of Learners With Special Education Needs: Moving Forward

Families of students with special education needs are not different from other families. They have hopes and dreams for their students. However, they may experience unique challenges and increased stress and may need additional support, understanding, and assistance. Families can be overwhelmed by constant appointments, disappointments, and recommendations, as they navigate complex service systems and worries about their student’s future. Moreover, when students have challenging behavior, creating, developing, and maintaining collaborative relationships is critical to ensuring consistency between school and home. To a large measure, such relationships are needed to setting goals effectively, use strategies and create consultative environments. As education professionals, it is critical to develop and maintain strong relationships with parents and involve them in all aspects of their children’s education. This chapter explores how the involvement of families of learners with special needs can be solidified in education.