In order for parents of students with disabilities to be meaningfully involved as a member of their child’s academic and medical care, they first need to feel welcomed, informed, and valued. When professionals deliberately and proactively utilize culturally-responsive strategies to provide information, resources, and support to families who are from diverse cultures or speak another language, they create opportunities for meaningful family engagement. Ultimately, this yields better outcomes for children with disabilities. The presenters will draw on the latest research and their own experiences working with diverse clients to educate the audience on this important topic. The workshop will provide professionals with practical tips and information that they can utilize to foster better and more comprehensive relationships with culturally diverse families.
Training Format/Duration: Classroom/1-3 hours
This workshop is designed to help you:
- Know what it means to be culturally responsive in a variety of settings (clinical, educational, etc.).
- Identify barriers that culturally diverse parents face when attempting to assist their child in the medical and academic contexts.
- Recognize strategies to better engage with and incorporate culturally diverse families into a student/patient’s care.
- Foster more meaningful and culturally-sensitive communication between professionals and families of children with disabilities.
Target Populations:
- Educators
- Paraprofessionals
- Support and other school staff
- Law professionals
- Family members
- General community members
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Counselors