It seems like, no matter the day, I am advocating on behalf of my children for something or other.Having one son with autism and another with Asperger Syndrome, I advocate for everything from services to societal change. No matter the particular situation,I know that written communication (the Paper-Trail) is critical to successfully advocating for your child withautism orspecial needs.
It is so important to document and communicate in writing that I offer an entire training on this topic. The most common questions I receive about this topic are simple: how do I do this and why should I do this? Let’s start with why you need to start, and leave, a paper-trail when advocating for your child.
In short, your records are your proof. Should you ever find yourself in a situation that requires you to go to a supervisor, hearing or other legal proceeding, you will undoubtedly need evidence. In the world of advocacy, especially within the public education system, parents should be advised to always prepare as if you are going to a hearing. This means having clear and accurate records to support your position.
So, where do you begin and what are you documenting?
Document your child’s day. If your child attends school, then immediately put into place a daily communication log of some sort. I provide clients with a workbook that includes templates for parents to use with the educational team, and templates for children to use, as a way to discuss their day and also build self-advocacy, communication, sequencing skills and more. By doing this, you have documentation to evaluate your child’s progress or lack thereof.
Document your calls. Beyond communicating with staff to discuss your child’s progress, it is integral to keep a call log in which you’ll record all phone calls and conversations. A simple table format that lists who you called, when you called and the details of the discussion is sufficient.
Document your actions. If you meet with the teacher, mail a letter, or visit the classroom, be sure to document it in the same manner you document phone calls. Should you ever have to reference your actions, you’ll appreciate having dates, times and details readily accessible.
Document your communication. Written communication is essential to accurate record keeping. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, it’s recommended to communicate in writing. If you want to request a meeting, discuss an issue or alike, be sure to write a letter stating as much and keep a copy for your file.
Does this mean you should only communicate in writing? -No! – It is fine to have phone conversations, face to face meetings and to email, but you should always follow up each communication with a letter summarizing what took place and keep a copy for your records.
Believe it or not, there is much more that goes into leaving a paper-trail, however, if you have the above in place, you are off to a great start and have a firm foundation to advocate from.
Remember- while the educational setting is where you may most likely use your advocacy skills, a paper-trail will benefit you no matter the circumstances.
If you have an advocacy tip, idea or question, post itbelow or in the chat forum!
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