Dear Friends,
For many, 2022 marked what felt like the beginning of a return to “normal.” COVID vaccines and treatment have meant that many of us got to travel, eat in restaurants, see friends, and go to in-person events.
But for those of us caring for children with disabilities, pandemic-induced challenges are still front and center.
During the last two years, children with disabilities were disproportionately affected by learning loss and intervention delays.
Special education students lost a whole lot of ground during remote learning – and have yet to make it up.
48 states reported a shortage of special education teachers this year.
For parents and caregivers, identifying and resourcing appropriate support was a dizzying maze before the pandemic. And now our children with disabilities are farther behind their peers, with fewer specialists to support them. Caregivers themselves are struggling under the weight of inflation, supply shortages, and other hard trade-offs.
Exceptional Lives is proud of what we did over the last year to support families of children with disabilities.
Here are a few highlights:
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We built a Special Education Glossary with text and short videos defining terms and acronyms from Accommodations to Vocational Programs. (Leer en español).
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Launched a new podcast, Just Needs: Parenting Children with Disabilities.
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Held a webinar series called Real Talk About Disabilities: Issues faced by families of color.
Our powerhouse speakers covered topics ranging from managing discriminating practices in diagnosis and services to building community and addressing mental health for children with disabilities.
Over the next year, we have some big goals. We plan to:
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Build and launch a new website with more intuitive navigation, more content in Spanish, and an overall improved user experience.
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Expand our work into one new state by providing location-specific tools, resources, and supports to families, providers, and school systems
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Update and expand our comprehensive guides that walk parents step-by step through topics like “What to do if you think your child might be different,” how to apply to SSI for a child with a disability, and navigating the transition to adult life for teens with disabilities.
We need your support to keep moving forward. Here’s how you can help:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Tell us your story – what you and your child have learned can help other families.
