Virtual Conference, March 2nd – 6th, 2021, with The Federation for Children with Special Needs of Massachusetts. Visions of Community is the Federation’s annual conference for parents and professionals caring for children with special needs.
* The conference includes workshops on topics such as, IEPs and other special education issues, impact of trauma, self-care, health services and benefits, and transition planning.
* Workshops are offered in English, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
* There will also be Virtual Exhibitors sharing information about their services that support families.
ADDITIONAL Preconference Sessions on March 3rd – A unique opportunity to meet thirteen State of Massachusetts Commissioners and Directors who will answers any questions you may have.
* For this PRECONFERENCE SESSION – Please submit your questions ahead of time. to this link
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEgvCow-IQJBbWkarNEkMKdo_RM4UT5CinROxXL8tTcm-yzg/viewform
* Free to the general public.
* For questions on the pre-conference sssion, contact voc@fcsn.org or (617) 236-7210.
March 2nd – 6th regular conference speakers:
Keynote: Dr. Rosemarie Allen – Ensuring your Child is Honored, Valued, and Connected. Dr. Allen’s non-profit Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence (IREE) serves as the lead agency for ensuring equity in educational practices throughout the nation. She also serves as a contractor for the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations focusing on equity, implicit bias, and culturally responsive practices in the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children.
Youth Keynote: Sophie Scrimgeour– Sophie recently graduated from Bridgewater State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology with minors in Special Education Professional Practices and Psychology. Diagnosed at the age of 12 with Asperger’s Syndrome, she has been an avid volunteer for Special Olympics Massachusetts, a peer buddy for Best Buddies, and the President of the Best Buddies chapter at Bridgewater State from 2018-2020.
Pam Nourse – Federation Conference Welcome. Pam is the Executive Director Federation for Children with Special Needs.
For more information visit or to register visit https://fcsn.org/voc/
Scholarships are available – please email voc@fcsn.org or call (617) 236-7210
2021 Workshop Descriptions:
- Tuesday, March 2, 2021 Community Through Play: Effectively Building Connections Through Zoom
- Wednesday March 3, 2021 Embracing Play–How Parents and Professionals Can Support Language Development Through Play
- Thursday, March 4, 2021 Understanding How Universal Design for Learning Will Help Your Children Thrive
- Friday, March 5, 2021 Improving Learning for Students With Hidden Disabilities
SATURDAY MARCH 6th - Youth Self Advocacy Youth Forum – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
- Youth College Navigator Youth Forum -10:45 am – 11:45 am
- Silver Lining: Lessons for Innovative Partnerships in a Pandemic
- Beyond Basic Special Education Rights: How To Navigate a Dispute With the IEP Team
- Accessing Genetic Resources for Children with Special Needs
- Unlocking the Language in the Script: Empowering Communication through Echolalia
- Overall effectiveness of Quality Management in Behavioral Health
- Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder: ASD Diagnostic Testing
- Exploring the Intersection of Race and Disability – A Conversation About Equity and Access
- No Sibling Left Behind
- Executive Function: What Parents Need to Know
- Access to Health Care Services for Immigrants During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Barriers, Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned
- Turning 18: How Parents Legal Rights Change
- Advocating for Your Child
- Educating parents on the purpose of a bilingual assessment
- Let’s Get Organized (Hãy tổ chức sắp xếp)
- General Session Youth Forum
- Youth Keynote Session ll -General Session Youth Forum
- What is MRC and How Do I Get There? Transforming Services for Youth and Young Adults at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Transition (ages 14-22) Intermediate English
- Making Family Engagement Real: Its Importance to Public Health
- Special Ed and Stress: How to Keep Calm and Advocate On
- Healthy Relationships and Sexuality Education for Students with I/DD and Autism
- Take Time To Take Care: Self-Care for Busy Caregivers
- Balancing the Social-Emotional Needs of All the Children in the Family
- Identity Matters: Providing Effective Advocacy for LGBTQ, LEP and Other Underserved Communities
- Parent Empowerment of the College-Bound Child
- Understanding PANS/PANDAS How To Navigate This Disorder & Legislative Hurdles for Treatment Coverage
- Promoting Equity and Excellence: Rewards and Challenges of Including Students With Disabilities in Urban Classrooms
- The Use of Music Therapy in Supporting Children With Special Needs
- Your Child’s IEP: The Families Role and Rights
- Virtual Learning and Empowering Families of Students With Dis/Abilities
- Supporting Siblings of Children With Disabilities and Special Health Care
- Desatando os nos e formando laços: testemunho de duas mães
- Tips for Telehealth (Sức khoẻ Qua mạng-teleheath)
- Disability History Game – Youth Forum
- Mini Youth Sessions – Youth Forum
- Implicit Bias: A Closer Look at Special Education
- Update on Autism Insurance-What’s New With ABA, Telehealth, Behavioral and Mental Health Supports
- Using Psychosocial Data To Improve Special Education Service Delivery
- Special Needs Trusts and ABLE: Working Together To Improve Life Quality and Facilitate Independence
- Routines and Children: How Routines Support Learning, Development, Relationships
- Motivating Neurodiverse Learners To Do the No-Fun, Boring and Tough Stuff: From Remote Learning to Household Chores, Helping Kids Get Started, Persist and Finish Tasks
- Strengthening partnerships with immigrant families through language justice
- Key Special Education Law Updates
- Transition Assessment, Services and IEP Development: What, When, and How -Transition (ages 14-22)
- Building Self-Care and Resilience During the Pandemic （疫情下的自我关怀与韧力)
- “This Is My Child”: Tools and Tips To Effectively Tell the Life Story of Your Child “Este es mi hijo”: herramientas y consejos para contar de forma eficaz la historia de vida de su hijo
- Special Education -Dialogando com Familiares de Crianças Portadoras de Necessidades Especiais (desabilidades): recovery, representações e valores culturais, saúde mental e desenvolvimento infantilDialoging with Family Members of Children with Special Needs (disabilities)
- Special Education during COVID-19 ( Giáo dục đặc biệt thời COVID-19)
