When my family engagement journey began about a year and a half ago, I felt isolated. My son received Early Intervention Services since the age of 18 months, I however did not begin to get involved until he was 4. It’s not that I didn’t want to get involved, I was unsure how to! Not until I participated in C2P2EI in 2022 did those thoughts change. I found a support system of other parents that could empathize with my challenges and vice versa. I graduated from C2P2EI in 2023 and it truly has been a “ripple effect”.
Since then, I have been able to participate in the Family Learning Leadership Community (FLCC), 2023 National Autism Conference as a presenter and attendee, ECCS Family Leadership Attendee, and a recent governor appointment to the PA State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC).
I am forever grateful to have a seat at the table and feel that my voice as a parent is valued.
My experiences have positively affected my role in my child’s early childhood experience. I feel that I have the necessary resources available to ensure my child receives an educational experience that is of quality, non-discriminatory, and most importantly inclusive despite his disability.
Tia T.