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This is a two-part training from PEAL's Parent Advisor, Diane Perry. Diane has twenty years of education, advocacy, and family leadership under her belt. She is a Parent Advisor for the PEAL Center based in Philadelphia.

In this training, you will explore the families' role in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process, as well as strategies for families of children with disabilities and/or special health care needs, and their peers, communities, and schools to facilitate the development of relationships and friendships.

During the first part, families and professionals will learn the basics of their child's right to special education services, the process of developing special education plans, and the families' role in developing an IEP that is responsive to the goals written for their child. Bring your child's IEP and begin the process of translating dreams for your child's future into concrete elements that can be incorporated into an IEP.

The second part will introduce a resource from the PEAL Center, the booklet entitled: Friendships: Building a Good Life,which presents strategies for families, peers, communities, and schools to support the development of friendships for all, including children with disabilities. Friendships play an important role in everyone's life. This toolkit is based on the guiding principles that...

• Everyone has a role to play in the development of friendships
• Friendships are important to all
• Everyone benefits when we support friendship development for kids with disabilities and special health care needs

This training is sponsored by North PPODS & Friends: Parents of Children with Special Needs