What does advocacy mean to you?
Does it involve standing up for what you believe in, and for what’s right?
Does it conjure up images of fighting back against oppression and speaking truth to power?
Today, being an advocate means all of that—and more.
It means sticking up for those whose voices have been silenced. It means supporting marginalized people and groups. It’s a word that embodies the old saying about actions speaking louder than words.
But, what does advocacy mean when it comes to your child’s school experience?
At The Loop, we believe it means a lot.
That’s why we proudly offer educational consultancy and advocacy services in addition to our other therapy and educational support services. Because we know how much this service matters to the families who need it.
But what is educational consultancy and advocacy? And how will you know if it’s right for your family?
This article will explore all the facets of this vital educational support service, so you can gain a full understanding of what it means, and whether it’s something your child can benefit from receiving.
What is educational consultancy?
The Loop team is more than just therapists. Because we work within the educational system, and have extensive training, education, and experience in understanding how children learn and how best to support them in their educational journeys—we make great educational consultants.
But what does an educational consultant do, exactly? Great question!
And the answer is—it depends on the child and school in question.
That’s because educational consultancy is highly individualized. It’s designed to support the specific schools and students we work with.
In a nutshell, educational consultancy is providing targeted guidance to schools and parents on educational topics. It can be micro or macro, depending on what the specific needs include.
For example, we might provide training to a classroom teacher to assist them in understanding and implementing some classroom accommodations and modifications, designed to support students in their learning.
Or, we may work at the school level—by tackling larger systems like overhauling and streamlining screening and referral processes.
One of our favorite achievements was when we collaborated closely with a school’s staff to design and implement an executive functioning program for their middle schoolers. The goal of this program was to help middle school students learn organizational skills and be more accountable and proactive in their school lives. And it was a great success!
Because even schools need help. And we’re honored to help them tackle important educational support systems they may not otherwise be aware of or have the time to effectively address.
Our Loop team is proud to be a full partner with our schools—helping them to be the best they can be.
What is educational advocacy?
Every parent can use someone in their corner, right? That’s exactly what we provide with our educational advocacy services.
Educational advocates are vital because they make your child’s education their main mission.
It’s their role to identify and implement any accommodations or modifications necessary to provide your child with the robust, inclusive education they deserve.
A service plan created by your educational advocate will include the supports and functional skills your child needs to make progress toward their learning goals. They’ll ensure your child has all the assistance and resources needed to enjoy a positive, thriving learning experience.
The Loop has specialists from many key disciplines. In addition to our highly skilled speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, our awesome team also includes specialists in learning, disabilities, school psychology, and elementary education.
What does this mean for you?
It means we see the big picture when it comes to your child’s educational needs. And, we’ll leave no stone unturned when we stand in your corner and advocate for your child.
We’ll collaborate with you to craft an educational plan that best suits your child and their individual needs. Then, we’ll communicate with your child’s school and educators to ensure our plan gets implemented effectively, across their learning environments.
If any modifications or accommodations need to be made to support your child learning in the least restrictive environment—we’ll help the school create these and get them in place.
We’re also available to attend your child’s educational meetings—where we can advocate in real time for their unique needs and our customized plan to address them. We can also develop and implement behavioral plans.
As your child’s dedicated educational advocates, we can even submit the necessary paperwork for your child’s 504 or IEP plan to Chicago Public Schools on your behalf.
We’ll also provide referrals to any other appropriate professionals—we maintain strong relationships with an extensive network of highly-qualified, vetted professionals who we’ll happily connect you with as needed.
Is educational advocacy right for my child?
As their parent—you’re an expert on your child. You’ve known them the longest, and see aspects of their lives and personality no one else can.
If you have a child who benefits from additional educational assistance and support, you already know—it can feel exhausting and overwhelming to not only understand your child’s needs but to obtain the necessary support services to give them the extra help they need.
Thank goodness you’re not alone.
Because you don’t have to be the only person in your child’s corner, fighting for what they need to succeed.
We are here for you—to lend you a helping hand and a listening ear. We’ll stand with you to understand and advocate for your child’s individual needs.
Because we believe every child deserves the right to a quality, robust educational experience.
Just because your child has learning differences or could use some additional support doesn't mean they can’t experience the joy of learning and a full educational journey.
Our educational system has these supports in place for exactly this reason—and we’re here to ensure your family has access to any and all of them you require.
If you could use a little extra guidance, advice, and support to help you and your child navigate their school years—we’re ready to stand in your corner!
If you’d like more info and personalized support to see if our educational consultancy and advocacy services are the right choice for you—reach out! Our team is happy to answer your questions and assess if educational advocacy is a good fit for you.
At The Loop, we view advocacy like a muscle—the more you work it out, the stronger it becomes. We can help you become a stronger, more knowledgeable advocate for your child, by providing you with the information and support you need to get them what they need.
And, we’ll make sure you never have to walk alone on your journey of access and advocacy.
An educational advocate can help you establish and streamline everything your child needs to remove obstacles and pave the way for a smoother school experience. We can offer guidance on the paths available to you and help you decide which are right for you. Then, we’ll help you navigate your way forward.
We’ll also be there to support you and your child throughout the process, to see if any changes or adjustments need to be made to best serve your child.
In short—we’re on your team! We’ll make sure your child has the educational experience they deserve, and stand right beside you to cheer them on.
Interested in learning more about our educational consultancy and advocacy services? Reach out! You can connect with us via email at info@theloopsll.com, catch up with us on your fav social platform @TheLoopSLL, or submit a contact form via our website and we’ll be happy to offer you personalized support.
P.S.—The Loop is here to support you in so many ways! From our stellar speech, language, and occupational therapy services, to our learning remediation and executive function coaching—we’ve got your family’s educational needs covered!