Join us for an hour to learn about an amazing opportunity for families. Lifespan Respite is offering FREE Family Camp Respite Retreats. For individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability and their families.
P2P@wapave.org
The primary goal of this peer-led group is to offer connection, mentoring, education, sharing of resources, exchanging experiences, and to promote a sense of unity among parents, individuals, and families living with medical complexities. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences.
This group supports:
Trainings: The trainings are designed to be interactive and engaging. Participants have opportunities to ask questions, participate in discussions, and share their own experiences.
Open Discussions: During meetings, families engage in open and honest discussions about various aspects of parenting children with medical complexities. Topics might include navigating the healthcare system, accessing educational resources, managing daily routines, promoting social interactions, and self-care for the whole family.
Shared Experiences: Parents share their personal experiences, challenges, and strategies they have found effective.
Are you a teenager living with type 1 diabetes (T1D)? Join our free monthly Zoom sessions for teens in Washington and across the U.S. who have T1D. Youth ages 12-19 will be able to talk with a young adult about the challenges and realities of living with T1D.
We want to help teens feel more confident about growing up with T1D. We hope your teen can join us!
This meeting starts:
7 pm Pacific Standard Time
8 pm Mountain Time
10 PM Eastern Standard Time
DOH 141-104 November 2024
To request this document in another format, call 1-800-525-0127. Deaf or hard of hearing customers, please call
711 (Washington Relay) or email doh.information@doh.wa.gov.
Please email us at
CYSHCN@doh.wa.gov for
questions or support.
When You Attend a STOMP Workshop You Learn …
Empower yourself with knowledge of educational rights, support services, and access to TRICARE, ECHO, and ABA programs.
Connect with local resources and a supportive community network to share ideas and solutions with other parents and professionals.
9:00 am – 11:00 am KST
January 8: Accommodations Across the Lifespan: Section 504 Plans
January 15: Student-Led IEPs: Developing and Supporting Self-Advocacy
January 16: Demystifying Key Components of an IEP
January 29: Decoding the Data: Building Blocks to the IEP, BIP, and Assistive Technology Evaluation data
If attending stateside:
Time: 4-6 pm PT/ 7-9 pm ET
January 7: Accommodations Across the Lifespan: Section 504 Plans
January 14: Student-Led IEPs: Developing and Supporting Self-Advocacy
January 15: Demystifying Key Components of an IEP
January 28: Decoding the Data: Building Blocks to the IEP, BIP, and Assistive Technology Evaluation data
Stomp@wapave.org
When You Attend a STOMP Workshop You Learn … Register today to join!
Empower yourself with knowledge of educational rights, support services, and access to TRICARE, ECHO, and ABA programs.
Connect with local resources and a supportive community network to share ideas and solutions with other parents and professionals.
9:00 am – 11:00 am KST
January 8: Accommodations Across the Lifespan: Section 504 Plans
January 15: Student-Led IEPs: Developing and Supporting Self-Advocacy
January 16: Demystifying Key Components of an IEP
January 29: Decoding the Data: Building Blocks to the IEP, BIP, and Assistive Technology Evaluation data
If attending stateside:
Time: 4-6 pm PT/ 7-9 pm ET
January 7: Accommodations Across the Lifespan: Section 504 Plans
January 14: Student-Led IEPs: Developing and Supporting Self-Advocacy
January 15: Demystifying Key Components of an IEP
January 28: Decoding the Data: Building Blocks to the IEP, BIP, and Assistive Technology Evaluation data
Join teens who are 13 – 17 years of age with disabilities to connect online to share, chat, listen, brainstorm, and shape your future!
Check it out, join monthly, or when you can.
When Do We Meet?
Day: 4th Wednesday of each month
Time: 4-5pm PT
Location: Zoom
What to expect….
Fun: Meetings will use technology, visuals, and games to keep things fun and engaging with simple language and various ways to communicate. You do not need to be tech savvy. We got you.
Guest Speakers: Self-advocates with real-life experience will share their stories and wisdom.
Topics: Bullying, friendships, safety, community advocacy, college, working, volunteering, housing, and more.
Engagement: It’s up to you! Each meeting will be facilitated to assure all have a chance to join in, ask questions, share their experience, or listen, stay quiet.
P2P@wapave.org
You must register to receive the meeting information! Register today!
Special Education Trainings 2024-2025
These trainings are supported in partnership with ESD 114
Join our virtual training sessions to learn about key aspects of the special education process. Gain valuable insights, ask questions, and connect with experts to better support students with disabilities.
Dates and Topics:
Date: September 25th, 2024
Time: 4pm – 5:30pm
Topic: Understanding the Special Education Process
Description: This training will bring understanding to the Special Education Process and how it works to ensure students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education. It will also clarify the rights and responsibilities under IDEA. Participants will become knowledgeable in navigating the Special Education process from eligibility, evaluation and the development of IEPs and their implementation. After the training, an IEP Clinic is available to participants to share their questions and concerns regarding their students, Evaluations, IEPs, or meetings.
Date: January 29th, 2025
Time: 4pm – 5:30pm
Topic: Washington State Governors Office of the Education Ombuds overview
Description: Overview of the OEO’s work and how the office supports families, communities, and schools addressing the concerns that impact all students’ education. There will be an IEP clinic to address individual questions and concerns.
Date: April 9th, 2025
Time: 4pm – 5:30pm
Topic: School To Adulthood: Planning The Path
Description: This training will provide information to parents, guardians and professionals who are assisting student with disabilities in planning a path for their future. It’s never too soon to begin planning to ensure a smooth process from School to adulthood.
Date: May 7th, 2025
Time: 4pm – 5:30pm
Topic: Assistive Technology (AT): Does my student qualify for Assistive Technology
Description: This training will cover the : What, When, How, Who, and Where of Assistive Technology for students on 504 and IEP’s.
You must register to receive the meeting information! Register today!
pti@wapave.org
Join teens who are 13 – 17 years of age with disabilities to connect online to share, chat, listen, brainstorm, and shape your future!
Check it out, join monthly, or when you can.
When Do We Meet?
Day: 4th Wednesday of each month
Time: 4-5pm PT
Location: Zoom
What to expect….
Fun: Meetings will use technology, visuals, and games to keep things fun and engaging with simple language and various ways to communicate. You do not need to be tech savvy. We got you.
Guest Speakers: Self-advocates with real-life experience will share their stories and wisdom.
Topics: Bullying, friendships, safety, community advocacy, college, working, volunteering, housing, and more.
Engagement: It’s up to you! Each meeting will be facilitated to assure all have a chance to join in, ask questions, share their experience, or listen, stay quiet.
P2P@wapave.org
Join other young adults 18 – 26 years of age with disabilities and connect online or in-person in Tacoma. Share, discuss, listen, brainstorm, and shape your future! Check it out, join monthly, or when you can.
When Do We Meet?
Day: 3rd Wednesday of each month
Time: 4-5pm PT
Location: Hybrid
Virtual: Zoom
In-Person:
PAVE Office
6316 S. 12th St.
Tacoma WA 98466
What to Expect…
Fun: Meetings will use technology, visuals, and games to keep things fun and engaging with simple language and various ways to communicate. You do not need to be tech savvy. We got you.
Guest Speakers: Self-advocates with real-life experience will share their stories and wisdom.
Topics: Bullying, friendships, safety, community advocacy, college, working, volunteering, housing, and more.
Engagement: It’s up to you! Each meeting will be facilitated to assure all have a chance to join in, ask questions, share their experience, or listen, stay quiet.
P2P@wapave.org
The South Sound Autism Partnership is a gathering of individuals, families, providers, and organizations who are part of the Autism community within the South Puget Sound area of Washington State. Our primary purpose is to increase awareness, acceptance, and advocacy of Autism in order to provide support for our community and impact change.
This meeting supports:
Inclusive and Welcoming Environment: The support group is a safe space where all, regardless of background or experiences, are welcomed and embraced.
Information Sharing: Valuable information about autism, including the latest research, therapeutic interventions, educational strategies, and community resources, is shared within the group.
Guest Speakers and Workshops: The group might invite guest speakers, such as autism experts, therapists, educators, and medical professionals, to provide insights and guidance on various topics related to autism and parenting.
The holidays are a fun and festive time that can also be overwhelming, especially for those whose brains operate differently from what is typical or expected. This difference is called neurodivergence and it encompasses a variety of brain-based disabilities.
People often see travel, new food, music, and new social situations as some of the joys of holidays, but those who are neurodivergent can find these experiences overwhelming. This doesn’t mean they dislike the holidays; it just requires some preparation to make the season inclusive and enjoyable for your neurodivergent loved one.
To achieve an inclusive experience, your loved one should feel comfortable explaining their accessibility needs and asking for support when necessary, confident that those around them will respond with understanding and accommodate their needs. Overall, special attention should be focused on providing a sense of agency, which means giving individuals control over their own choices and actions. This includes planning for neurodivergent needs ahead of time rather than improvising and hoping for the best.
Traveling during the holidays can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals due to changes in routine, unfamiliar environments, and sensory overload. To support your loved one, consider planning travel itineraries that include ample downtime, familiar items for comfort, and clear, detailed schedules to reduce anxiety. Additionally, choosing quieter travel times and less crowded destinations can help create a more manageable experience. Learn more about Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling in this article.
Sensory sensitivities are common among neurodivergent individuals, making it essential to create a holiday environment that minimizes sensory overload. This can include using soft lighting, reducing loud noises, and providing sensory-friendly activities. Offering options like noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, or fidget toys can also help your loved one feel more at ease during holiday gatherings. Some neurodivergent individuals may find certain textures or physical contact uncomfortable or overwhelming. Preparing scripts, promoting awareness, and supporting touch boundaries can help your loved on engage to the best of their ability and personal comfort. For tips to support sensory needs, read Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays: Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones and download hands-on tools in Giving the Gift of Sensory Regulation, Supporting a Happy Holiday Season for All.
Social interactions can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals, especially during large holiday gatherings. Creating comfortable social spaces involves setting up quiet areas where your loved one can retreat if they need a break from the festivities. It’s also helpful to establish clear social expectations and provide opportunities for smaller, more intimate interactions. Encouraging open communication needs and boundaries can ensure everyone enjoys the holiday season. To explore more strategies for supporting your neurodivergent loved one’s social challenges, check out the article: Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays: Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays.
Navigating the holidays can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals when an expected routine does not happen, often referred to as a “routine violation.” Some neurodivergent individuals enjoy doing the same things daily so they feel less distressed by the unexpected aspects of life and better able to cope. For example, eating the same food for breakfast, following the same morning routine, or going on the same walk may help them maintain a sense of stability and predictability. The holidays are full of routine violations, including both fun aspects (like getting presents, which can however cause difficulties around knowing an appropriate response) and more challenging ones (such as unexpected food and not being able to do the things that help you cope).
Planning for routine violations can help, as you can make adaptations that support the individual’s needs. It’s critical to have conversations about what aspects of the routine are the most essential and identify methods to support these aspects with the individual’s feedback. For example, allowing someone to bring fruit bars for their breakfast might be a very easy way to support their daily breakfast routine. Knowing ahead of time that a loved one has a personal routine at a set time every day allows for adaptations in planning, such as driving in separate vehicles or arranging for someone they trust to transport them. Adaptations can support routines, often with little to no impact on others’ holiday experience.
Maintaining holiday traditions that offer familiarity and comfort is also important. Certain traditions, such as White elephant gift exchanges or board games, may be beloved components of every holiday. Much anticipated activities and annual traditions can also positively support routine needs, despite them happening less frequently than daily routines.
Sometimes, even with everything going as planned, things can still go wrong. In such cases, a neurodivergent crisis can appear as an individual shutting down or melting down. While a shutdown may be a less disruptive internal experience requiring a quiet space to withdraw to and recover, it is still a crisis. In contrast, a meltdown presents a more challenging situation that may be more obvious and impact others. Having a clear crisis plan ensures everyone knows what to do to support your loved one, where the person can go, and how to keep them safe while avoiding embarrassment or guilt during the holidays. Being prepared can make all the difference in managing these difficult moments effectively and fostering acceptance.
While the holidays can be a joyous time filled with celebrations and new experiences, they can also be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals. By understanding and accommodating their unique needs through proactive planning, clear communication, and providing a sense of agency, we can create an inclusive and enjoyable holiday season for everyone. This involves thoughtful travel arrangements, sensory-friendly environments, manageable social interactions, routine adaptations, and crisis planning, ensuring that the holidays are a time of comfort and joy for all. Empowering neurodivergent loved ones to manage their needs effectively fosters a sense of belonging and acceptance within the family. By fostering an environment of understanding and support, we can help our neurodivergent loved ones fully participate in the festive spirit of the season, creating a better and more inclusive experience for everyone.
Below is an infographic of the information above.
Download this infographic in PDF form
This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members. Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling provides tips and strategies to support neurodivergent individuals during travel to minimize stress. Learn Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones to ensure they can enjoy the festivities and participate in making memories. Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays provides strategies for managing stress and overstimulation in social situations.
A Brief Overview
Full Article
Navigating social interactions can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals, especially during the holiday season when gatherings are frequent and often overwhelming. While some neurodivergent people enjoy socializing, they may prefer calm and predictable environments where they can engage in structured activities. Understanding their unique needs and preferences is crucial for creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that allows them to participate comfortably and meaningfully.
Comfort in calm familiarity
Neurodivergent people who enjoy socializing may prefer calm, predictable gatherings. They might like sitting with a friend to play video games, quietly working on a puzzle together, or playing board games. When faced with a loud, busy family gathering, neurodivergent individuals may withdraw or seek out one person they enjoy chatting with—someone who genuinely respects and understands their accommodation needs, and with whom they can happily spend time discussing a single subject. This person feels safe to them. However, it’s important to recognize that their safe person might need a break too, so having multiple people that they feel safe with can be beneficial.
Incorporating structured activities
For neurodivergent individuals, having structured social activities like board games or group video games can provide a comfortable way to engage with others. Social rules and nuances can often be confusing, making unstructured mingling feel overwhelming and unmanageable. Structured activities offer a more supportive environment for social interaction with the rules clearly identified and a shared experience to drive conversation. Baking together, wrapping presents, and completing holiday crafts are all shared experiences that have clear instructions and goals. These activities not only make socializing more manageable but also add a festive and inclusive touch to holiday gatherings.
Overstimulation with unfamiliar relatives
Even family gatherings can feel strange and stressful. Talking to relatives they don’t see often can be tough for your loved one as they work out how to talk and act around people that feel unfamiliar, even if they are family. This can be overwhelming since they have to understand and respond to different social cues and expectations that might not be easy or comfortable for them.
To help ease this stress, consider preparing your loved one in advance by discussing who will be at the gathering and what to expect. Shared interests can be a great way to connect with others and make conversations more engaging. Tell or remind the neurodivergent individual of interests they have in common with relatives they don’t see as often to help start conversations. Socializing can be challenging, so it’s important to be patient and provide support without pressure.
Supporting boundaries and choice
Even with careful planning and maintaining traditions, the holiday season can still be overwhelming. Back-to-back events can be exhausting for anyone, but they can quickly become overstimulating for neurodivergent individuals. Seeing new people or people they only see once a year, having to navigate complex social hierarchies, and often trying to hide their neurodivergent traits to fit in can be very draining. While it is important to encourage your neurodivergent loved one to engage, it’s also critical to respect their boundaries and teach them how to have agency. Agency refers to their ability to make their own choices and decisions about social interactions, ensuring they feel empowered and in control. Allowing them to sit out some holiday parties for the sake of their own wellbeing can be a gift of emotional recharge, ensuring they don’t come out of the season completely exhausted.
Conclusion
Recognizing and respecting the social preferences and boundaries of neurodivergent individuals is essential, especially during the busy holiday season. Providing structured activities and allowing for breaks can help them manage the stress and overstimulation that often accompany large gatherings. By fostering an environment of understanding and support, we can ensure that neurodivergent individuals feel safe, respected, and included, ultimately enhancing their social experiences and overall well-being.
Learn More about Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays
This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began with Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays. Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling provides tips and strategies to support neurodivergent individuals during travel to minimize stress. Learn Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones to ensure they can enjoy the festivities and participate in making memories. Finally, creating Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays provides strategies for managing stress and overstimulation in social situations.
Additional information:
Students with disabilities who are bullied at school have legal protections, and schools have added responsibilities to ensure their safety and well-being. When acts of bullying involve discrimination based on disability, race, sex, or religion, federal agencies classify those acts as harassment.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) list the following as harassing behaviors:
The PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Center, founded in 2006, provides this OCR and DOJ information and further explains that “bullying may also be considered harassment when the conduct is sufficiently serious that it interferes with (or limits) a student’s ability to participate in (or benefit from) the services, activities, or opportunities offered by a school, and it is based on a student’s disability.”
PACER Center provides letter templates to help parents write to the school and reminds families: “Data is important. Remember, if it is not in writing, it does not exist. Please be sure to keep a copy of the letter(s) for your records. These records can help parents keep a concise, accurate timeline of events. These sample letters are general in nature in order to serve all potential users.”
OCR provides a fact sheet for parents about school legal obligations to address bullying. The fact sheet is available in Spanish. Here are a school’s basic responsibilities:
To learn more about student rights related to discipline, see PAVE’s article: What Parents Need to Know when Disability Impacts Behavior and Discipline at School.
Every school district has a process for filing a formal complaint related to harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB). A parent or student can say, “I want to file a HIB complaint” and request the proper forms from the school.
Here are options for families:
The 2019 Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill 5698, a Washington State law that prohibits harassment, intimidation, or bullying (HIB) in schools. The law requires school districts to have a formal HIB policy and a person designated to uphold the policy and distribute information among staff, students, and families.
The HIB Prevention and Intervention page of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) website includes guidance for students and families, including student safety plan templates and a sample HIB Incident Reporting Form available in multiple languages. There is also a link to the emails and/or phone numbers of HIB compliance officers in each school district, sample student safety plans.
Washington State defines harassment, intimidation, or bullying (RCW 28A.300.285) as any intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act that:
The Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) offers direct support to students and their families. OEO provides an online intake form and a phone option, with language interpretation available: 1-866-297-2597.
According to OEO, “Bullying and harassment can be a difficult topic for schools, families and students, but not talking about it can make it worse.” OEO provides information and tools to help families figure out who to talk to, how to raise informal and formal complaints, and how to help prevent and respond to bullying or harassment: “If you have questions, or want help understanding or addressing a concern, contact us.”
The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU Washington) provides a downloadable guidebook on student rights. A section about harassment states: “Harassment is illegal when it is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or hostile school environment and interferes with your education.”
Data show that students with disabilities are bullied at least twice as frequently as their typical classmates. According to the PACER Center: “Although only ten U.S. studies have been conducted on the connection between bullying and developmental disabilities, all of these studies found that children with disabilities were two to three times more likely to be bullied than their nondisabled peers.”
According to Disability Scoop, about half of individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, speech impairments and learning disabilities are bullied at school. The rate of bullying for typical students is about 10 percent.
Stopping stigma and ending discrimination require everyone to consider myths about bullying that often make things worse for a person who has been the victim of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Center provides a document that describes myths about bullying.
For example, it’s never true that “some people deserve to be bullied.” Here’s a statement to dispel that myth: “No child’s behavior justifies being hurt or harmed in any manner. All children deserve to be treated with respect and consideration.”
It’s also never true that “bullying will make kids tougher.” In fact, “Bullying does not make someone tougher. Research has shown it often has the opposite effect and lowers a child’s sense of self-esteem and self-worth. Bullying often creates fear and increases anxiety for a child.”
Another myth is that telling a teacher about bullying is “tattling.” Adults can ensure that children understand the difference between tattling and telling: “Tattling is done to get someone in trouble. Telling is done to protect someone.” Keeping secrets about a bully gives the bully more power and hurts everyone.
The U.S. Department of Education maintains a website page with access to resources about student rights and anti-bullying protections. The department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can accept complaints with overlapping civil rights concerns. For example, a complaint about bullying may also include aspects of racism and disability discrimination. OCR points out that bullying concerns that are not appropriately addressed can violate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
“Under Section 504 and Title II, schools must address bullying and harassment that are based on a student’s disability and that interfere with or limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by a school. Further, if any bullying or harassing behavior interferes with the ability of a student with a disability to access educational services, the situation, if uncorrected, may constitute a FAPE violation. OCR works with other offices in the Department, as well as with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), to address bullying and harassment of students with disabilities.”
A child’s mental well-being may be impacted by bullying. If a student or family member needs someone to talk to in an emergent moment of crisis, these phone numbers may be helpful:
Additional hotlines and text lines: FindAHelpline.com
When a student has unmet needs and may need new or different school-based services, figuring out what to do next can feel confusing or overwhelming. PAVE provides this toolkit to support families in taking initial, critical steps. These guidelines apply regardless of where school happens.
Presenting our newest resource – the Where To Begin When a Student Needs Help. This user-friendly toolkit has been created to give you and your family the guidance you need when you are navigating the special education process in Washington State.
A user – friendly toolkit for families, Each section is detailed below:
Presenting our newest resource – the Planning My Path Practical Tips and Tools for Future Planning. This toolkit encompasses a collection of our informative articles, complemented by easy to understand timeline charts to provide you with a solid foundation as you navigate through this crucial transition period.
A user – friendly toolkit for young adults, Each section is detailed below:
