Adelante Mujeres is a place where parents and children have a sense of belonging in our community. Young children with special needs have the opportunity to connect with several different environments. Not only is it a place where they have the opportunity to develop their skills, but a community where they are able to feel safe and create strong bonds.
Many of our families feel disconnected from the K-12 education system, with many barriers when it comes to integrating their children. Their task is overwhelming because they must find the support to help their children succeed in a system that is not designed for Latine and low-income families, and at the same time often overlooks children with special needs.
Parents should not experience the anguish of looking after the well-being of their children alone. We as an organization have learned to navigate these systems alongside families.
Change Idea:
We provide culturally responsive support to Latine families navigating the Early Intervention system through parent education, emotional support, and resources. We attend evaluations for early intervention, collaboratively adapt services to meet families’ needs, and train everyone who works directly and indirectly with our children to provide a network of support that our families can rely on.
We teach parents to advocate for the well-being of their children in hopes that they get involved in the school, know their child’s teachers well, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and continue to seek out help and answers. Parents of past students often come back for extra support when they can’t find their way.
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go before we are able to completely bridge the educational gap many of these families face. However, we continually work hard to ease this transition. A child going into kindergarten is considered new to the educational system, and much like a tree, they begin to form roots and connections with their surroundings. We want to prepare our kids with the tools they need to form those connections and plant their roots before joining the K-12 educational system.
We also work hard to involve kindergarten teachers in this transition, as they play a key part in its success. We make sure they take the time to observe and take notes on how each child connects and learns with the world around them.
We work with many organizations to build a strong community where our families can find the help they need. Some of these groups include NWRESD, Life Works, Hillsboro School District, and Forest Grove School District. We work to find points of union, where we can all help to overcome barriers.
Status of the Change Idea: Adapted, Adopted, or Abandoned?
Adopted, and continually adapted as needed.