New Muppet Helps Kids and Families Talk About Foster Care

👋Hi Karli! We love your addition to the Sesame Street cast! https://zcu.io/XxWQ

IEP Meetings Warrant Time Off From Work, Labor Department Says

"A new opinion letter from the U.S. Department of Labor suggests that many parents of kids with disabilities are entitled to take time away from work to attend their child’s individualized education program meetings. " Learn more in this article from Disability Scoop https://zcu.io/ijHb

Center for Developmental Services

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Parents - your input is needed! South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is asking for your input to better address the needs of women, children, and their families in your community for the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant. The Title V MCH Block Grant is a Federal-State partnership program that provides funding for programs and services for mothers, women, children, youth, including children and youth with special health care needs, and their families. This program is critical to ensuring the health and safety of our state’s mothers, infants, and children! The results of this survey will help to identify high-priority areas for South Carolina to focus on and any information that you share, including information about yourself, is anonymous. Click here to complete the survey: https://zcu.io/nsyj

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Our CEO, Amy Holbert, is attending Carolina Family Engagement Center’s Leadership Team Meeting at the South Carolina Center for Community Literacy #ReadToSucceed #ReadWithYourChild #ReadAnywhere #UofSC @2001cocky

Be a Buddy Walk vendor

It's that time of year again! Every October thousands of families and community members get together at our Buddy Walk to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome! The annual Buddy Walk is also a great opportunity for your business to join the celebration and to promote and share information with our thousands of attendees! You can become a vendor at Buddy Walk by following the link below! https://zcu.io/93j3

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Family Connection is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting inclusion across communities. That's why we promote and use person first language which eliminates generalizations, assumptions and stereotypes by focusing on the person rather than the disability. #WordsMatter

For Disability Activists, 3 Weeks In Oregon Is A Game Changer

Mobility International USA hosted its annual Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) this summer with a focus on teaching women from around the world how to find solutions for issues faced by women and girls with disabilities in their countries — everything from health care to education.👏👏👏 Learn more via NPR: https://zcu.io/0qAr

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Did you know Family Connection has a monthly newsletter that goes out to more than 3,000 supporters? It features upcoming events, trainings, updates on policies/legislation and more! You can sign up by visiting our website or clicking here: https://zcu.io/bT3l

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We need your help! Every year our Buddy Walk raises funds during Downs Syndrome Awareness Month to ensure families get the support, resources, and information they need, but we can't do anything without you! Become a sponsor of Buddy Walk today! https://zcu.io/0QCt

Bullying and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs

According to StopBullying.Gov "Children with disabilities—such as physical, developmental, intellectual, emotional, and sensory disabilities—are at an increased risk of being bullied. Any number of factors— physical vulnerability, social skill challenges, or intolerant environments—may increase the risk. Research suggests that some children with disabilities may bully others as well. " As students return to school, we thought it was important to share a few ways to prevent bullying in the classroom. https://zcu.io/BtGL

My Kid With a Disability Deserves to Be in the Same Classroom as Your Kid, Because His Future Depends on It

"Special education is not a location, it's a service. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) clause reads, 'To the maximum extent appropriate children with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled. And that the removal of children with disabilities from the regular education environment occurs only when the severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.' This is the law." https://zcu.io/dBUd