WELCOME TO HOLLAND by: Emily Perl Kingsley. The FRC…. I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability ‐ to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to under‐
stand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...... When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip ‐ to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coli‐
seum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Ven‐
ice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally ar‐
rives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. Provides parent‐to‐parent support through mentorship Respects the individual cultures of our community and establishes open communication between all cultures Creates opportunities for parents and community members to discuss issues related to children with special needs Encourages family‐focused services for children with special needs Promotes parent/professional collaboration Supports and encourages the dreams parents have for their children It's just a different place. It's slower‐paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....
and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was sup‐
posed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland. Kings County Family Resource Center at UCP 606 W. 6th Street Hanford, CA 93230 Phone: (559) 584‐1551 Fax: (559) 584‐6757 Kings County
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Family Support for Children Birth to Three When you learn that your child has a disability or a special need, it can be a challenging time and you may experience unfamiliar feelings. The Family Resource Center at UCP is available to provide support to families as you begin your journey. The FRC staff members are also parents of children with special needs who a r e t r a i n e d t o p r o v i d e parent‐to‐parent connections and support. The FRC provides services and a meeting place for parents in a welcoming, culturally diverse, home‐like setting. The FRC staff members are also available to partner with the Early Start staff to provide support services in your home. Other services provided by the FRC staff include: • Book and Video Library • Resource and Referral Services • Form Preparation Children graduate Early Start services at age three and transition to other services. The FRC staff is available to assist the family in the transition process. (Please see Educational Advocacy box for additional information and services.)
Prevention Resource and Referral Services Children Birth to 35 Months When an infant or toddler is suspected of having a developmental concern including those “at risk”, they are referred to their local regional center for assessment of eligibility for services. Children who are at substantially greater risk for a developmental disability, who would otherwise be ineligible for services through the Early Start Program, are referred to the FRC for their Prevention Resource and Referral Services (PRRS). Families whose children who are eligible for PRRS because they are “at risk” for developmental delays or disabilities will receive the following services through our Family Resource Center: • Information • Resources • Referrals • Support Services • Developmental Monitoring Educational Advocacy for Children 3 ‐ 22 When your child transitions from Early Start services at age three, the Family Empowerment Center is available to assist you in navigating your child’s new educational service model. Our advocates are trained in special education laws and can provide support and advocacy to parents as they begin to build new relationships with their local school districts and other service agencies. Educational Advocacy Services includes: • Requests for Special Education Assessments/Independent Assessments • IEP (Individual Education Plan) Support and Guidance • Behavior Support Plans • Early and Adult Transitions • Manifestation Determination Meetings • Mediation and Due Process Our goal is to facilitate positive relationships by empowering parents to work together as a team with school districts and other service agencies for the best outcome for your child’s lifetime of education into adulthood. “Promise me you’ll always remember: Your braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” —– Christopher Robin to Pooh