Families have many responsibilities in helping their children grow and develop to their fullest potential. Child care providers have a role to play in helping children with special needs and their families succeed. In addition to providing quality care, child care providers may be able to link families to other community agencies with resources to meet a family's additional needs. Those who work in the early care and education field advocate for children and their families. We know what children need during their early years to grow and develop. We must work with policy makers to ensure that children have quality early experiences and environments.
It is also important for child care providers to become informed on national and state policies that will impact children with special needs and their families. Child care professionals are in a position to educate policy makers on what is in the best interest of children and families. Child care providers have daily contact with children and their families and see first hand what additional problems these families face when policy makers develop and implement policies without considering the potential impact on the family system.
Advocacy means to speak up, to plead the case of another, or to champion a cause. It is something most of us routinely do on behalf of our families and ourselves. At times we must also advocate on behalf of the children with and without special needs and their families. We have a professional obligation to speak out at every available opportunity to see that children and families receive the help and access to services that they need. When children suffer, so do their families and, ultimately, so does society. We must remember that speaking up doesn't guarantee that we will win, but it does guarantee that the needs of our children and families will be heard.
In being an advocate for special needs children and their families, we are working to ensure that children's needs are fully met. Our advocacy efforts may take the form of phone calls, emails, letters or public speaking. The children in our care may never see nor understand our advocacy on their behalf, but they will certainly benefit from our efforts.