ArticleParents
Getting your child's voice into the meeting
Three age-appropriate ways for kids to weigh in on their own plan.
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Plans land better when the child had a say. Even young kids can contribute something true about what helps and what hurts.
Three ways in
- The two-column page: 'What helps me' / 'What's hard for me.' Drawings count.
- A short voice note the child records, played at the start of the meeting.
- For teens: a seat at the table, with one prepared point they want heard.
You're not handing them the whole meeting — you're making sure the plan reflects the person it's about. Self-advocacy is a skill, and this is where it starts.
If your child says something that contradicts the adults' assumptions, treat it as the most important data in the room.