Special Needs Children

Literature Review BSHA/442 August 06, 2012 Dr. Elizabeth Thompson Literature Review Special needs individuals are not different from everyone they just need a little extra help along their way. This population has to have mediation because there are many who cannot speak for themselves. They need the help from a neutral person so that they can discuss complications that they may be dealing with without judgment. Advocacy is a necessity too because that individual needs a person to stand by their side and help them fight for what is right. In todays society people only care about themselves. This hinders those that have special needs because they also need people to think about how a person with special needs can do the same task. Just because an individual has a special does not mean that they cannot do what everyone else can. Advocacy would come in at this point because they are there to be on that individuals’ side and help them. The Special Education Advocacy is located in New England. They state on their web page "I implore you to see with a child's eyes, to hear with a child's ears, and to listen with a child's heart" (Special Education Advocacy, 2009). This is a very powerful statement and draws individuals in because they want that personal experience that they are offering. For the mediation services that they offer it is stated that they have “unbiased mediation for families experiencing conflict due to family special needs responsibilities, resolution of guardianship agreements, mediate differences regarding trusts ,and wills for special needs beneficiaries” (Special Education Advocacy, 2009). Additionally they “settle custody, visitation & parental responsibilities for special needs children of divorce, and help create a unified plan for residential placement and daily living care of a special needs family member” (Special Education Advocacy, 2009).