Providing a Toolkit for Parents/Caregivers of Children with Special Needs on how to Support their Children while Recognizing the need for Self-care
11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Mrs. Taneisha Pascoe-Matthews
Mrs. Taneisha Pascoe-Matthews is the assistant Head Teacher - Inclusion (SENCO and Pupil Premium lead) at The Palmer Catholic Academy in the UK. She started her career as a Mathematics and Computer Science teacher in Jamaica and has over 19 years’ experience in the education sector. Since moving to the UK in 2008, she has held other roles such as Mathematics teacher, KS3 Coordinator (Mathematics) and Deputy SENCO.
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In the recent past, she completed an M.Ed. in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and launched a number of social media platforms to continue autism awareness campaign under the headings Spotlight on Autism and One of Many Autism Voices. She is the mother of two sons on the Autism Spectrum and has authored a book entitled “The Biggest Surprise: Jadon And The Talking Trains, inspired by her first son.
She is passionate about the care and services available to autistic children and their families and uses her platform to advocate for the best future of all children especially those with special needs.
Abstract:
Most families have reported being overwhelmed by the economic and emotional costs of raising children with special needs and who require additional support in varying degrees. Many families turn to the internet to join parent groups for support or to research strategies. The internet can be a source of misinformation, and many unscrupulous individuals and organizations seek to profit from vulnerable families desperate for answers.
It is imperative that parents are provided with the correct information on how to cater to the needs of their exceptional children while simultaneously taking care of their own wellbeing. The role that parents of special needs children can play in planning support for their children should never be underestimated.
This session aims to provide information on the need for a coordinated plan of support for parents and also information on how parents can support their exceptional children while recognizing the need for self-care.