This week, Annette chats with Kirsty Russell, author, speaker and a special needs mom. Kirsty writes the very popular blog, Positive Special Needs Parenting and is an advocate for how parents work closely with school systems for the benefit of special needs children. She's had numerous appearances on TV, radio and other media discussing her advocacy around special needs parenting.

Based in Australia, Kirsty is often speaking to groups about how to navigate the school system. But her advice crosses all borders.

As someone who has a public service background, Kirsty now provides training for parents as well as teachers on how to collaborate in a positive way and mitigate the negative interactions that sometimes go along with doing what's best for a special needs student.

Annette and Kirsty talk about these issues as well as what to expect from meetings, educating teachers and others about your child's unique abilities and how to communicate in the most effective way.

Annette and Kirsty also discuss the topic of judgment when it comes to being a special needs parent and how to handle the judgment that comes from others.

Kirsty then shares her 10 Principles of working with schools to create the best outcome for your child. From making sure you go out of your way to introduce yourself to the educators responsible for your child, listening to them before responding, setting objectives as well as trying hard to focus on solutions rather than problems, these principles are sure to help you become an expert advocate!

If you have questions about special needs parenting and how to navigate your school system, this is a great podcast to listen to and share.

You can ready Kirsty's blog here and connect with her as well.

https://positivespecialneedsparenting.com/