Join Family Connection of SC for an interactive workshop on family engagement to reach families of young children with disabilities. This session will cover best practices for developing supportive relationships with families to ensure children with disabilities can learn and grow. We’ll address challenges and barriers to family engagement and strategies to reach often overlooked families, including foster parents, kinship caregivers, multilingual/multicultural families and those experiencing housing instability. Participants will leave this session with practical strategies to implement in their practice!

Participants will learn more about:

• Inclusion rights and resources under federal laws, including Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504.
• Effective, customizable family engagement strategies.
• No-cost developmental screening and resources available for providers and families.

Presenters:

Amy Holbert, Chief Executive Officer

Amy Holbert is a licensed, clinical social worker (LISW-CP) with over twenty years of experience working in the maternal, child health field. Currently, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Family Connection of SC, SC’s Parent Training and Information Center under IDEA. Family Connection provides peer support, educational resources, and healthcare navigation services for families, statewide, that have a child with a disability or chronic health need. Amy is passionate about improving the lives of children and their families and serves on several state and national boards and commissions, including Parent to Parent USA. The life lessons of being a parent to two children with medical and behavioral health needs, has shaped her career path and choices.

Megan Branham is the Director of Training and Policy at Family Connection of South Carolina. With more than 15 years of experience, Megan has implemented programs in a nonprofit setting and advocated for policy change at the state and federal level. She has a passion for promoting the well-being of South Carolina’s children and families through data-driven, equitable, and inclusive initiatives. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Megan holds a master’s in social work and completed the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Leadership for State Based Advocates program.