Let’s Talk About It! The Power of Promoting Neurodiversity Awareness, Understanding, Acceptance and Advocacy
Program Description It is never too early to start teaching a neurodivergent child how he or she can advocate for himself or herself. Like many other important life skills, self-advocacy is a critical tool a child needs in order to achieve goals, increase self-sufficiency, and become a successful young adult. It is a life-long process that begins with parents or caregivers “talking about it” with both the child and others. Talking about a child’s neurodivergence involves promoting awareness, understanding, acceptance and advocacy.
This presentation will focus on talking with a child about his/her neurodivergence as well as educating family members, friends, neighbors, the school community and others. Assisting the adult child advocating for him/herself with employers will also be touched on. A number of approaches will be examined highlighting the importance of the child becoming a self-advocate and a valued member of the community as they grow into adulthood and into the work world.
Program Objectives Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
• Discuss the value of talking with a child about his/her neurodivergence; • Describe issues to consider and steps to take when talking with a child about his/her neurodivergence; • Explain the benefits of talking to family members, neighbors, friends, peers, teachers and school personnel; • Outline a program for presenting a child’s disability to teachers and peers; • Demonstrate the effectiveness of this program; • Understand the importance of teaching self-advocacy skills to neurodivergent children; • Explain how self-advocacy skills can benefit children with disabilities as they grow into adulthood and move into the work world.
Target Audience Human Service Professionals, school personnel, parents or caregivers, self-advocates and anyone interested in this topic.
Agenda Ø Welcome, Introduction, Overview of the Day Ø Define Awareness, Understanding, Acceptance and Advocacy in the context of children and adults who are neurodivergent Ø Stages of Adjusting to the Diagnosis Ø Talking About the Neurodiversity o The Neurodivergent Child o Siblings and Extended Family o The School Community o Four Step Process for Disclosing o Formats for Sharing o Telling Classmates o Programs to Educate Classmates o Friends, Neighbors, Church Community o Employers Ø Teaching Self-Advocacy Ø Redefining Disability – A Neurodiversity Paradigm
Credit 1.5 to 3.0 credits
Faculty Sherry Mergner, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the AHEC Liaison at UNC-CH, School of Social Work, where she coordinates continuing education programs for mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability professionals. At the School of Social Work, Sherry serves as the faculty advisor for the Neurodiversity Student Caucus. She is also clinical social work faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) training program at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, where she recruits social worker graduate students for this specialized training in Developmental Disabilities. In addition, Sherry provides clinical services to individuals and families at the CIDD. Sherry received her MSW from Florida State University in 1987 and has worked in a variety of clinical and educational settings for the past 32 years. Sherry’s passion is working with individuals who have emotional regulation and social cognitive challenges. In March 2016, she completed Michelle Garcia Winner’s Advanced Clinical Social Thinking Training in San Jose, California. Sherry is the proud mother of Noah, who is 20 years old and on the Autism Spectrum and Nathan, 18 years old who is typically developing. She has served as a Mother’s Mentor for UNC-CH, TEACCH and was on the board of the Orange/Chatham Chapter of the Autism Society of NC from 2005-2007. She is very active in her community promoting neurodiversity awareness, understanding and acceptance.
Contact Information Sherry C. Mergner, MSW, LCSW Clinical Assistant Professor/AHEC Liaison UNC-CH, School of Social Work Social Work LEND Faculty Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities 919-962-6463 (office) [email protected]