IEP Advocacy & Parent Consulting
There are times when you need more than a quick answer. You need dedicated time with someone who understands your child’s needs, can help you make sense of what’s happening, and can talk through your options with you.
Strive to Thrive offers two ways for parents to get one-on-one support outside of ongoing therapy: IEP Advocacy for families navigating the special education process and Parent Consulting with experienced pediatric clinicians across a range of specialties.
Understand the Process to Advocate for Your Child
IEP Advocacy
The IEP process can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to understand evaluation results, determine whether your child's plan reflects their needs, or prepare for an important meeting.
Our IEP advocacy services help you better understand the process, prepare for conversations with your child's school, and communicate your child's needs and your concerns.
Our goal is to help parents and schools work together as a team with your child at the center.
What Is an IEP Advocate?
An IEP advocate helps parents better understand and navigate the IEP process so they can participate confidently in decisions about their child's education.
Your advocate can help you:
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Make sense of evaluations and IEP documents
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Understand goals and services
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Prepare for meetings
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Understand your rights within the process
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Identify questions to ask
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Communicate your concerns with your child's school team.
At Strive to Thrive Therapy, we're excited to have speech therapist Lindsey Crum, MA, CCC-SLP/L, who brings extensive experience in the school system to the team. Lindsey spent 13 years working as a speech therapist within the school system, facilitating IEP meetings, case-managing IEPs, developing IEPs, writing goals, and participating in initial evaluations and re-evaluations for children from early childhood through fifth grade.
Lindsey understands how the process works from inside the school system and uses that experience to help parents feel more informed and prepared.
How Can an IEP Advocate Help You?
You can reach out to our team at any point in the IEP process. You may be preparing for your child's first evaluation, reviewing an existing IEP, getting ready for a meeting, or trying to determine what to do when something doesn't feel right.
Depending on your needs, Lindsey can help you:
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Understand your child's evaluation results
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Review your child's current or proposed IEP
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Make sense of goals, services, supports, and accommodations
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Better understand your rights and role within the IEP process
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Prepare for an upcoming IEP meeting
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Identify questions you want to ask the school team
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Organize and communicate your concerns
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Prepare for initial evaluations and re-evaluations
Families often reach out because they feel lost in the process, don't fully understand evaluation results, aren't sure what services or accommodations to ask about, or feel like their concerns aren't being heard.
Our goal is to help you feel informed and prepared so you can work collaboratively with your child's school team.
One-on-One Support From an Experienced Pediatric Clinician
Parent Consulting
One-on-One Time With an Expert
Maybe you have questions about your child's diagnosis. You're wondering about their progress. You want another perspective on treatment. Or you're trying to decide what to do next.
A Parent Consultation gives you dedicated time with an experienced Strive to Thrive clinician to ask questions, talk through your concerns, and get another perspective.
You do not need to be a current Strive to Thrive therapy client to book a Parent Consultation.
This is a separate service from IEP Advocacy and can cover a range of pediatric therapy topics.
What Do Consulting Sessions Focus On?
Our clinicians have different areas of expertise, so we'll connect you with the team member whose experience best fits your questions.
Parent consultations may include:
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Childhood apraxia of speech
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Speech sound disorders
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AAC
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Speech and language development
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Literacy
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Pediatric feeding
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Orofacial myofunctional therapy
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Sensory regulation and interoception
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Toilet training
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Therapy goals or progress
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General treatment approaches and next steps
These areas reflect the specialties identified across the Strive to Thrive team.
Consulting vs. Therapy
What Is a Parent Consultation?
Therapy involves direct evaluation and treatment of your child. Consulting gives you dedicated time with an experienced clinician to ask questions, get another perspective, collaborate, and problem-solve. The goal is to help you better understand what's happening and leave with practical ideas for what to do next.
Not sure what to start with? Reach out and share what you'd like help with, and we'll help determine next steps.
FAQs About IEP Advocacy & Parent Consulting
When should I contact an IEP advocate?
You can reach out at any point in the IEP process, including before an initial evaluation, while reviewing an IEP, before a meeting, during a re-evaluation, or when you have concerns about your child's current support.
Do I need to have a problem with my child's school to work with an IEP advocate?
No. IEP advocacy doesn't have to mean there's a conflict with your child's school. You may simply want help understanding the process, reviewing information, preparing questions, or feeling more confident participating in your child's IEP meeting.
Can you help me understand my child's evaluation or IEP?
Yes. We can help you understand the information you've received, talk through what it means for your child, and identify questions you may want to discuss with the school team.
Do you provide legal advice?
No. Our IEP advocate is a speech therapist, not a special education attorney.
We do not provide legal advice or legal representation. If your situation requires legal support, we can help point you in the appropriate direction.
Do we need to be Strive to Thrive clients to book a parent consultation or get IEP support?
No. We can provide IEP support, and you can book a Parent Consultation even if your child does not receive ongoing therapy at Strive to Thrive.
Who will I meet with for my Parent Consultation?
We have several experienced clinicians who offer Parent Consultations, with expertise in areas including childhood apraxia of speech, speech and language development, AAC, feeding, literacy, sensory regulation, interoception, toilet training, and orofacial myofunctional therapy.
Tell us what you'd like help with, and we'll connect you with the clinician whose experience best fits your questions.
IEP Advocacy & Parent Consulting for Families in Chicago
Get the Guidance You Need to Move Forward
You may be preparing for an IEP meeting, trying to understand your child's diagnosis, looking for another perspective on treatment, or wondering what to do next.
Tell us what you need help with, and we'll connect you with the right person on our team.