Empowering Families at the Family Advocacy Center

You’re in for an au-some treat. Today, you’ll hear from my dear friend and the blog’s first guest writer, B, who is the parent of a child with special needs. She connected with Suzie Showalter, founder of the Family Advocacy Center. Read about B’s experience with Suzie and learn about The Family Advocacy Center below.

I first met Suzie Showalter at the beginning of a Fourth of July parade, and we quickly struck up a conversation. She could instantly see and understand that I was a parent in need of guidance and the reassurance that I was not alone in the daily struggles our family faces with my child who lives with ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and anxiety. After speaking with Suzie, I felt that I had found an ally in the journey of advocating for my child. Having a child with a disability is hard. But know that your family is not alone and there are people out there who are knowledgeable, relatable, and take the time to listen to help you find the answers you need. 

Suzie  has experienced the educational system as both a special education teacher of twenty years and as a parent. This has allowed her to handle the challenges in the classroom, as well as navigate the difficulties that both parents and children encounter in terms of resources and benefit systems available. Her philosophy is “there are no right or wrong sides; there is just bringing awareness to help families obtain the resources they need to be successful, both inside and outside of school.”

The Family Advocacy Center can help you—as it’s helped me and my family—navigate and connect you with many resources throughout Pennsylvania, especially in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The Family Advocacy Center assists with:

• Understanding terminology used in evaluations
• Reviewing IEP/504/GIEP/IFSP (infant to school) plans and give suggestions, if needed
• Attending meetings at school
• Assisting in writing emails that adequately address the necessary issues
• Helping families to find resources outside of school
• Tutoring based on need. This summer they will offer tutoring in:
  • Math; Reading; Writing; Social Skills; and Executive Functioning

The Family Advocacy Center strives to identify the areas where the community is lacking and works to connect parents with resources and benefits that they are in search of—and maybe didn’t even know they needed. In fact, Suzie is also in the process of setting up parent groups, so keep an eye out for updates.

Suzie is like the “magical unicorn” that many families search for to assist with advocating for their child. She has worked with so many children over the years that she has a robust breadth and depth to her knowledge, which is both unique and very eye opening to many parents. Suzie is able to pick up on nuances and bring a different perspective to the table that is helpful for, not only the parents, but teachers, as well. Suzie maintains there is not a “one size fits all solution”, and when she is unsure of an answer, she will look high and low to make sure you get the help you need. 

Feel free to reach out to Suzie for a free thirty-minute consult at (267) 221-9742 or at  familyadvocacycenter@gmail.com.  

– B –