Best Outcomes: Person-centered and Self-directed

Self-Determination

Promoting self-advocacy: ways for families to help children with disabilities achieve self-determination

One way to help your child build the skills needed for self-determination is to encourage her or him to become a self-advocate.

Self-Advocacy: A Creed

Encourage your child to acknowledge these principals

• I am IMPORTANT
• I KNOW what I want
• I will WORK HARD to get what I want
• I am RESPONSIBLE for the choices I make.

Adapted from a pledge of the Santa Barbara Council for Self Advocacy

Nurturing Self-Advocacy Through Daily Activities

Here are some ideas about how you can help your child achieve the skills required for self-advocacy. As you can see, learning to advocate for yourself is intimately tied to choice-making opportunities. Although It may feel a bit scary, providing your child with the chance to make meaningful choices (and live with the consequences) will strengthen her confidence In her ability to speak up for her self and advocate for the supports and services she may need as she grows Into an adult. Offer choices that are safe and appropriate and then be sure to honor the choices made.

Choosing When:

• When to get up in the morning
• When to go to bed in the evening
• When to get a haircut
• When to have a meal

Choosing What:

• What foods to eat
• What outfits to wear
• What movies to see
• What books to read

Choosing Who:

• Who to have as a teacher
• Who to hire as support staff
• Who to have as friends

Choosing How:

• How to study
• How to approach others
• How to vote
• How to be mobile

Choosing Where:

• Where to study
• Where to work
• Where to play

Adapted from It’s My Choice… Minnesota Governor’s Council on
Developmental Disabilities

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