nola.com

With a new school year beginning, parents metro-wide are helping their children get back into the swing of education. For parents of students with disabilities, however, the challenge can be much greater. Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans is there to help them navigate a sometimes confusing school system, offering one-to-one advice as well as seminars on students’ rights and help with other classroom issues. One student who has benefited from FHF is Kevin Scallan, who was born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect. During his first 18 months, Kevin was in and out of the hospital, living through several surgeries. “By the time Kevin was about 2 years old, I knew he would be in special education,” said his mother, Karen Scallan. “I reached out to Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans for help in understanding the special education process and our rights, how to advocate for Kevin, and helping him the to get the services he needed.”