Valley Forge Educational Services

VFES Hosts First Bullying Prevention Workshop

September 20th, 2011 by VFES

September 13, 2011

Media Contact: Holly Henry, VFES Director of Communications, 610-296-6725 x342 or hhenry@vfes.net

Bullying Prevention Workshop for Parents of Children with Disabilities 

MALVERN, PA—Valley Forge Educational Services (VFES) will host “What Every Parent of a Child with a Disability Should Know about Bullying” on Monday, October 3, 2011 during National Bullying Prevention Month.

Children with learning disabilities and special needs may be at increased risk of being bullied. According to LDOnLine.org, the world’s leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD, although little research has been conducted on the relation between learning disabilities and bullying, research indicates that children with learning disabilities are at greater risk of being teased and physically bullied.

VFES’ parent workshop on bullying will explore specific, practical steps a parent can take at home to prevent bullying and steps to help stop bullying at school. The discussion will include federal recommendations to prevent school bullying, a simple explanation of the rights of a child bullied because of a disability, how to use a child’s IEP as an excellent tool for setting goals and objectives to manage bullying, and cyber bullying prevention strategies.

“While any child can be a target of bullying, children with disabilities can be especially vulnerable because bullies tend to pick on kids who seem different,” said Maria Kreiter, VFES’ Director of Professional Development and Outreach. “The goal of this workshop – the first of its kind at VFES – is to help parents work collaboratively with schools so that together we can help prevent and deal with issues like bullying and peer rejection.”

VFES will host two workshops for parents on October 3rd – a morning session from   9 to 11 am and an evening session from 6:30 to 8:30 pm – at the VFES Education Center/Cafeteria on 1777 North Valley Road in Malvern, Pa. The $15 workshop fee will include one copy of Beyond Sticks & Stones:  How to Help Your Child with a Disability Deal with Bullying published by the PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Project. Parents can register for the workshop at www.vfes.net.

For questions about this parent learning program, please call Maria Kreiter, VFES Director of Professional Development and Outreach, at 610.296.6725, x168 or makreiter@vfes.net.

About Valley Forge Educational Services:

Valley Forge Educational Services (VFES) offers a wide variety of educational services focused on guiding young children, adolescents and post high school (18-21) learners to independence. VFES provides educational programs and offers clinical services through its programs at The Vanguard School, Vanguard Transition Center, The Luma Center™ for Development and Learning and Summer Matters™. Dedicated to improving specialized education, VFES offers innovative research and advanced practices through its own programs and outreach programs for professional development and parent education. For more information on Valley Forge Educational Services, please visit www.vfes.net.

 

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