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"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

OVERCOMING BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES TO BE ENGAGED

Families must not just be invited to the table, but their voices need to be heard. The two biggest barriers for family participation are childcare and transportation. Organizations can:

Hold meetings at times convenient for families, including working families
Provide sufficient notice of meetings for families to make arrangements
Have meetings in accessible locations, perhaps near public transportation
Provide parents with stipends for childcare
Provide equitable compensation for their time

Who better to influence policy change than parents and self-advocates through family engagement? •

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Agoratus, M.A. is the NJ Coordinator for Family Voices, NJ Regional Coordinator for the Family-to-Family Health Information Center, and Product Development Coordinator for RAISE (Resources for Advocacy, Independence, Self-Determination, and Employment). She also serves as NJ representative for the Caregiver Community Action Network as a volunteer. Nationally, Lauren has served on the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities transplant committee (antidiscrimination), Center for Health Care Strategies Medicaid Workgroup on Family Engagement, Family Advisor for Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs National Research Network, National Quality ForumPediatric Measures Steering Committee, and Population Health for Children with Medical Complexity Project-UCLA. She has written blogs and articles nationally, including publications in two academic journals (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=agoratus+l). Lauren was named a Hero Advocate by Exceptional Parent Magazine (epmagazine.com) Archives June 2022.