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Rooting on a First Time Mom

Published
May 10, 2020
By
INCLUDEnyc
Type
Community Voices
A Black mother hugs her toddler daughter. It is a cold fall day, yellow leaves cover the ground.

Amy observed that her 3 year old daughter, Quinn, responded well when asked questions requiring a “yes” or “no” answer.  But Quinn was having difficulty with expressing her feelings and her needs. Amy also noticed that Quinn needed help with her fine motor skills.

Amy called 311 and was referred to INCLUDEnyc. “I expressed my concerns to the educator, Kim McCoy, and she explained the steps for Early Intervention,” Amy shared. “Kim was so warm and understanding. I’m a first time mom going through this experience, but Kim rooted me on. She felt like someone I knew.”

As advised, Amy faxed in the information and supporting documents for the Early Intervention referral. “INCLUDEnyc encouraged me to be proactive. When you have to fax information, the documents themselves seem to lose importance and urgency. The educator encouraged me to follow up and now I’m on my way to securing the evaluation for my daughter,” Amy explained. 

Amy also hopes to raise awareness of Early Intervention resources among other parents and professionals. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education. “I’ve had an amazing interaction with INCLUDEnyc. I learned a lot and would call again. Google can only get you so far. INCLUDEnyc pointed me in the right direction,” Amy said.