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Debra Isaacs Schafer

Accountability Coach.

Education Advocate.

Parent Advisor.

Speaker.

Writer.

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Supporting, educating, & guiding parents raising neurodiverse children & teens through special education from preschool through graduation.

 

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About Me, You, & More...

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My journey. After leaving my business career to focus on supporting my child's complex needs, the past 20+ years have been spent bringing this unique perspective & expertise to the special education, special needs parenting, and caregiving arenas by supporting, educating, and advising parents raising their neurodiverse children and teens.

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Your journey. Understanding well the herculean efforts of being an "exceptional caregiver," partnering with me will provide a new way forward, reducing the struggling, confusion, and exhaustion and moving toward solutions. Positive steps happen when you acknowledge your role, gaining control as the person who knows your child best. 

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Your child. School is their job. Their struggles intensify their chronic and crisis issues, often creating daily anticipatory anxiety and additional challenges for them and for you. The job of school is to prepare your child for life, focusing on today's needs while keeping eyes to the future. I understand because I've lived this reality too.

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You. Raising a neurodivergent child with their incredible strengths & needs impacts all aspects of life -- families, jobs, time, and your own mental health and wellness. Many parents, particularly mothers, have left or are leaving their careers and jobs due to their children's complex needs and lack of work/life flexibility. Solutions are possible.

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Us. First, the floor is yours to talk and relieve some of the pressure. I'll listen & ask questions. We'll unravel what's been happening, your goals, and discuss the pain points. We'll create a roadmap of strategies, tactics, and steps and will monitor/adjust as we go. Yes, it's a lot to navigate & handle, but I will help lighten your load.

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Some of the ways
I can help you.

Provide and clarify essential baseline information you need to know about the special education arena.

 

Pinpoint and evaluate your child's school-based needs including necessary school services & supports.

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Participate in school discussions to ensure your concerns are heard, addressed, and documented.

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Evaluate and strategize transition-focused issues & priorities -

grade-to-grade, post-high school, and beyond.

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Maximize your efforts by correlating evaluation data to IEP development, preparing anew for IEP meetings, and developing processes for school district communication. 

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Some of the ways I've
helped other parents.

Increased academic, social, behavioral, developmental, and executive function school services & supports.

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Coached business strategies to improve discussions and outcomes in school meetings and communication.

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Negotiated special education eligibility and private educational placements at school district expense.

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Acted as an informal mediator in challenging school meetings to help reach consensus and resolutions.

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Collaborated with clinicians, specialists, legal counsel, and other independent providers to synthesize issues and develop solutions to address parent concerns.

From Chaos To Clarity©      The Deep Dive     Spot Coaching

End the struggling...for you and your child. ​

Credentials

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Over 20 years partnering with and supporting parents raising neurodiverse children, teens, and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning differences, and mental health needs from their earliest years through college graduation.

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Founder/CEO, Education Navigation. Founder/Managing Partner, Work/Family Management & Professional Mothers. Director, Human Resources Development, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Nonprofit consultant.

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Speaker: Working Mothers Work Life Congress and Work Beyond Conference. Education Law Center, Alternative Dispute Resolution. Human Resources and Employee Assistance conferences. Corporate workshops & webinars, parent support groups.

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Media resource/expert, podcast guest, consultant, and writer. Supporting and retaining working mothers/parents raising neurodiverse children, family-functioning employee benefits & supports, exceptional caregiving in the workplace, work/life integration and workplace flexibility.

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Affiliations: Pennsylvania Autism Taskforce; Columnist, Parents Express & Times Chronicle; Host, Work/Life Journal, WBEB-FM/Philadelphia.

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Recipient: WorldatWork Alliance for Work/Life Progress award for innovative special education employee benefits. Recognized by Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now.

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Image by Mitchell Luo

Testimonials

Debra is, without a doubt, one of the most valuable and knowledgeable resources about autism and special education you can find. I highly recommend her - you will not find anyone better.

 

Dad, CEO, Pharmaceutical Industry

White Waves

Media, Mentions & More

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College Transition: - ADHD - Learning Disabilities - With Dr. Richard Selznick, "The Shut-Down Learner"The Coffee Klatch
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