About Help For Kids

About Help For Special Kids

Help For Special Kids was created by educational consultant and lay advocate, Kim L. Foster.

Help for Special Kids provides direct or in direct advocacy assistance to parents and families of children who have a diagnosed disability or may be suspected of having a disability and are in need of special education services.

Help for Special Kids also offers independent consulting to legal professionals, non-profit and for-profit organizations and agencies that specialize in special education law and provide other services to parents and families of children with special needs.

Some of the services offered by the Help For Special Kids are:

Advocacy Services for Parents, Caregivers, or other Holders of Education Rights

Attendance at IEP Team & 504 Plan Meetings, Assistance with the Development of IEPs and 504 Plans, Assistance with Letter Correspondence, Assistance with Filing State Compliance Complaints, Assistance with Resolving Disputes with School, District, or other Agency Providing Services, IEP Team Meeting Preparation, Provide Relavent Resources & Referrals, and Provide Parent Education.

Consulting Services for Agencies, Organizations, and Other Professionals

Attendance at Early Resolution Sessions, Attendance at Implementation IEP Team Meetings Resulting from Settlements Reached During Due Process Proceedings, Information-Sharing, and Collaboration.

About Kim L. Foster

Kim L. Foster began her journey into the field of educational advocacy in 2002, when she was asked by a family member to help secure an appropriate educational program for one their children. In 2003, Kim expanded her advocacy efforts and began assisting other families with children with special needs.

Kim has an educational background in child development, with a concentration in special needs. She also holds a Bachelor of Art degree in both Sociology and Law & Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Additionally, she has completed training in the Orton-Gillingham approach, which is a multi-sensory method of reading instruction, at the Subscriber level.

In January 2006, she was accepted into the Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) Program, a piloted project funded by the United States Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Kim successfully completed the SEAT Program and was awarded a certificate of completion in March 2007. Aside from Kim being a SEAT graduate, she also holds several active memberships with national, state, and local professional organizations.

Kim has co-presented at a conference for parents and educators on the recently reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004). She continues to be involved in providing trainings to both parents and professionals on various topics relating to special education.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships:

The Jonathan Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities, Inc. (Board Member)

National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilies

(Parent Leadership Institute Member)

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Los Angeles County Superior Court 317(e) Panel
(Special Education Advocate)

The Academy of Orton-Gillingham
(Subscriber Member)

The Dignity In Schools Campaign, Los Angeles Chapter
(Coalition Member)

General Memberships:

Council for Exceptional Children, including 9 Professional Divisions

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Education Teachers

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

Learning Disabilities Association of America

Los Angeles Learning Disabilities Association

California Association for Parent-Child Advocacy

The International Dyslexia Association

Help For Special Kids

Educational Consulting & Advocacy for Children with Special Needs