The FACE Center

The FACE Center The CAPITAL DISTRICT Family and Community Engagement Center is here to support families in navigating & making sense of the special education process.

We facilitate connections to resources, host live webinars, 1:1 trainings & much more! We support Capital District and North Country regions, but exist as a service for all.

🏠🥕🚌 Medicaid members, did you know help may be available for needs like food, rent, and transportation?Your Social Care ...
09/15/2026

🏠🥕🚌 Medicaid members, did you know help may be available for needs like food, rent, and transportation?

Your Social Care Network (SCN) can help connect you with resources and support based on your needs.

If you or someone you know has Medicaid and could use support, take the first step by completing the form or calling 518-459-6422 and asking to speak with a Social Care Navigator.

📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit

healthyalbany.org/member to learn more.

If your child will be absent, do you know who to call?📞 Start with your child's school or main office and follow your sc...
09/10/2026

If your child will be absent, do you know who to call?

📞 Start with your child's school or main office and follow your school's attendance procedures. Saving the main office number in your phone now can make mornings a little easier when your child needs to stay home.

This September, we're focusing on why attendance matters and how families can help children build routines that support getting to school consistently.

Follow along this month for more back-to-school tips from the CD FACE Center! 🍂



🏫 Every day in school is an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect!Did you know that regular attendance in prekindergar...
09/08/2026

🏫 Every day in school is an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect!
Did you know that regular attendance in prekindergarten helps children build important academic and social-emotional skills that support them throughout their school years?

Even a few missed days can mean missed opportunities to:
📚 Build early literacy and learning skills
🤝 Strengthen relationships with teachers and classmates
🧠 Practice routines and develop confidence
🌱 Build the foundation for future academic success

Families can help make attendance a habit from the very beginning. Preparing routines ahead of time, talking with your child about their school day, and staying connected with teachers can all help children feel ready to learn.

💙 Attendance opens every door—and every day counts!

From our friends at NYSED Office of Early Education.

-MIs team at the CD FACE Center

💭 What if you ask about their day…and they don't answer?Sometimes your child may come home and say, “I don't know,” “Not...
09/04/2026

💭 What if you ask about their day…and they don't answer?
Sometimes your child may come home and say, “I don't know,” “Nothing,” or simply not respond at all.

That doesn't necessarily mean they don't want to connect with you. They may be tired, overwhelmed, still processing their day, or not know how to answer such a broad question.

Instead of pushing for an answer, try lowering the pressure:

❤️ “You don't have to tell me right now. I'm here when you're ready.”
🥪 “Want to tell me about school while we have a snack?”
🚗 “Do you want to talk now or later?”
🎨 “You can tell me, show me, draw it, or type it.”
👀 “You don't have to talk. Can you show me?”

For children who communicate without speech: Don't interpret silence as having nothing to say. Making sure your child has access to their usual communication tools, including AAC, signs, pictures, gestures, or other ways they communicate is essential. You can also offer simple choices or visual supports:

➡️ “Good day or hard day?”
➡️ “Happy, sad, tired, or mad?”
➡️ “School, bus, lunch, or recess?”

And sometimes, no question is needed at all. Sit together. Have a snack. Take a walk. Unpack the backpack. Let your child come back to the conversation when they're ready.

The message you're sending is just as important as the information you're trying to get:

“You don't have to talk right now. I still want to hear from you—and I'll be here when you're ready.” 💛

-MIs team at the CD FACE Center

🎒 The problem with “How was your day?”For some children, that question may feel too broad, too overwhelming, or simply d...
09/02/2026

🎒 The problem with “How was your day?”
For some children, that question may feel too broad, too overwhelming, or simply difficult to answer after a long day at school. Try giving your child something more specific.

💛 What made you smile today?
🤔 Was there anything that felt tricky?
👫 Who did you enjoy spending time with?
⭐ What’s one thing you want me to know about today?

Also, consider giving your child choices that make it easier to decide how—and whether—they want to share.

💬 “Do you want to tell me something interesting, happy, or sad?”
👀 “Do you want to tell me about your teacher, a friend, or something you did?”
⭐ “Was there a part of your day you want to tell me about—or not today?”

And think about where you have these conversations, too. For some children, talking without facing each other in the car can feel more comfortable than sitting face-to-face and being expected to answer. There's less eye contact, less pressure, and the conversation can happen naturally while you're already together.

For children who communicate without speech, build choice into the routine, too. If you know the ride home is a good time to check in, have their communication tools ready in the backseat.

You might:
➡️ Offer a simple visual choice with an AAC: interesting • happy • sad
➡️ Let them point to or select how their day felt
➡️ Try a “day-o-meter”: Create a simple visual scale with a movable k**b, slider, or pointer that hangs in the back seat. One end could mean “really hard day” and the other “really good day,” with options in between. Your child can push or move the k**b to show you how their day felt—without having to explain it with words. From there, you can let them choose whether they want to tell you more.

Engagement doesn't always require a response.

You can let your child know:
💛 “I'm always interested in what happened at school today.”
💛 “You don't have to tell me anything. I just like hearing about your day when you're ready.”
💛 “Whatever kind of day you had, I'm happy you're home.”
Giving children that choice can help make these conversations feel safer and more predictable while building connection and trust over time. 💛

📌 Save this post and follow along for more Questions to Ask Your Child! 💛 To come: What if your child is unresponsive?

MIs team at the CD FACE Center

Sleep is about more than being rested the next day. For children with disabilities, sleep can play an important role in ...
08/27/2026

Sleep is about more than being rested the next day. For children with disabilities, sleep can play an important role in attention, learning, behavior, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Research shows that sleep difficulties occur more often in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities than in the general pediatric population. Children with conditions such as autism and ADHD may experience shorter sleep duration, difficulty falling asleep, nighttime waking, restless sleep, and daytime sleepiness.

And sometimes what looks like a “behavior problem” during the day can be connected to what is happening at night. When a child is tired, their ability to pay attention, listen, regulate emotions, and manage the demands of the day can be affected. Sleep is closely connected to many of the skills children rely on to participate and learn at school.

The review also found that changes in routine, increased screen time, and reduced physical activity were reported by families as factors affecting sleep for some children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

For children who already experience sensory, communication, behavioral, or developmental differences, sleep challenges can be especially complicated.

That doesn't mean every sleep difficulty is something a parent can fix with a stricter bedtime routine. Sleep problems can have many causes, and persistent concerns are worth discussing with a child's pediatrician or other qualified provider.

💡 The takeaway? Sleep is part of supporting the whole child as well as getting through bedtime.

📖 Read the research: “Sleep in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities During COVID-19: An Integrative Review”

Full article linked in comments.

Have you heard of Head Start—but aren't quite sure what it actually offers? Head Start is more than a preschool program....
08/25/2026

Have you heard of Head Start—but aren't quite sure what it actually offers?

Head Start is more than a preschool program. For eligible families, it can provide early learning along with services designed to support the whole child and family.

Depending on the program, children and families may have access to developmental screenings and referrals, health and dental support, nutrition services, mental health support, family resources, and opportunities for parents to be involved in their child's learning.

And here's something important for families of children with disabilities: children with disabilities can be eligible for Head Start. Local Head Start programs can provide developmental screenings and connect families with professional evaluations and services when concerns are identified.

Head Start programs serve different ages and communities throughout the Capital District. For example, local programs include Head Start options for children ages 3–5, while Early Head Start serves younger children and, in some programs, pregnant families.

If you've been wondering whether Head Start could be an option for your family, it's worth learning what is available in your community and whether your family may qualify.

Looking for Head Start in the Capital Region? Programs are available throughout Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties. Start by contacting your local Head Start program to learn about eligibility, available locations, and enrollment.

Locator in comments.

💙 Need help understanding special education options? Mis team at the Capital District FACE Center is here to help families navigate their options, understand the special education process, and connect with resources.

📚 When you look at your child’s IEP, do you know what everything means?Back-to-school season is a great time to review y...
08/20/2026

📚 When you look at your child’s IEP, do you know what everything means?

Back-to-school season is a great time to review your child’s IEP.

An IEP includes important information about your child’s needs, goals, services, accommodations, supports, and how their education will be provided. Reviewing it now can help you start the school year knowing what is in place, identify anything you may have questions about, and feel more prepared to communicate with your child’s school and IEP team.

💙 MIs team at the CD FACE Center is here to help families better understand and navigate the special education process, this includes 1:1 consultations should you need to meet about your child's education. If you have questions, please reach out to us via email at [email protected].

If you want to learn more about what each part of an IEP actually means, join us for What Is an IEP? (2-Part Series) — a training focused on the real questions parents ask, including how IEP decisions are made, what services and supports may be
included, and how to understand each section of the IEP.

📅 Part 1: Tuesday, August 25 @ 9:30 AM
📅 Part 2: Tuesday, September 1 @ 9:30 AM
🔗 Register for both sessions here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/kc8cutb?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Have you ever wondered why the first few weeks back to school can feel especially hard for your child?Many neurodivergen...
08/18/2026

Have you ever wondered why the first few weeks back to school can feel especially hard for your child?

Many neurodivergent children—including those with autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, and some learning disabilities—
use routines to help reduce the mental effort of figuring out what comes next. When the brain already knows the sequence, it has more energy for learning, communicating, managing emotions, and solving problems.

Over the summer, those routines naturally become more flexible. Bedtimes get later. Mornings are slower. Maybe breakfast happens at a different time every day, pajamas stay on until noon, or there isn't a reason to rush out the door.

Then, almost overnight, school requires children to switch back to waking up early, getting dressed quickly, following a schedule, listening to directions, keeping track of belongings, etc.

That's a lot for any child, and for a child who struggles with executive functioning, transitions, or processing multiple steps, that sudden change can feel overwhelming.

All within 15 minutes, kids are hearing, “Get dressed." "Did you brush your teeth?" "Where are your shoes?" "Grab your backpack." "Hurry, we're going to miss the bus!"

These reminders are coming in all while they're trying to organize, remember, transition, and shift attention from one task to the next which are brain skills that don't come easily for everyone.

That's why many pediatricians, sleep experts, and child development professionals recommend easing children back into school routines a couple weeks before school starts rather than waiting until the night before. A gradual transition gives your child's brain time to rebuild those familiar patterns.

Here are some ideas to try this week:

Adjust sleep gradually. Move bedtime and wake-up time about 10–15 minutes earlier every few days.
Practice a school morning. Wake up, get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, pack the backpack, put on shoes, and take a short walk or drive.
Create a visual morning checklist. Instead of giving the same reminders over and over, try a visual checklist your child can follow independently:

🌞 Wake up
👕 Get dressed
🪥 Brush teeth
🍳 Eat breakfast
🎒 Pack backpack
👟 Put on shoes
🚌 Go to the bus or car

Many children process visual information more easily than spoken directions. A checklist stays the same every morning, giving your child a chance to check off each step independently. Over time, this can reduce stress, increase confidence, and make mornings feel calmer for the whole family.

💙 What part of your morning routine are you working on before school starts? We'd love to hear what's working for your family.

-MIs team at the CD FACE Center 🔹

🧠 Why are routines so important?If your child forgets steps in the morning, struggles to transition between activities, ...
08/13/2026

🧠 Why are routines so important?

If your child forgets steps in the morning, struggles to transition between activities, or needs frequent reminders, it isn't always because they aren't paying attention.

Research shows that many neurodivergent children—including many children with autism and ADHD—experience differences in executive functioning. Executive functioning is a group of brain skills that helps us plan, remember information, switch between tasks, control impulses, and organize our actions.

Think about a typical school morning. A child may need to wake up, get dressed, brush their teeth, eat breakfast, pack their backpack, remember homework, put on their shoes, and get out the door on time. Those aren't just chores—they require the brain to remember multiple steps, complete them in the correct order, transition from one activity to the next, and ignore distractions along the way.

For a child with executive functioning challenges, that sequence can be mentally exhausting.

That's why predictable routines matter. When the same steps happen in the same order each day, children spend less mental energy figuring out what comes next and more energy completing the task itself. Research has shown that consistent routines can support independence, reduce anxiety around transitions, and lower the cognitive demands of everyday tasks.

A routine doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Even something as simple as following the same morning sequence each day or using a visual schedule can make everyday tasks feel more manageable.

Understanding why routines help can make it easier to support your child's success—not just during the back-to-school season, but all year long. 💙

Helpful links in comments.

-MIs team at the CD FACE Center 🔹

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(518)3757970

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