Hi, I’m Daniele.

I'm a neurodiversity affirming accessible education & AAC advocate. I help advocate for children and their families in the school system for neurodiverse affirming goals and accommodations. After having struggles of my own in the school system with a high support needs non speaking autistic child. I decided to be pro active and educate myself. I learned how to navigate an IEP thoroughly. To understand what the rules and regs are under the IDEA.

Now I am ready to help others.

My Approach

Collaborative

I believe in the importance of the families being seen, understood, heard and felt that they are a part of their child’s IEP team. It is their legal right to be a part of the team. Collaboration can only happen when all parties are involved and in agreement.

My belief is every child learns differently. They each have their own strengths. I try to stay away from using an IEP as a deficits based approach. I do not want to extinguish behaviors (to be less autistic) that are not causing harm and have the child comply, but rather use intrinsic motivation and self regulation(along with co-regulation) to aide in the everyday learning.

Using methods of strengths based approach and neuroaffirming.

  • Training with professional IEP advocates

    Courtney Burnett & P2P

  • 5+ Years of advocacy experience

    Autism, ADHD, SP, down syndrome, AAC users

  • Community Advocate

    For a more inclusive world

Embraces, accepts and celebrates differences

Regarding levels of support/learning for autism. Often the levels are very interchangeable and are not a true measurement of what a child is capable of. I used high support needs and low support needs. I will detail what those needs are. Nonspeaking over non verbal. No longer saying, “high functioning/low functioning”. I feel this goes without saying.

Presume competence.

Traits and characteristics over signs and symptoms (please NOT red flags) of a certain disability. High areas of interest over obsessions.

Disabilities should not have a negative connotation.

What is Neuroaffirming?

Connection over compliance

Our goal is not to make an autistic person, seem, act or behave less “autistic” (whatever that means). Choosing connection over compliance. Functional play is not just…”the way”. There is no correct way. Allllll play is okay!

I will always ask what your child’s strengths are. What their high area interests are at the time. What subject are they currently crushing in school? What subject is found a bit lacking? We will look at that and build goals, plans, accommodations.

Immersing yourself in the autism community

Leaning in and listening to the autism/neurodivergent community is paramount.

My mother has worked with autistic and disabled adults and children since I was a child. Being kind, respectful and amplifying everyone’s voice has been imperative to me.

When we listen to the autism community we are able to gain perspective for what is seen, felt, heard and understood. Especially if our child is not able to advocate for themselves yet.

It is always ideal that your child be at the IEP meetings if possible.

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“To help autistic children, we don’t need to change them or fix them. We need to work to understand them, and then change what we do.” - Dr. Barry Prizant

Get in Touch!

Schedule a free 1:1, 20 minute consultation to see if we are the right fit and align for your child’s goals.

FAQ

  • First! Grab your notebook. Jot down any and all concerns before our 1 : 1 consultation. This will help us to understand and outline the challenges or assistance you may need.

  • Pricing is based on a case by case. We will discuss if you plan to use my services further.

    If you are in New York state, I do not bill through opwdd.

  • As long as the services are required.

  • Short answer, accessibility to education and inclusion should be for all.

    We are trying to move away from “special education/special needs”. It has become this word that has now started to segregate the neurodivergent from the neurotypicals in the education setting.

    As the term to describe a disabled individual. Having a disability or saying disabled has a offensive feeling around it. When in fact it shouldn’t.