Federation for Children with Special Needs Convention

A resource for children with special needs and their families

The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN), located in Boston with a satellite office Federation for Children with Special Needsin Western Massachusetts, is recognized state and nationwide as a leader in child advocacy, especially for those children with special needs. Committed to listening to and learning from families, FCSN provides information, support and assistance to parents, their professional partners, and their communities.

Working in the areas of children’s health, parental involvement, early intervention, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Elementary and Secondary Education, the Federation oversees over 15 programs statewide related to supporting families whose children have either special education or healthcare needs. These supports can include training, workshops on Individual Education Plan (IEP) development, assisting a child as he/she phases out of the school system, finding support groups, promoting family involvement in school, advocating for a child’s inclusion in a school setting and so much more. An invaluable source for families, the Federation also works to reach out to financially and culturally diverse families who are also in need of support and services.

Visions of Community

On March 4th, Roman Music Therapy Services will again be participating in the Federation’s annual conference, entitled Visions of Community for 2017. An excellent resource for families of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them, people come from all over the state to convene at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston for a day of information gathering, sharing and work-shopping. Topics of discussion are to include Demystifying Dyslexia: Essential Information about Assessment, Intervention and Support at Home, Physical & Communication Access: Isn’t that the Law?, and Finding and Establishing an Independent Living Facility for your Child, to name only a few.

Keynotes will be delivered by Dr Paula Kluth, author, advocate and scholar working with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities, as well as creating a more responsive and engaging school experience for all learners; and Brennan Srisirikul, singer and actor diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at birth.

As music therapists who have worked with children of all abilities, including those with special needs, our staff will be on hand at the conference to speak to parents, professionals and government agencies about the application of music therapy in conjunction with other services.


Stop by our table for more
information, or if you cannot make the conference but have questions about the whether music therapy is right for your child, contact our office!

My Own Voice Choir Group At Our 10/1/16 Anniversary Celebration

Our 10th Anniversary Celebration is only a few days away!

Our lunch menu is ordered, our drums and maracas are packed up and our voices are ready!

Be sure you’ve registered to reserve your spot.   

We are so pleased to announce some special guests who will be joining us on Saturday to perform for you!

My Own Voice

Part of the Treble Chorus New England, My Own Voice was launched in 2011 as a pilot program. Its intent was to provide choral opportunities to children and young adults with special needs. My Own Voice participants receive mentoring during their rehearsals from performers of other area choirs.

The program, targeted for individuals with physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities or impairments, started with four members and has grown to over 50 members! Performers from the choir are from Methuen, Haverhill, North Andover, Andover, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Peabody and Middleton.

Photo credit: Tim Jean, The Andover Townsman Staff From left Angelina, 16, William and twin sister Francesca, 14

Their unique model has proven overwhelmingly successful. My Own Voice is unique; there are no other after-school music programs for children with special needs like this one! The group founder, Bernadette Lionetta, envisions sustained growth over the coming months and years. Please contact Bernadette BLionetta9@verizon.net. if you know anyone who enjoys singing choral music and might be interested in joining the group.

Make sure to register for the event so that you too can enjoy My Own Voice’s performance! We look forward to seeing you on October 1st. And to making music with you into the future!

If you have any questions about the event or ambassadorship, please contact the office at 781-224-3300.

Continue reading “My Own Voice Choir Group At Our 10/1/16 Anniversary Celebration”

Providing the Beat at the Provider’s Council Expo

Cultivating connections

Providers CouncilAs our organization has grown over the last 9 years, we have met wonderful people and had the opportunity to work with fabulous organizations along the way. This past year, through the LEND Fellowship, our professional network continued to grow. Through the process, we were introduced to The Provider’s Council. With member organizations throughout the state, The Provider’s Council is the largest association of community-based human service providers in Massachusetts. Continue reading “Providing the Beat at the Provider’s Council Expo”