Family Engagement Through Holistic Support

This chapter advances a framework for family engagement encompassing the nuances of families of students with extensive support needs (ESN) through the concept of holistic support. Holistic support is the active and ongoing commitment of disability professionals to a) recognize students with disabilities and their families as whole, dynamic, and interconnected, b) understand, address, and connect family/student support needs across multiple domains, and c) expose and disrupt systems of oppression impacting the students and families they serve. This framework is explicated emphasizing the experiences of Black mothers and families of students with ESN as they navigate multiple forms of exclusion across social systems, such as education, healthcare, and long-term services. The chapter engages relevant literature, theory, and case study narratives to advance specific holistic support strategies such as utilizing informal community support networks, prioritizing belonging for students with ESN and their families, and addressing underlying barriers to trusting family partnerships.