Volunteer Eligibilty

SESPP volunteers represent a wide range of caring and committed individuals who are dedicated to making a difference in a child’s life. Our volunteers include retired and current teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals; parents of children with special needs; attorneys; relatives and visiting resources specific to a child; human service professionals; and members of community service agencies, civic organizations, professional associations and advocacy groups.

Our SESP Recruitment, Training, and Support is provided by the Recruitment, Training and Support Center (RTSC) for Special Education Surrogate Parents at the Federation for Children with Special Needs

Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Submit a completed application providing two references. Application through our volunteer Recruitment, Training and Support Center(RTSC)
• Complete a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) request form, providing a copy of a valid government issued photo identification (e.g., driver’s license, passport, or state issued identification). It is required that your CORI be updated every three years.
• Not be employed by an agency that is involved in the care and/or education of the student. For example, you will not be appointed to a particular student if you or your spouse is employed by the school district that is responsible for the education of that student.
• Completion of the SESPP Orientation Training through the RTSC

We try to match volunteers with a student based on criteria such as geographic location and the volunteer's stated interest in certain areas of disability, student age group, and other individual preferences. The case coordinator will contact volunteers, give details about the particular student's situation, and the volunteer can choose whether or not to accept the match.