Supporting Your Child’s Learning and Emotional Needs: How CARE Counseling Helps with IEPs, 504 Plans, and School-Based Stress
If you’re a parent navigating school meetings, IEP paperwork, or daily calls about your child’s behavior, you know how overwhelming it can feel. You want your child to succeed—and to be understood for who they are, not just how they perform.
At CARE Counseling, Inc., we provide counseling and advocacy support for students and families navigating:
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
504 Plans for accommodations
Emotional and behavioral needs at school
Learning differences, ADHD, anxiety, and executive functioning challenges
School-based trauma or stress
Our goal is to support your child’s mental health and school success, while also helping you feel empowered as their strongest advocate.
Understanding IEPs and 504 Plans
Navigating special education services can be confusing. Here's a quick breakdown:
What’s an IEP?
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document created through the school for students who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It includes:
Special education services
Academic and functional goals
Classroom accommodations
Supports like speech, OT, or counseling
IEPs are for students with specific diagnoses that impact educational performance (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disorders, emotional disabilities).
What’s a 504 Plan?
A 504 Plan is a school-based accommodation plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It supports students who may not need special education but do need:
Environmental adjustments
Extra time on tests
Sensory or behavioral supports
Mental health-related accommodations
Both plans are meant to ensure access, inclusion, and appropriate learning opportunities.
How Counseling Can Help
Even with a solid IEP or 504 plan in place, many children struggle emotionally—and so do their families. That’s where we come in.
At CARE Counseling, we offer:
Child therapy for anxiety, self-esteem, frustration, or school-related trauma
Parent support sessions to help you understand your rights, your child’s behavior, and how to advocate in school meetings
Collaboration with school teams (with your consent) to align therapy goals with IEP/504 services
Emotion regulation and coping tools for kids struggling with executive functioning, sensory overload, or behavioral outbursts
Support through transitions, like starting school, changing placements, or navigating disciplinary processes
We don’t just work on the surface—we support your child’s whole emotional experience of learning and growing.
Who Can Benefit?
We regularly support:
Children with IEPs for autism, ADHD, emotional regulation, or learning differences
Students with 504 Plans for anxiety, trauma history, or health conditions
Kids in RTI or MTSS (intervention) programs not yet diagnosed
Families who feel confused, burned out, or unheard at school meetings
Students facing school-based anxiety, bullying, or academic overwhelm
Parents unsure whether their child needs more help—and how to get it
No diagnosis or paperwork is required to start therapy. If your child is struggling at school, we’re here.
CARE Counseling Is On Your Team
You don’t have to navigate school supports alone. We believe every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported—at school and beyond.
We bring:
Clinical experience in child development, neurodiversity, and trauma
Collaboration with school teams (including teachers, school counselors, and special education staff)
A nonjudgmental, strengths-based approach to child behavior
Resources and referrals when you need extra advocacy or testing
Whether your child already has an IEP or 504, is waiting for evaluation, or just needs someone to talk to—we’re ready to help.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. We’re here to walk alongside you—and to support your child in becoming their best self, at school and at home.