The Division for Early Childhood

Each year, DEC is pleased to offer stipends so that family members can participate in the Annual International Conference.  The conference offers engaging sessions, roundtable discussions, and the chance to hear from experts from around the world.  For parents and family members, the DEC Conference offers:

• Unparalleled access to leading experts who share their practical ideas to help young children with disabilities and other special needs
• Welcome breakfast on Thursday, October 17
• Family lounge--a great place to connect with other families

TO QUALIFY for the stipend, you should:

• Be the parent or family member of a child from infancy through eight years of age who has a disability, developmental delay, or other special need.
• Not be employed full-time in an early intervention or early childhood special education position.
• Be able to attend at least two full days of conference activity and participate in a family networking meeting to be held on Thursday, October 17.
• Be willing to complete a written evaluation giving your feedback about the conference.

TO APPLY, please send a letter or email that contains:

1. Your name and contact information: address, city, state, zip code, phone, and email address.  Please let us know if more than one parent in the family will be participating.
2. The name, ages, disability, and gender of your child(ren).
3. Brief description of why you want to attend this conference, including:

• What you hope to gain personally and as a parent
• How you plan to share what you have learned with others 

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER or EMAIL TO:

Division for Early Childhood                                    
Attn:  Cynthia Wood                                               
27 Fort Missoula Road, Suite 2         
Missoula, MT   59804
Email: dec@dec-sped.org
Fax:  406-543-0887

Stipend requests are due by August 16, 2013.  All requests received by the due date will be reviewed and notifications made no later than September 6, 2013.  Selection will be based on the family’s interest and commitment to gaining new information and willingness to share what is learned with other families.  Recipients are responsible for travel, lodging, and meals.  Requests received after the deadline will be considered if space is available.  If you have any questions, please contact the DEC office at 406-543-0872 or dec@dec-sped.org.