Families Helping Families: Education. Community. Support.

Education

Parents Of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia (POAC-NoVA) and its predecessor organization has worked for more than two decades to improve the quality and quantity of education for students with autism in Northern Virginia.

By meeting regularly with the decision makers in Northern Virginia school districts, POAC-NoVA strives to keep their members’ concerns front and center. POAC have developed relationships that allow our members to not only have their concerns heard, but acted upon.

We also closely follow the education budget process at the local and state level and alert our members when programs that serve our kids are in jeopardy.

Community

POAC-NoVA offers a private member listserv and monthly newsletter when you join.

Meetings are several times per year on topics of interest to our community. Topics include expert advice on developing a successful IEP for your child, inclusion opportunities within schools, adapted sports and recreation opportunities for your child and your family, and many more. Learn more information about upcoming meetings.

POAC-NoVA also hosts a BBQ pool party in July and a holiday party in December.

Support

POAC-NoVA offer support group meetings for parents several times per year, providing a forum to talk frankly to other parents who are dealing with this diagnosis. POAC have found that one of the best sources of information have been other parents who truly understand how autism affects not just one child, but the entire family.