The Beach Center at the University of Kansas (www.beachcenter.org) conducts research and collects information on best practices for supporting families caring for a family member with a disability. A primary focus is identifying what families report as being helpful for their child and for themselves. Its message to service providers is: While you may see your role as delivering a service, the family measures your contribution on their own scale, based on their needs and dreams for their child and family. Many of the lessons learned by the Beach Center and other researchers are being implemented in a national network of parent training, information, and support centers.
Parent centers in each state provide
training and information to parents of children with disabilities
from birth to 21 years of age. This assistance helps parents
participate more effectively with professionals in meeting their
children's educational needs. To reach the parent center in your
state, visit the Web site of the Technical Assistance Alliance for
Parent Centers at www.taalliance.org or call 1-800-537-2237.
Services that Parent Centers provide include:
Information:
- Helping parents find available and
appropriate services
- Helping parents understand their legal rights and responsibilities
Support:
- Finding another parent to talk with and
learn from
- Finding a parent to attend school
conferences with you
- Meeting other parents with similar concerns
Training:
- Developing self-advocacy skills
- Improving communication with teachers and
administrators
- Preparing for IEP meetings
Parent-to-Parent programs (over 600 nationwide):
- Finding trained parents to volunteer for a one-to-one relationship with a parent seeking support
See also:
Family
Support Activities Contribute to the Health of Families of Children
with Disabilities
