- Fact Sheet: In Support of Families and Their Children (.pdf) (2000) by Nancy Rosenau discusses why children belong in families and how to assure families for all children.
- Families for All Children Bulletin (1987) highlights promising practices in family support services nationally, the Center on Human Policy’s statement in support of families and their children, and issues and resources in family support.
- From Brooklyn to Syracuse: A Persistent Family and Their Individualized Supports
- Holding the 10,000 Details: Productive Relationships Between Parents of People with Developmental Disabilities and Service Workers (.pdf) (2001) by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien presents the perspectives of parents and service workers about their relationships with one another as they work to implement Wisconsin’s Self-Determination Initiative.
- Learning About Community Support for The Families of Children with Disabilities: Reflections on the Local Liaison Learning Group (.pdf) (2000) by John O’Brien, with Bryn Fortune, Sharon Dietrich, John Blough, and Nancy Peeler, focuses on lessons learned by the Parent Leadership Program team at The Arc of Michigan about local projects designed to improve family support and creating effective parent-professional partnerships.
- “Like an Angel that Came to Help Us”: The Origin and Workings of New Hampshire’s Family Support Network (1993) by Bonnie Shoultz is a description of New Hampshire’s innovative family support services. It details the legislative history of the program as well as its implementation throughout the state, and draws lessons for others interested in developing family-centered programs.
- Resource Review: Families and Advocacy
- Selected Issues in Family Support – References and Annotated Bibliography–an excerpt from Selected Issues in Family Support: A Compilation of Materials and Resources (1995) by Pam Walker focuses on selected issues in family support, including: family support principles; limitations of family support programs (related to race/ethnicity, culture, poverty, women, etc.); permanency planning; and state-level systems change advocacy. It contains various articles and annotated references relevant to these issues.
- Strategies and Challenges in Supporting Children with Complex Medical Needs in the Community: Report on a Site Visit to Western Pennsylvania (2002) by Nancy Rosenau and Pam Walker describes efforts being made in Western Pennsylvania to support children with complex medical needs and their families.
Outside Resource Links
- Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD)
The Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) (formerly the Coordinating Council for Handicapped Children) was a pioneer as a coalition that covered all disabilities. FRCD was organized in 1969 by parents, professionals, and volunteers who sought to improve services for all children with disabilities. - Family Village: A Global Community of Disability-Related Resources
Family Village is a glocal community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for persons with mental retardation and other disabilities, their families, and those that provide them services and supports. - The Child and Family Services (CFS) Team @ HSRI
The Child and Family Services (CFS) Team provides program evaluation, consultation, training and technical assistance to child-serving agencies with the ultimate goal of promoting best practices among such agencies. - Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER) Center
PACER Center is a nonprofit, tax exempt Minnesota statewide organization begun in 1977. PACER’s mission is to improve and expand opportunities that enhance the quality of life for children and young adults with all disabilities–physical, mental, emotional, learning–and their families. PACER now offers 20 major programs, including Parent Training programs, programs for students and schools, and technical assistance to parent centers both regionally and nationally. - Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
“The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center assists the families of children with disabilities through education, information and training. PEATC builds parent-professional partnerships to promote success in school and community life through: Information and assistance to families in understanding and negotiating the education and service systems for their children with disabilities; Training for families and professionals that model partnerships and encourage active learning; and Collaboration with and technical assistance to schools, state and local agencies, parent resource centers and community organizations.” - Parents with Disabilities Online
“For too long, people with disabilities had been told that having families of our own was not an option. As people with disabilities have become more integrated into our society, more and more of us have been able to successfully raise families of our own. It is expected that as more opportunities become available to people with disabilities, more of us will choose to become parents.” - PEAK Parent Center
“Our mission is to ensure that children, youth, and adults with disabilities lead rich, active lives and participate as full members of their schools and communities by providing training, information, and technical assistance, including best practices, to families and the professionals working with them.” - Through the Looking Glass (TLG)
Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized non-profit agency and first National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities. They provide direct services, training, materials and research concerning families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue. - Family Voices
“We are families from throughout the United States who have children with special health needs. We are also caregivers, professionals, and friends whose lives have been touched by these children and their families. We are a diverse group, representing a wide variety of children, health conditions, families, and communities. Our concern for children brought us together.” - Federation for Children with Special Needs
Organized in 1975 as a coalition of parent groups representing children with a variety of disabilities, the Federation operates a Parent Center which offers a variety of services to parents, parent groups, and others who are concerned with children with special needs. - Kids Together
This non-profit organization, co-founded by parents and organized by volunteers, supports the belief that children with disabilities, like all children, have the need to be welcomed, cherished and embraced in our communities. This site is designed to provide helpful information and resources to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities, and communities as a whole. - Knowledge Path: Children and Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs
This “knowledge path” is an electronic resource guide pointing to recent, high-quality resources for health professionals and families about caring for children and adolescents with special health care needs.