This article looks at ways the Social Security Administration is changing its image to be more helpful to families with a disabled child. Noted are Supplemental Security Income benefits, the part played by the National Parent Network on Disability, and the recent "Zebley" Supreme Court decision. (DB)

Peer support can be helpful in reducing the stress involved in giving birth to and raising a child with handicaps. A peer support group can help meet the parents' needs for information, emotional support, and ways to connect with social/health systems components. To be successful, a peer support system should be led by parents, have access to…

This guide, in Spanish, notes the value of parent groups for parents of children with disabilities, as they offer parents a place and a means to share information, give and receive emotional support, and work as a team to address common concerns. Typical activities of a parent group are listed, and ways of identifying parent groups that exist…

This guide notes the value of parent groups for parents of children with disabilities, as they offer parents a place and a means to share information, give and receive emotional support, and work as a team to address common concerns. Typical activities of a parent group are listed, and ways of identifying parent groups that exist nationally and…

This manual is designed for individuals, community organizations, and groups that wish to become Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC). The competition for these grants is issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of Special Education Programs. The handbook provides…

Intended for the parent/guardian of a disabled child, the article relates the concept of consumer involvement to the attainment of educational, therapeutic, or mental health services for children. The importance of parents' groups is stressed, and steps for the parent to take as a child's advocate are listed. (SBH)

A home based project serving special needs children 0 to 5 years old in a rural area developed a mothers' group designed to increase parents' self esteem, decrease their isolation, and provide more information about their child's development. An introductory section outlines general assumptions of the group and describes a sequence of activities…

The booklet offers information to help parents find resources for their handicapped children. Following a brief discussion of the difficulties of having a handicapped child is a chapter with tips about diagnosis. Among the suggestions offered are insisting on a clear and complete interpretation of all diagnostic reports and checking the library…

The manual describes development of a personal growth and peer support group for parents of developmentally delayed or disabled children which was designed to help parents adjust expectations about their infant or young child and to accommodate the handicap. Initial decisions regarding leader and participant characteristics and frequency and…

Parents (n=33) of children with disabilities, who were leaders in parent organizations, were questioned about their experiences in being mentored and in mentoring others. Seven themes are identified relative to effective mentoring of parents of children with disabilities. Specific mentoring activities are suggested and barriers to mentoring are…

Intended for parent and other advocacy groups interested in studying the quality of local public special education programs from a consumer perspective, the packet of information (in looseleaf format) provides an organized way of collecting information, reviewing it, and drawing conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of the local program.…

Materials have been assembled in these appendices to provide practical help to Community Advisory Committees (groups composed of parents, handicapped pupils or adults, professionals, and interested citizens). Materials are grouped under the following headings: (1) Legislative Fact Sheets, (2) Parent Handbooks and Pamphlets, (3) Newsletters, (4)…

The Special Education Parents Alliance created an employment project seeking jobs in the business community for special education graduates and other persons with disabilities. The project serves learning disabled, educable mentally handicapped, trainable mentally handicapped, and physically disabled persons in DuPage County and portions of west…

This Spanish language information brief describes the Parent to Parent Program, which provides information and one-to-one emotional support to parents of children with special needs. The program trains experienced parents in the program and matches them with similar parents new to the program. Benefits of the program include: (1) providing parents…

This article reviews resources that offer personal insights and lessons from families of children with disabilities. Five books are reviewed that offer perspectives from fathers and mothers on raising and coping with a child with a disability, along with three Web sites for families of children with disabilities or premature infants. (CR)