Resources and Training Opportunities for Families Caring for Children with Special Needs

Vol. 14, No. 1 • November 2009

Resources and Training Opportunities for Families Caring for Children with Special Needs

by Karen Leclair, FSN-CI, Family Support Specialist

Many foster, adoptive, and kinship families care for children with such special needs as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental delay, autism, or behavioral difficulties. While caring for a child with special needs involves unique challenges, it can also bring extraordinary joys. North Carolina has a wealth of organizations serving families with children who have special needs. Knowing where to look for these organizations, resources, and training opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills will help you address some of your concerns and get the support you need.

The Family Support Network is a wonderful resource for families caring for a child with special needs. The Family Support Network, part of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at UNC-Chapel Hill (FSN-CI), promotes and provides support for families with children who have special needs. FSN-CI maintains the Central Directory of Resources. By calling (800) 852-0042 or visiting http://www.fsnnc.org, you can speak with a Resource Specialist about your child’s special needs, and you can also receive printed information on disabilities, chronic conditions, and related issues.

FSN-CI is a part of the Family Support Network of North Carolina, which is made up of affiliated family support programs. Each Family Support Network affiliate provides support to local families with children who have special needs. Their activities include information and referral, Parent-to-Parent matches, sibling workshops, support groups, and training workshops for families and service providers. Programs can be reached directly in the local community, or through the Central Directory of Resources at the numbers and addresses above.

Sample Resources Related to Special Needs
Below are just a few of the resources in North Carolina you can use to learn more about specific special needs and training opportunities for families caring for children with special needs.

The Arc of North Carolina is committed to securing for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to choose and realize their goals of where and how they learn, live, work, and play. Arc has 40 local chapters in the state that provide varying levels of advocacy, education, referral, services and support to families and professionals. Web: www.arcnc.org; Tel.: (800) 662-8706.

Sample trainings: Special Education; Guardianship, and other issues relating to the lives of persons with developmental disabilities.

The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) provides support and promotes opportunities which enhance the lives of individuals within the autism spectrum and their families. ASNC parent advocates offer expertise in a variety of areas including information and referral, mental health services, IEP issues, transition planning, crisis services, parent leadership training, and workshops. Web: www.autismsociety-nc.org; Tel.: (800) 442-2762.

Sample trainings: What is Autism?; The Autism Spectrum IEP; Staying Safe in the Community

ECAC is a statewide Parent Training and Information Center for families of children with disabilities. They provide a variety of free services to families including a toll free Parent Info Line, information packets, website, workshops for parents and professionals, lending library, information packets, and newsletter. All parent educators who answer the Parent Info Line or conduct workshops are themselves parents of children with disabilities. Their website and parent educators are especially helpful around issues of educational advocacy. Web: www.ecac-parentcenter.org; Tel.: (800) 962-6817.

Sample trainings: Becoming Your Child’s Best Advocate; Positive Behavior Support; Informed, Effective Parents

NAMI NC provides support, education, and advocacy for the families and friends of people with serious mental illness, and for persons with serious mental illness. NAMI focuses specifically upon those mental illnesses that are brain disorders. These are serious illnesses that can affect a person’s ability to think, feel, and relate to other people and the environment. Serious mental illnesses include schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and other brain disorders. For children, the list of serious emotional disturbances includes the above illnesses, plus attention deficit disorder, autism, and pervasive developmental disorder. Web: www.naminc.org; (800) 451-9682.

Sample training: NAMI Basics, for parents or direct caregivers of children who showed symptoms of a mental illness before the age of 13 (no matter what age they are now)

Copyright � 2009 Jordan Institute for Families