Resources for Parents
This page highlights resources and support for parents, guardians, and families of children with disabilities.
| Organization Link | Services & Supports Provided |
| Down Syndrome Information Alliance |
The Down Syndrome Information Alliance provides support and resources to empower individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and our community. |
| Warmline | Warmline was founded by and is staffed by parents who share the common experience of parenting a child with developmental delays or disabilities. Warmline’s mission is to provide information, education and support to promote and strengthen the foundation of families and children with developmental disabilities so they can face the challenges of the present and create new dreams for the future. |
| ThinkCollege | Think College is dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving research and practice in inclusive higher education for students with intellectual disability. Current list of programs offered in California |
| Warmline & UC Davis Mind Institute partnership: Mind the Gap | The Mind the Gap program offers 12 flexible peer coaching sessions (about 10 hours total) to help families learn about their child's needs and diagnosis, how to get connected with services, and reach their individualized goals. |
| Family and Community Engagement Department - SJUSD | San Juan Unified School District actively engages parents, guardians, extended family and community members to be our valued partners in the education process. We believe that parents and guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers and that sustained family involvement in the education of their children contributes greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment. Our Family and Community Engagement department (FACE) assists family and community members with the following: - Family education and leadership development - Professional development training - Business and community partnerships - Volunteer support and training |
| Autism Speaks | Autism Speaks mission is a commitment to creating a more equitable and accessible world for those we serve. By enhancing our solutions, embracing culture and elevating diversity inside and outside of our organization, we can guide individuals and families to more relevant resources that can help them overcome obstacles they may encounter and reach their full potential. This work will address biases and disparities that create obstacles, champion equity-focused innovations and further advance the lives of people on the spectrum. |
| Flybrave | Flybrave was established in response to a need for continued supports for adults with developmental disabilities following the school years. Fly Brave serves individuals with developmental disabilities through employment training, social and life skills workshops, and fitness programs. We believe in catering to opportunities that meet the talents and career passions of our clients. We are building a bridge between aging out of school and finding gainful employment with an emphasis on community involvement and social connections. Employment is a wide spread need across the country with statistics reporting the unemployment rate to be nearly 80% for this population. |
| Alta Regional Center | Assists people with developmental disabilities and their families by building a team of supportive physicians, therapists and other professionals |
| Department of Rehabilitation | The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) works in partnership with consumers and other stakeholders to provide services and advocacy resulting in employment, independent living, and equality for individuals with disabilities. |
| California Hands & Voices | California Hands & Voices is dedicated to supporting families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in a respectful and non-judgmental manner regarding language opportunities, communication tools or educational approaches. We’re a parent-driven, non-profit organization providing families with the resources, networks, and information to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children. Our outreach activities, parent/professional collaboration, and advocacy efforts are focused on enabling children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing to reach their highest potential. |
| All About Young Children | All About Young Children is a website where you can find out about what skills help children learn, how they learn language, how they learn about feelings and relationships, how they learn about numbers, and how they become skillful at moving their bodies. |
| Wright's Law | A good place to start unravelling the mysteries of the IEP is Wrightslaw.com. The link above will drop you right into the soup, where you’ll find articles, law and regulations, tactics and strategies, tips, books, and free publications about IEPs. |
| California Department of Education | This online training is available via California Services for Technical Assistance and Training (CalSTAT) and is specific to benchmarks related to CA content standards. But it’s also conveniently based on IDEA 2004 and deals with writing measurable goals and objectives, a skill quite central to writing effective IEPs. |
| Center for Parent Information & Rescources | This collection of resources speaks directly to students as they begin to plan their post- secondary goals. |
| Developing Your Child's IEP | Tips and suggestions on Developing Your Child’s IEP and learn how to effectively work with schools to meet the needs of your child. |
| Roadmap to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: What You Need to Know About IEPs and IEP Meetings |
Wrightslaw offers us all a “Roadmap to IDEA 2004: What You Need to Know About IEPs & IEP Meetings.” |
| IEP Overview Warmline Presentation |
FACE and Special Education Department Workshop offered virtually on February 28, 2022 |
| FACE Resources | SJUSD Family and Community Engagement department (FACE) assists family and community members with the following: - Family education and leadership development - Professional development training - Business and community partnerships - Volunteer support and training |
| Lives in the Balance | Advocay group that provides resources for families and schools to help Improve school culture, climate, and discipline means replacing punitive, exclusionary practices with a more compassionate, effective approach. |
| Trauma in Schools | A powerpoint presentation: Topic - Supporting families with transitioning back in the building presented by SJUSD school psychologists, Geoff Smith and Bryon Gaither |
| AFIRM | AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an EBP with learners with ASD from birth to 22 years of age. |
| State Council on Developmental Disabilities | The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) is an independent state agency that provides supports and access to services for children and families |
| CIE Toolkit |
The California Department of Education (CDE), Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) are pleased to share the attached Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) Roadmap for Consumers. The roadmap is designed to assist individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and their families navigate the service delivery systems of the three departments and locate available employment resources. The roadmap provides CIE information by the following age groups: 12 to 15 years old |
| The Arc of California | The ARC of California is involved with every public policy issue that impacts their constituency of people with intellectual disabilities (I/DD) throughout their lifespan. Their work is focused in these areas: Children and FAmilies, Early Intervention & Special Education, Health & MEdical, Housing, Disparities, Workforce Development, Employment and Criminal Justice. Their scope of work continually expands to meet emerging needs. |
| Project Optimism | Project Optimism is a community-based non-profit organization designed to foster optimism for K-8 students and families through personal development curriculum and community engagement. Project Optimism's mission is to be the catalyst that will properly equip community members with an optimistic mindset to be productive contributors to society. |
| SAYS - Sacramento Area Youth Speaks | Sacramento Area Youth Speaks (SAYS) is a social justice movement that empowers youth and transforms education by creating platforms for critical literacy, access to higher education, youth voice and civic engagement. SAYS elevates the voices of students as the authors of their own lives and agents of change. |
| The United College Network | The United College Action Network, Inc. (U-CAN) is a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation that provides leadership services and college preparation assistance to students desiring to enroll in four-year postsecondary colleges, with a focus on admissions to Nation’s over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). |
| Pre IEP WorkSheet | A work sheet for parents/guardians to set goals for IEPs |
| IEP Parental Sheet | Parental IEP worksheet. Help provided insight to the child's strength/weakness in school and at home. |
| Before the IEP Meeing | Notes for parents on what to expect in the IEP meeting |
| How to Encourage Transition | Activites ideas for parents to encourage transition |
| During the IEP Meeting | This tip sheet provides you with a list of reminders to help guide you through the IEP Meeting. |
| SMART IEP Goals | This tip sheet provides you with a list of “to do” items at the conclusion of the IEP Meeting. |
| IDEA Fact Sheet | Understand for All, Inc. explains the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and how it impacts you and your child. |
| Understanding the Law | This table shows examples of what IDEA provides for, and how states can add their own special education laws to meet students’ needs. |
| Letter Writing (Parents) | This document provides tips for communicating to your child’s school in writing. |
| Anatomey of an effective email | This document provides a template for how to write an effective email to your child’s teacher. |
| Pre-school graduation | This fact sheet provides examples of how to support your child at home beginning in PreK. |
| Elementary School to Graduation Fact Sheet | This fact sheet provides examples of how to support your child throughout elementary school. |
| Middle School to Graduation Fact Sheet | This fact sheet provides examples of how to support your child throughout middle school. |
| What Parents can do at Home to Encourage Transition | This document provides a list of skills to work on with your child at home. |
| After the IEP | This tip sheet provides you with a list of “to do” items at the conclusion of the IEP Meeting. |
| Visiual Support | View information about using visual supports to help your child acquire new skills and build independence at home. |
Parent Toolkit
