Disability Resources for Parents/Guardians

In the spirit of #DisabilityPrideMonth, we should highlight how we can instill this pride in our children. One way of doing so is acknowledging their individual identities and providing a safe space for them to develop at their own speed.Our Children's Mental Health Services and Head Start teams have put together a short list of resources for parents/guardians of children with disabilities. While we work to be as comprehensive as possible, we also understand that knowledge in the field is always evolving. Our hope is that the organizations and articles listed below will provide new education on a variety of conditions and additional local resources.

• Children and Family Connections of Central Illinois —Focused on children, birth to three, in Lake County, this organization helps families with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and securing the providers that can implement them.
• Head Start Center for Inclusion —The materials are aimed at Early Childhood professionals, but are a great resource for parents/guardians to understand how the education system can support their children.
• Invisible Disabilities —A nonprofit focused on awareness and education of invisible disabilities, defined as "a physical, mental or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside, yet can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses or activities." Their efforts in establishing a National Disability ID are with the intent of providing affected individuals an easy option for voluntary disclosure of their condition. The Invisible Disabilities Association defines them as
• Life as a Zebra Foundation: Patient Resources —The directory includes numerous organizations as well as caregiver resources. Life as a Zebra Foundation works to provide funding for education and research in the invisible disability space.
• Office of Head Start: Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center —This resource provides information on Head Start Services available for children with disabilities and steps on how to receive support from birth to school age.
• RespectAbility: Education Resources —A fantastic organization to follow whether you are looking for resources at any age, need a better understanding of disability-related terminology, or are curious about the disability movements the United States.
• Specially Gifted Foundation —While this foundation supports families in Georgia specifically, their blog provides useful tips on how families can make accommodations and/or fun activities at home.
• The Arc of Illinois —This organization advocates for those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Chapters and affiliates are available across the state, including the counties we serve at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.

Disabilities impact many people. There may be people in your life that have conditions no one knows about. Other disabilities may be visible and individuals with disabilities are often forced to navigate harsh stereotypes.If we, as a society, can teach youth from the start that there is no shame in having a disability—no matter what it is—the world will be that much better. Every person's life journey is unique; we have the responsibility to celebrate the richness of those lived experiences, including honoring the particular experiences of those living with disabilities.