Parent-to-Parent Programs

Parent-to-Parent programs provide emotional and informational support to parents who have a son or daughter with a disability by matching a trained veteran parent in a one-to-one relationship with a parent newly referred to the program. Because the veteran parent and the referred parent have similar disability and family issues, the veteran parent is able to provide a unique form of support based upon these shared common experiences and the knowledge and wisdom acquired along the way. In some Parent-to-Parent programs, parents of young adults with special needs who have already made the transition from the special education service system to adult services are providing this valuable support to families of adolescents preparing for this transition. This article reports the results of a national survey of Parent-to-Parent programs, and discusses the implications of the survey findings for parent support during transition planning and the move into the adult-service system.