support for parents of children with disabilities in kansas city

Resources and support for parents of children with disabilities: Parenting education

Disabled child on wheelchair using a mobile phone with his father.

Parents never stop learning how to be better parents. This is partly because a child’s needs never stop changing. Each child also has individual needs that parents need to recognize so they can provide for them. When you find out that your child has a disability, you quickly realize how much you don’t know. How do you manage your own feelings about their diagnosis? How do you adapt your family’s routines while maintaining a sense of normalcy? How do you make sure your child’s getting the care they need or a quality education? 

Disability education services are a big part of our programs at Ability KC. We help parents learn about their role in helping their child stay well and reach their highest potential. We recognize that our education services are one small part of your journey of lifelong learning.

In this article, we’ll share educational resources and support that may be helpful for parents of children with disabilities.

What types of educational resources are available for parents of kids with disabilities?

Many educational resources are available online, and we’ve linked some of the best ones in this blog post. Some aspects of caring for your child will require in-person learning or one-on-one coaching. For instance, your child’s care team might instruct you on how to care for their medical needs or point you to local learning centers that provide courses. You can also learn a lot from other parents of children with similar conditions.

Researchers are uncovering new insights about disabilities that many children face all the time. Online courses are helpful for general learning, but they don’t always have the most updated information. You may want to explore a variety of educational resources and check in with your most trusted sources to stay informed.

General parenting education resources

All parents of children with disabilities need to learn the basics of navigating their child’s healthcare, caring for them at home and advocating for them at school. Oftentimes when parents receive the news about their child’s condition, they find they need help managing their own reaction and emotions. This is a good time to learn about emotional regulation and healthy coping strategies.

Here are some general education resources for parents of children with disabilities:

Learning about developmental milestones and early interventions

Knowing what milestones your child should reach as they grow can help you recognize when they need support. There may be a type of intervention that can help your child develop the skills they need. Sometimes developmental delays are early signs that a child should be tested for certain conditions. Having this awareness will help you have better conversations with their care providers. 

The following educational resources can help parents of children with disabilities learn about developmental milestones and early interventions:

Learning about special education and support at school

Having a disability doesn’t always mean that your child will need special education. Teachers and school staff typically meet with parents and other professionals to determine what kind of support each child will need. Your child’s school may have some educational resources about this process, but it’s a good idea to seek out others.

These resources can help parents of children with disabilities learn about special education and support at school:

Learning about your child’s condition

Your child’s care providers may provide a high-level overview of your child’s condition and discuss some of their unique symptoms with you. However, there’s always more to learn about your child’s health and how their condition affects it. 

Explore these resources to learn about your child’s condition:

Learning about resources in your community 

Community resources often change based on funding and changes in need. It’s worth your time to search for educational resources in your location. There are a few national organizations and directories that can help you start your search.

Parents of children with disabilities can use these directories to find educational resources in their local community:

Parenting a child with a disability takes some specialized knowledge. It’s not easy, but there are plenty of caring organizations and individuals who can help you learn what you need to know. As first steps, you may want to learn about your child’s specific condition and seek out emotional support from other parents who have been in the same situation. 

As you run into specific challenges, try to find trustworthy sources of information. It’s a good idea to cross-check information with other sources and read what experts and parents think about parenting methods. One of your most helpful skills will be determining what type of expertise to seek out in different situations. Peer-reviewed medical research is great for a lot of things, but it can’t always answer your questions about how to have tough conversations with your child. 

At Ability KC, we are experts in leading medical rehabilitation practices for complex conditions. We also have a therapeutic preschool. Our organization is a designated Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) with a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation. In addition, we are accredited with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Are you looking for support as a parent of a child with a disability? We can help. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.

Want to help support the work we’re doing at Ability KC? Check out our Groundhog Run event page to learn about this awesome event and how it supports what we do.