Parent to Parent Support A Guide to Making
- Slides: 18
Parent to Parent Support A Guide to Making Connections Cheri Dowling Patricia Timm 2007 National Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Conference
What is a support group? A group of people with common experiences and concerns who provide emotional and moral support for one another Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary
A characteristic unique to support groups is the mutual support members are able to provide one another. This support and validation from other group members help facilitate personal growth and change in a way that individual therapy cannot. Although experts and professionals can provide support and positive direction, the mutual exchange of information between group members is a powerful experience that often induces lasting change. Deanna Pledge Ph. D. , The Gale Group Inc. , Gale, Detroit, Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, 2003
What do support groups do? Most often, members discuss problems in the group and provide support and advice to each other. Members of support groups are never forced to speak or share their personal concerns unless they feel comfortable doing so. In addition to sharing, some groups choose to have educational activities by inviting guest speakers who talk about specific issues. Jenny Nickol, Ohio State University Extension Agent, Hamilton County Ohio State University Extension; Senior Series
Why Should it be Parent Led? • Common Experiences • Comfort Level • Unbiased
Types of Parent Groups FORMAL INFORMAL • Parent to Parent • Training • Funding • Collaboration • Casual • No formal training • Funding • Internet
Getting Started • • • Find other interested parents Homework First meeting Rules Expectations
Find Other Parents • • School Places of Worship Neighbors Word of mouth
Homework • • Don’t reinvent the wheel Collaborate Research Use what’s free
Planning the First Meeting • • When Where Length Specific Topic Child Care Refreshments Who is invited
Qualities of a Good Leader • • • Emotional maturity Well organized Superior listening skills Willingness to reach out Enthusiasm Sense of Humor The Parents’ Place of Maryland Making Connections, A Guide for Building Family to Family Support
Four Stages of Adaptation • • Surviving Searching Settling In Separating
The First Meeting • • Introductions Volunteers Location Group needs Topics/Activities Meeting Frequency Ground Rules
Meeting Rules • • Confidentiality Respect Be non-judgmental Unbiased
Expectations • • • Purpose Networking Include everyone Evaluate Mission statement
Evaluate Your Support Group • Leadership organized, skillful, and affirming of those who attend? • Strong consistent core of members attending? • Is the group growing and expanding? • Do newcomers keep coming back? • Does the group reflect the community? • Do the members willingly involve themselves in the groups activities? • Do the members report a sense of belonging, friendship, and increased knowledge about the service systems? Adapted from: Circles of Care and Understanding: Support Programs for Fathers of Children with Special Needs by James May, June 1992
Are you ready? Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Meade
CONTACT US Cheri Dowling Pat Timm CAD 800@aol. com timmpa@msd. edu 443 -277 -8899 Partners for Success Family Support and Resource Center PO Box 894 Columbia, MD 21044 partners@msd. edu (410) 480 -4597 (v/tty) or (410) 480 -4598 (fax)
- Is making inference simply making a guess
- War making and state making as organized crime
- Child grooming
- What is signal words
- A guide for making healthful daily food choices
- A healthful eating plan can include sensible snacks
- A guide to it technical support
- Inside laptop
- Which parent function is represented by the graph apex
- West point parent resources
- Bcsone
- All hallows parent portal
- Rational function parent function
- Translations of absolute value functions
- Rational parent function equation
- Whats immediate family
- Environmentalist are earnestly trying to determine
- Parent portal pinellas
- Tipe tipe keluarga