Parent Resources

Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR)

CPIR serves as the central hub of information for the network of Parent Centers. Its website explains that it is a “voice, network, [and] resource” for Parent Centers and offers materials designed specifically for families of children with disabilities. Parents can search the hub for resources, find their local Parent Center and access materials in English or Spanish.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)

NCLD is a national nonprofit that partners with educators, students, families and young adults to advance research and advocate for equitable policies. The mission statement notes that NCLD works with these stakeholders “to advance innovative research and advocate for equitable policies that address systemic barriers” ncld.org. The site provides resources for parents and caregivers, educators and young adults along with information on legal rights and specific learning disabilities.

Parent to Parent of Georgia (P2P GA)

P2P GA is a state‑wide nonprofit that supports Georgia families and individuals impacted by disabilities or special health care needs. The organization’s homepage states that it provides support, information, training and leadership development for people from birth to age 26 and aims to be the resource of choice for Georgians with disabilities p2pga.org. Families can use the site to find provider databases, road maps to success and training events.

Wrightslaw

Wrightslaw is an advocacy website that offers accurate and up‑to‑date information about special education law, education rights and advocacy strategies. According to the site, parents, advocates, teachers and attorneys rely on Wrights law for information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities..

Autism Speaks – Autism Response Team (ART)

Autism Speaks’ parents page notes that the Autism Response Team (ART) is “specially trained to connect people with autism, their families, and caretakers to information, tools, and resources.  Parents can contact ART via the website for personalized help and use the site’s guides on screening, interventions and insurance coverage.

Autism Society – Training & Resource Center

The Autism Society’s training and resource center provides online training, certifications and resources to meet the diverse needs of the autism community The organization emphasizes that the center aims to be a leading online community for educational resources and that it strengthens connections to training and resources on a national scale. Elsewhere on the Autism Society site, parents preparing for IEP meetings are encouraged to use the resources because the organization “empowers families with resources so you can advocate with confidence”

National Autism Center at May Institute – Parent resources

The National Autism Center’s resource library provides Pathways for Parents, a free virtual autism training series and offers A Parent’s Guide to Evidence‑Based Practice and Autism. The guide helps families evaluate treatment options and understand the complexity of diagnostic evaluations. It also emphasizes that parents are bombarded with treatment choices and the manual is designed to support decision‑making.

Organization for Autism Research (OAR)

OAR is a parent‑led, science‑based organization founded and governed by parents and grandparents of children with autism. A partner site summarises that OAR is “parent led, science‑based, community focused”; its board of directors consists of parents and grandparents who provide leadership jewelersforchildren.org. OAR’s scientific council and staff work with the community to apply science to the daily questions facing autistic people and their families jewelersforchildren.org. OAR publishes research‑backed guidebooks and manuals on topics such as understanding an autism diagnosis, safety, navigating the special‑education system and preparing for adulthoodresearchautism.org. Each guidebook is written by experts and is available at little or no cost to families researchautism.org.

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

ASAN is a nonprofit run by and for autistic people that also publishes resources for parents. Its booklet “Start Here: a guide for parents of autistic kids” was developed to counter resources that stigmatize autism. The booklet explains that many parents receive negative messages after a diagnosis and offers an autistic‑led perspective on what autism is, what good services look like, and topics such as self‑advocacy and communication. ASAN emphasizes that parents should learn from the autistic community and that the toolkit is available to download or purchase.

Children’s National Hospital – Family Resources (Autism)

The Children’s National Hospital autism page lists helpful organizations and websites such as Autism Science Foundation, Autism Speaks, Autism Society, Autistic Self‑Advocacy Network, National Autism Center, Center for Parent Information and Resources and Wrightslawchildrensnational.org. The hospital also provides expert parenting tips for children with autism.

Wellness Resources

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) – Families & Caregivers

CASEL’s SEL for Families page states that families are a child’s first teachers and critical partners in promoting social‑emotional learning CASEL provides tools and templates to help schools build authentic family partnerships, communicate with families, align SEL strategies at home and school, and engage community organizations. The site also offers a free introductory course on SEL for families. 

Edutopia – A Parent’s Resource Guide to SEL

Edutopia’s guide is a curated list of articles and videos that help parents foster social‑emotional skills such as kindness, gratitude, perseverance and resiliencesel.lab.uic.edu. The guide links to resources on cultivating empathy, building perseverance, fostering gratitude and establishing home–school partnerships.

Confident Parents, Confident Kids

This blog and resource site explicitly focuses on actively promoting children’s social, emotional and ethical development. According to the UIC SEL resource list, it is the only site for parents that focuses explicitly on these aspects; its articles offer simple, practical ways for parents to model, coach and create practice opportunities for social‑emotional skills within daily family lifesel.lab.uic.edu.

GreatSchools – Emotional Smarts

GreatSchools is a community resource that helps families research schools and offers an “Emotional Smarts” section. The UIC resource list notes that GreatSchools provides school ratings and reviews and that its Emotional Smarts section includes a toolbox, game and video seriessel.lab.uic.edu. An article on GreatSchools explains that the organization partnered with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to create articles, videos and tools that help parents nurture their children’s emotional intelligencegreatschools.org.

Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media reviews movies, apps, video games and other media. The UIC resource list notes that each review provides a parent‑level age rating and a kid‑level perspective, and includes a summary with positive messages and violence/scariness rankingssel.lab.uic.edu. There is also a mobile app to help parents quickly review any media their children might encountersel.lab.uic.edu.

Healthy Children (American Academy of Pediatrics)

This website provides pediatrician‑approved information about children’s developmental stages, healthy living, safety, prevention and managing health concernssel.lab.uic.edu. Parents can learn about physical and emotional development from infancy through adolescence.

Info About Kids

Developed by the Consortium for Science‑Based Information on Children, Youth, and Families, the site commits to publishing resources with a solid research base. The UIC resource list describes sections on body, mind, emotions and relationships.

NBC Parent Toolkit

NBC’s Parent Toolkit offers developmental markers at each age or stage and provides guidance in academic, health, wellness and social‑emotional development. The resource list notes that the site also includes a supplemental app that prompts parents with specific milestones and offers tips for support.

Common anti‑bullying and mental‑health resources

The UIC list also points parents to resources like the Anti‑Bullying Guidebook, the federal Stop Bullying site and various suicide‑prevention resourcessel.lab.uic.edusel.lab.uic.edu. These sites offer strategies to recognize, prevent and stop bullying and provide crisis‑prevention information.