Early Intervention

(DreamCatchers)

Project DreamCatchers was established at Parents Reaching Out in 1993 through a grant from the New Mexico Department of Health Family Infant Toddler Program (FIT). Through this project we provide family liaisons throughout New Mexico who work with families of infants and toddlers ages birth through three who are at risk for or have developmental delays, disabilities or have a medical condition. We provide workshops that help to inform families, service providers and community members about their new journey. We also provide information about the early intervention system, community programs, services and organizations. Through our Parent to Parent Program, we connect families in similar situations who can share experiences, offer practical information and build support networks. These networks are powerful tools when families make informed decisions as their child’s best advocate.

We provide resources and support to families with children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the pediatrics unit at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. We understand the emotions, myths, and realities of parenting a child with special needs.

DreamCatchers does not replace physicians, therapists or other professionals. We believe that many families' needs go beyond the boundaries of formal services. What we can offer each other is uniquely ours. We have all been there. To find out about early intervention services and our family friendly workshops, call Parents Reaching Out and we will connect you with a Family Liaison in your area.

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Learning Opportunities

DreamCatchers hold many workshops for families. Providing parents with information is the best way to help them become the best advocates for their children. Below you will find information on each workshop Project DreamCatchers provides. Visit our calendar page to see when each workshop will be held in a community near you. If you have questions or would like to set up a workshop in your community, please feel free to call Parents Reaching Out at 1-800 524-5176.

• Grab-N-Go / Keeping It All Together (KIAT)-(2 hours) Record keeping is an important tool for every family. These workshops help families organize important information about their child. Our Grab-N-Go workshops offer easy to use folders based on high interest topics to get started on record keeping. The folders help keep you in the know about your child's progress and needs as you work with systems (early intervention, education, special education, health care and more). We also offer a Keeping It All together (KIAT) workshop that is focused on a detailed notebook system that is especially useful to families of children with extensive health or special needs.
• Developing the Dream-(3 hours) Learn about the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), natural environments and how to build a plan that fits your family.
• Next Steps to Success-(2 hours) Learn how to plan for transition from the Family Infant Toddler (FIT) program to other services and programs.
• Parent to Parent PROspective- (2 hours) Discover the resources that Parents Reaching Out offers and the value of connecting with other families in similar situations. Learn about support groups and resources. This workshop is designed for parents who are interested in being matched with a Support Parent in our Parent to Parent network.
• Connecting Families with Families-(Full Day) This workshop is designed for parents who are ready to help other parents through their journey. Parents who have been there can provide support and information to other families as they face the challenges and emotions of parenting a child who may have a developmental delay, disability or medical condition. We provide tools for volunteers interested in making a difference as a Support Parent through Parent to Parent connections.
• Telling Your Story-(3 hours) We learn from our own experiences and the experiences of others. These "life lessons" help us make future choices that better meet the needs of our family. When we share our "life lessons", we can also help others understand our position and improve the quality of life for our children and others. Learn why it is important to tell your story. Tools and tips you can use to prepare your story.

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Family Leadership Action Network

DreamWeavers are the foundation of parent to parent and play a key role as volunteers in our Family Leadership Action Network (FLAN). They are parents who have "been there" and are prepared to listen and provide support - one parent to another. When a family is faced with the possibility of their child having a developmental delay, disability or medical condition, their dreams are sometimes interrupted. Our trained parent volunteers help families build dreams for their children. DreamWeavers share the challenges and emotions of their own journey.

DreamWeavers connect with families in their own community to provide information, resources and support. They offer basic assistance through a Parent to Parent match to help parents discover their Dream for their child and to identify the child's strengths, abilities or needs. Our DreamWeavers refer other parents to PRO, distribute flyers in their communities about upcoming PRO trainings and encourage their local early intervention agencies to provide parent trainings

Parents Reaching Out provides training, support and new opportunities for family members interested in becoming DreamWeavers. Do you have experiences and information from your own journey through parenting that would help other families? We invite you to contact us ask about our DreamWeavers volunteer network.

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DreamCatchers Publications

Parents Reaching Out offers a variety of materials as outreach tools as we connect with communities across New Mexico. Our publications are designed to provide information and resources that build informed decisions as families work with systems to create successful opportunities for children and young adults. We invite you to browse through our Publications and Fact Sheets page for resources and topics that cover, early intervention, education, special education, health care access and systems change.

Our First Steps fact sheets cover topics including: A Child's First Advocate, Natural Environments and Daily Routines, Nurturing Toddler's Gifts, Teachable Moments, Listening and more. These fact sheets are available in English and many are available in Spanish. We use family friendly language to help unlock the mysteries of complex topics.

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Meet the DreamCatchers (Early Intervention) Advisory

Each project at Parents Reaching Out has an advisory committee made up of stakeholders who provide guidance and promote the goals of the project.

Contact: DreamCatchers@parentsreachingout.org