Parent to Parent is a statewide network of families willing to share their experiences and information. We connect parents with other parents through parent to parent matches. Parents whose children are in similar situations are matched based on various needs - age of child, community, issues or concerns, school or grade, diagnosis, disability or illness.
We are a resource for families as they journey through all phases of their lives. Many parents discover how important it is to connect with another parent who knows first hand the feelings they are experiencing. Through parent to parent, opportunities are created for a unique bond of mutual support and pathways are opened for sharing of information. By connecting parents with each other, we empower families and put them in touch with the resources and information available for their child.
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.
Parent to Parent is the cornerstone of Parents Reaching Out. We believe that outcomes for children will be brighter when families are able to connect with one another to share experiences, information, new ideas and offer support. Networks of well-informed and empowered families who can tell their story can make a positive difference as education and healthcare systems work to develop programs and policies for the children they serve. Parent to Parent offers:
Parents call us or are referred to us through a variety of sources: medical staff, service coordinators, parents, disability groups, etc. When you contact us to request a match, we will spend some time on the phone finding out about your needs and what would make the best match. The match between a volunteer parent and a referred parent is usually based on similarities of concerns or disability, age of child, location, and similar family experiences.
We check our database of volunteers and contact the volunteer that is the best match. Our volunteer will contact the parent requesting a match as soon as possible. Once the initial contact has occurred, the on-going relationship develops according to the needs and preferences of the referred parent. Some matches are short-term, consisting of only 2 or 3 contacts. Others evolve into lasting friendships. Parents often emerge from their parent to parent connection feeling less alone and more confident.
A parent to parent match 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.
All information is kept confidential.
Providing parents with information is the best way to help them become the best advocates for their children. It is also a way that parents connect with one another and form networks to bring positive changes to their community. The workshops designed to promote parent to parent connections are listed below. 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.
During your journey with your child, you have had the opportunity to learn a great deal. You probably have come to understand the emotions related to the challenges you have faced, deepened your values with regard to your child, learned about community resources and strengthened relationships with others. Parents can be helped by other parents who have adjusted well to their own child's special challenges and have the capacity and willingness to help other parents by sharing their feelings, experiences and information.
Would you like to share what you have learned with other parents? Parent to Parent is looking for parents who are interested in reaching out to others. Parents who are willing to participate in workshops to learn to effectively support other parents and parents who want to make a difference. We invite you to contact us to about parent to parent.
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 booklet and companion workshop entitled "Telling Your Story" is a powerful resource tool for families as they make connections with one another and navigate the systems that impact their lives. We encourage you to download this publication from our Publications link and contact us to find out when the next workshop will be scheduled in your community.
Contact Parent to Parent: P2P@parentsreachingout.org
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