What is Parent to
Parent?Top
Organizationally, Parent to Parent
programs offer parent to parent support as a
core resource for families with children who
have a special health care need, disability,
or mental health issue. Through a one to one
"match" experienced support parents provide
emotional support to families and assist
them in finding information and resources.
Parent to Parent programs are committed to
listening and learning from families and
developing an array of services and supports
in response to family identified needs.
The Parent to Parent network is a growing
national resource for families. Statewide,
regional and local community-based programs
continue to emerge out of grassroots
efforts; new statewide Parent to Parent
programs are being developed to support the
efforts of local programs; national needs
are being addressed as they arise; and
international interest in Parent to Parent
is growing every year. The strength of
Parent to Parent comes directly from the
parents who dedicate themselves to its
continuing success.
What is Parent
to Parent Support?Top
Parent to Parent USA defines parent to
parent support as the intentional connection
between a trained volunteer Support Parent
and a parent seeking information, resources,
guidance, and support from an experienced
parent. Parent to Parent programs facilitate
parent "matches" and provide follow-up
support to assure the matched relationship
meets peer expectations. Because the quality
of the matched experience depends on a
number of different factors, Parent to
Parent programs make parent matches with
great care.
Click on our
Looking for Support map
icon to find a statewide Parent to Parent
program. If you don't presently have a
program in your state, click on a
neighboring state; they will happily help
you find a match.
What are Parent to
Parent USA Endorsed Practices?Top
The practices endorsed and promoted by
Parent to Parent USA are based on research
and the knowledge of experienced P2P Program
Directors. View the following files in PDF
format:
How are P2P Matches
Made and Supported?Top
Parents who are interested in being
matched with a Support Parent often
self-refer to a Parent to Parent program or
they can request that someone else make the
referral on their behalf. Referrals and
matches are never made, however, without the
expressed interest and permission of the
parent seeking the support, and anonymous
referrals are never accepted. Usually the
person who handles referrals to the Parent
to Parent program is a parent and parents
find it comforting to talk to another parent
right away. The referral coordinator, in
order to ensure the most successful match,
will gather information from the referred
parent about (a) the child; (b) diagnosis
and specific challenges; (c) reasons for
seeking support; (d) the qualities they hope
for in a support parent; and (e) any unique
preferences or issues related to the match.
The referral coordinator will then check the
roster of trained and available Support
Parents to identify a Support Parent who
seems to be the right fit. If the support
parent agrees to the match, then contact
information for each parent is shared with
the other and the match is made. After the
match is made, follow-up activities help to
ensure the success of the match. An initial
call to both parents lets the coordinator
know the match has been made and to know if
additional support or resources are needed.
What are the
characteristics of Parent to Parent?Top
- Most Parent to Parent programs are
parent-directed, and indeed it is this
parent ownership and energy that seem to
give the program their real strength.
- Most Parent to Parent programs are
all inclusive and serve families of
children/adults of all ages.
- Most Parent to Parent programs are
cross-disability, special health care
need and mental health challenges
offering a wide range of support
including children who have AIDS, severe
behavioral and emotional challenges,
and/or children with acquired
disabilities or who are born
prematurely.
- Each match evolves based upon the
needs and preferences of the referred
parents -- some matches are just a few
contacts over a course of several days
or weeks; while others evolve into
lifelong friendships.
- 100% of P2P USA Alliance Members
offer formal training for Support
Parents. (2010) Organization Survey)
What is the history of
Parent to Parent?Top
The first formally organized Parent to
Parent program, the Pilot Parents Program,
was started in Omaha, NE by a young mother
of a child with Down syndrome. She worked
closely with a social worker at the Greater
Omaha Arc who shared her vision of a program
to foster 1-1 connections between parents.
The program grew rapidly and within a few
years the founders received a federal grant
to train others to replicate the Pilot
Parent model. Parent to Parent programs
began to spring up nationwide, fueled by the
energies and commitments of parents who
believed fervently in their importance.
See history of the Parent to Parent Movement
and the history of Parent to Parent - USA
How is Parent to Parent
Part of a Comprehensive System of Family
Support?Top
There are many different parent support
and information opportunities available to
parents - some are directed by professionals
and others are directed by parents;
sometimes the support is provided in a group
setting and sometimes the support is
provided individually. Ideally communities
will offer parents a broad spectrum of
parent support options so that parents can
choose the one that is most comfortable and
meaningful for them. Sometimes parents want
to talk individually with a professional
about a particular issue or need. Support
that is provided by professionals in a
one-to-one setting can be either
informational or emotional support. The
one-to-one nature of this support means that
it can be easily tailored to the specific
needs or concerns of the parent. When
parents are given a choice as to whom they
would want to speak with about their child,
they most often mention as a first choice
other parents who are sharing their
experiences. Sharing family experiences with
others in similar circumstances is an
important source of social support.
Literally hundreds, if not thousands, of
parent support groups have been started by
parents wishing to talk with other parents
about similar issues. Parent to Parent
support rounds out this continuum of support
- providing parents with one-to-one
emotional and informational support from
another parent who has been there.
When will there be
an International Parent to Parent
Conference?Top
There are presently no plans for Parent to Parent USA to host an
International Conference. If your program is interested in hosting an
International Conference in the future, please contact Executive Director Kathy
Brill KSBrill@comcast.net.
Parent to Parent USA is committed to sponsoring Alliance Membership Leadership
Meetings. Parent to Parent of Colorado hosted a successful Alliance Member
Meeting in September 15-17 in Denver, CO with twenty-seven Alliance Member
Organizations in attendance. Plans are underway for P2PUSA's 2012
invitational leadership meeting which will be hosted by Family Connection of
South Carolina.