Parenting/Caregiving Resources
Stay at Home Order – FAQ for Families
The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development has developed a frequently-asked-questions document for families that features updates on the status of child care programs, public and private schools and other essential information to support families –
Supporting Children and Teens During This Holiday Season
Families are dealing with stress from multiple sources, including COVID-19, and may not be able to celebrate the holidays as usual. Given these changes, adults and children may experience waves of sadness, disappointment, loneliness, grief and anger.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has put together these strategies and ideas to help create moments of joy, hope and connection with your family.
Supporting Teenagers and Young Adults During the Coronavirus Crisis
Tips for parents with older children at home from the Child Mind Institute.
Talking to Children About Coronavirus: ASL & English Resources
Information from the American Society for Deaf Children
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
Information from the National Association of School Psychologists.
Teaching kids hand washing during COVID-19
Information from the American Academy of Pediatrics
The Arc of Illinois Financial Assistance for Training
The Arc of Illinois, through a grant from the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, administers the Financial Assistance for Training Program. The program provides funds for people with developmental disabilities and their family members to attend conferences of their choice that are directly related to developmental disability issues.
Due to the pandemic, there is a need for training, important meetings and conferences to be virtual. This program will now allow stipends to pay for the assistive technology needed to attend virtual events.
The Kinda Guide is designed to be a weekly survival guide for parents and families that will include expert tips on remote learning, parenting advice, virtual camp activities, simple meal and snack ideas and at-home family adventures.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers
The Mighty provides a digital toolkit to help caregivers learn more about the ins and outs of caregiving and discover helpful resources to utilize along their caregiving journey.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers includes:
- A caregiving binder, complete with worksheets to help you better organize important information
- A respite care questionnaire to help you find the perfect respite worker for your specific needs
- A self-care mini-guide to help you destress and prioritize your mental health
Everything included in the toolkit is downloadable, printable and shareable.
The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health provides this collection of resources, which includes videos, tool kits, activities to use at home and more to support parents, caregivers and their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include:
- Self-care and coping with stress/anxiety
- Talking with kids about COVID-19
- Supporting youth and young adults
- Specific diagnoses and special needs