Parent & Caregiver Support
You’re the most important person in your child’s life—but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all alone. Caring for a young child, especially one with developmental delays or disabilities, can be emotionally and physically draining. Remember, your well-being matters, too! When you take care of yourself, you’re better able to show up for your child with patience, energy, and love.
Let’s explore some of the parent and caregiver support resources to help you navigate the next steps with confidence.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure during the journey of parenting. If you’re feeling burned out or struggling emotionally, you’re not alone. A mental health professional can help you process what you’re going through and build tools to cope.
Individual Counseling
Working one-on-one with a mental health professional can help you navigate your own stress and emotional needs in a safe setting without judgment. Depending on your needs, there are therapists and counselors who specialize in perinatal mental health or working with parents of children with disabilities and delays.
Family or Couples Therapy
Sometimes, raising a child with a disability or delay can take a toll on a marriage and other family members. There are mental health professionals who can help you navigate life as a family unit, overcoming challenges and working through issues together.
Mental Health Hotlines for Parents
If you’re in crisis or just need someone to talk to right now, these resources are here to help.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 any time for free, confidential support
National Parent Helpline: Call 1-855-427-2736 to talk with a trained advocate. It’s free and confidential.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline: If you or a loved one is facing mental or substance abuse issues, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for referrals to treatment and support in your area.
Sometimes, the hardest part of parenting a child with a disability is juggling it all. There are services that can help make daily life and routines more manageable.
Respite Care
All parents need a break. Respite care provides short-term relief where a trained professional cares for your child while you work, run errands, or simply recharge. There are a variety of respite care options available, including in-home, care facilities, or emergency-based services. If you’re in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area, check out Penfield Respite Care services.
Case Managers & Family Navigators
Many early intervention programs assign a service coordinator or family support specialist at no cost. Hospitals, nonprofits, and school districts may also offer these services. These trained professionals help you understand your child’s eligibility for services, fill out forms and referrals, and coordinate appointments, evaluations, and therapies.
Financial Help for Basic Needs
Raising a child can be expensive, especially when extra support or therapy is needed. There are local and federally-based programs that can help with childcare, housing, food, and other basic necessities when you need them most.
Explore Financial Assistance Options
Transportation Assistance
Depending on the level of care and their specific needs, transportation can be difficult for families caring for little ones with disabilities. Resources vary by location, but public transportation, grants, and non-emergency medical transport options are available at no or low cost.
Early Intervention Services (Birth to Age 3)
If you have concerns about your baby or toddler’s development, early intervention can help. These services are often free or low-cost. Early childhood specialists will work directly with you and your child to explore options, including therapies and at-home techniques.
When you’re taking care of yourself, you’ll be better equipped to take care of your little one. You deserve time to rest, recharge, and reconnect with yourself. Even small moments can help you reset and feel more like yourself.
Prioritize
Let go of the idea that you need to do it all. If you and your child are happy and healthy, you’re doing ok. Prioritizing might look like eating a frozen meal instead of cooking from scratch, skipping laundry in favor of snuggle time, or saying no to extra commitments when you’re already feeling overwhelmed.
Celebrate Small Wins
You’re doing one of the hardest jobs there is—and every small step forward counts. While it can be easy to focus on what’s left to do or the next step, take some time to honor the milestones, both yours and your child’s. You can even keep a journal or list of “parenting wins” to help you on challenging days.
Organize Notes
When parenting a child with a disability, there’s a lot of information and paperwork to juggle. Create a master binder or digital folder with access to important documents, contact information, health history, schedule information, and other key details. This will save you time and make it easier to delegate to other family caregivers without a million questions or digging through random boxes and files.
Get Some Rest
Sleep deprivation is common for caregivers. Chronic exhaustion can wear on your body and brain, making parenting and daily routines more challenging. Consider trading overnight duties with a partner or friend when possible and use sleep aids like white noise, weighted blankets, and sleep masks to improve sleep quality.
Streamline & Automate
Technology can be a powerful tool to help you automate daily tasks and take some things off your plate. For example, you can set appointment reminders in a digital calendar, schedule delivery or pick-up rather than shopping in a store, set autopay and transfer for bills when possible, and use subscriptions or autoshop for key household items.
Nourish Your Body
Nutrition isn’t just important for your little one; it’s important for you too. Even when things are busy, make sure you eat well, stay active, and take any necessary medications. Use phone reminders and keep easy grab-and-go snacks (like fruits, nuts, yogurt, and veggies) on-hand to make sure you get plenty of nutrients, even on busy days.
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No parent has all the answers, and every family’s journey is different. Whether you’re navigating a diagnosis, advocating for services, or just trying to make it through a rough week, you don’t have to do this alone. Check out the resources below for parents from the early childhood experts at Penfield Children’s Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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