Family and Caregiving Support Resources
The Sunshine Foundation helps make dreams come true for children ages 3 to 18 who have severe or profound illnesses or conditions. Referrals can come from anywhere in the United States for children with severe or profound physical/developmental/intellectual challenges or trauma from physical/sexual abuse and whose families have limited income.
Dream requests can include:
- Staying at the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village and visiting area theme parks and attractions
- Funding towards a special gift or item of interest
- Funding towards medical or adaptive equipment that insurance may not cover
For questions, please contact the Sunshine Foundation by emailing dreamvillage@sunshinefoundation.org or info@sunshinefoundation.org.
Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills Tip Sheet
This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.
IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.
All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.
Supporting Illinois Brother and Sisters (S.I.B.S.)
Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters (S.I.B.S.) offers support to siblings of individuals with disabilities in Illinois by connecting them with information, networking opportunities, and resources to enhance the quality of life for their entire family.
For questions, please email info@sibsnetwork.org.
Swann Special Care Center is a non-profit organization located in Champaign that offers residential and educational programs for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Its programs serve residents from throughout Illinois and include residential nursing care, adult day training and an accredited year-round school. Swann Special Care Center also offers:
- Restorative and long-term habilitation
- Palliative and end-of-life care
- Evaluation on an individual and ongoing basis
- Physical, occupational and speech therapies
For questions, please visit Swann Center’s Contact Us page online, or call (217) 356-5164.
Synapse House provides a range of programs for individuals affected by brain injury, stroke and other neurological conditions. Located in Downers Grove, Synapse House programs and services include:
- The Clubhouse day program
- Employment programs
- KNZ NeuroFitness Gym
- Community integration therapeutic activities
- Community support services
- Family support
For more information or to set up a tour, please contact Deborah Giesler at deborah@synapsehouse.org or call (877) 932-1120.
The Organization for Understanding Congenital Hearts (T.O.U.C.H.) provides support and information to empower families, children, youth and adults with congenital heart defects.
For additional information, contact touchhearts365@gmail.com
Take N.O.T.E. of Learning Differences
Take N.O.T.E. is an initiative developed by Understood in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. It aims to help parents identify the signs of learning or thinking differences in their children.
Talking to Children About Racial Bias
The “Talking to Children About Racial Bias” page from HealthyChildren.org provides information on understanding how racial bias works in children as well as strategies to help them deal with and react to racial differences.
Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about crises and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to and cope with. HealthyChildren.org provides information on where to start and how to provide the right support in this article, “Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events.”
Talking with Children During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a tip sheet for caregivers, parents, and teachers on talking with children during infectious disease outbreaks.
SAMHSA’s tip sheet provides information for toddlers to teens and includes:
- Possible reactions
- Talking with children and youth in different age groups
- Supporting children and managing their responses
- Self-care
- More resources