Colorado Quarterly Magazine

"Rewriting the Myths, Redefining the Realities"

SEEKING: Parents with Disabilities and Their Teens

Berkeley, CA -Through the Looking Glass, National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities, is a community based nonprofit organization. Through the Looking Glass is conducting a nationwide project to learn more about families in which a parent with a disability is raising a teen (11-17 years old). The National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation, part of the Department of Education, funds this project. The staff is comprised of various specialists who have diverse cultural backgrounds, and nearly 80% of the 40 staff members are disabled, parents of disabled children, or members of families with disabilities.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY DISABILITY?

Disability can involve physical, visual, systemic, hearing, cognitive, learning, developmental and mental health issues.

Why are we conducting research?
Although there are over 10 million families in which one or both parents have a disability, relatively little is known about the experiences of these families.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Parents with disabilities and Deaf parents who have teenagers (children 11 to 17 years of age). The parent and the teenager are both welcome to participate.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

— Participate in a national survey of parents with disabilities who are raising teens age 11-17. Your teen can also fill out a survey and receive $5 in return.
— Surveys are available in a variety of formats: Online and printable at our Website, in Spanish, over the phone, and in a version specific to Deaf parents.

HOW TO CONTACT US

— Call Nancy Freed at
(510) 848-1112 ext. 174
Toll Free (800) 644-2666
TTY (800) 804-1616
— Request a survey by email tlg@lookingglass.org or contact Nancy Freed at the above telephone number.
— Online and printable
survey at our Website: www.lookingglass.org

Through the Looking Glass, The National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities, is a nonprofit organization in Berkeley, CA that serves families in which a parent or child has a disability. Current projects include The National Parent to Parent Network for parents with disabilities. For more information on these projects, please contact Through the Looking Glass.