For Families

You are your child’s first and most important teacher. We’re here to support you.

Helping Families Thrive

Raising a child with a disability, developmental concern, or with neurodiverse needs can sometimes feel overwhelming. You are not alone. We at STAR NET provide information, resources, and encouragement so you can feel confident, connected, informed and empowered in supporting your child’s early education.

Ways We Support Families:

Understanding Your Child’s Development – Guidance on developmental milestones, learning standards, potential delays, and the supports available.
Navigating Educational Services & Supports – Clear information about evaluations, parent rights, special education services, and the Individualized Education Program, IEP process.
Connecting with Other Families – Finding community through support groups, networking opportunities and shared experiences.
Learning Through Training – Free family-focused workshops, webinars, and events throughout the year.
Accessing Resources – Numerous tools and supports for families, including website resource links, our Lending Library, and personalized assistance from STAR NET Family Specialists.
Funding Assistance – Family Fellowships to make it easier for parents/guardians of children with IEPs to attend training and conferences that will benefit their child’s development.

What Families Say

“STAR NET gave us the tools we needed to advocate for our child. We finally felt like we weren’t alone.” – Parent

“STAR NET has been a wonderful resource to help our family advocate for our daughter with Down syndrome. I loved the large variety of courses they offer, especially the ones on how to write an IEP and those geared towards families. They also have a wonderful array of courses for professionals who work with young children. I appreciate that they were always open for family members as well. I often went to courses geared towards professionals so that I could take the information back to our IEP team. Not only did I gain a great deal of information at these sessions, I was able to network and make many connections along the way. Every time we encountered a new challenge at school or home, I would make sure to attend the next STAR NET session that addressed this. If it wasn’t for the free learning opportunities through STAR NET, I would have felt a lot more lost.” – Parent

“I learned how to better understand my child’s strengths—and now I feel more hopeful about the future.” – Parent

“STAR NET promotes a learning culture that focuses on inclusion. They have a vision for every child regardless of their ability. They continuously develop new strategies to bridge the gap between parents and administration. Our family greatly benefited from the support this wonderful organization has provided. Our daughter Veronica is now included in her first grade dual language Spanish classroom. Her unique needs are addressed throughout her day. She is in the same program her older brothers were involved in. Thank you STAR NET we couldn’t have done it without your support.” – Parent

News for Families
Important news and information you need to know about parenting a young child with disabilities.

Trusted Resources
Here are some great places to find useful information regarding supporting young children with special education needs.

Family Professional Development Specialist
Our Specialist can help you find information if you have questions about your child, your child’s learning or behavior needs or special education requirements.

Find Family Funding Opportunities

In addition to STAR NET Region II and VI’s financial assistance program for attending conferences, workshops, and seminars, other organizations offer funding opportunities through scholarships and stipends. You can apply online, or by submitting your application via mail.