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Become a Support Family

Use your lived experience to support and encourage another parent.

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What Is a Support Parent & Why It Matters

Support Parents are parents or caregivers who use their own lived experience to walk alongside another parent during challenging or uncertain times. By listening without judgment and sharing practical insights, Support Parents offer empathy, reassurance, and hope to families navigating similar paths.

Becoming a Support Parent is a meaningful way to give back. Many parents find that offering support not only helps others feel less alone, but also honors their own journey. While Support Parents don’t need to have all the answers, their willingness to listen, reflect, and connect can make a powerful difference.

How It Works

Support Parents may be matched with families navigating a wide range of experiences, including new diagnoses, health care systems, surgery, mental health concerns, behavioral challenges, special education, sibling and family dynamics, community resources, and life transitions.

What Makes a Good Support Parent

  • Communication skills: non-judgmental and active listening
  • Self-awareness and self-reflection; understanding your own values and beliefs
  • Maturity and empathy resulting from your own adaptation process
  • Listening carefully rather than making assumptions or comparisons
  • Share your own hopes, resources, and practical experiences
  • Maintaining confidentiality is important to assure privacy and trust for both parents
  • Relate respectfully to people of different backgrounds and cultures

Take the Next Steps

To begin the process of becoming a support parent, complete our online application so we can learn more about you and identify the best possible match. After applying, you’ll receive information about registering for our free virtual Support Parent training. The training includes a self-guided overview and a live interactive session focused on active listening, cultural awareness, self-care, and available resources.

Once training is complete, you’ll receive a Support Parent Certificate and ongoing opportunities to connect with other Support Parents.

We ask Support Parents to commit to at least one year, understanding that family needs can change. You’ll always be contacted before your information is shared with a referred parent, and support from VFN staff is available throughout the process.

Have additional questions? Check out our FAQs on the Parent Match Program or get in touch directly by choosing an option below.

Call 802-876-5315 Email info@vtfn.org

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Parent Match Program FAQs

A parent talks with another parent to get support and information. They understand each other because both have had similar experiences. A few phone calls allow sharing in confidence. Vermont Family Network (VFN) staff connects two parents to make a match. VFN staff will look for the match based on what you identify as important. You might ask for general support around behavior, education, siblings or family issues. You might want a match with someone with hospital experience or with the same specific diagnosis.

  • Parent requests a peer parent match.
  • Staff checks availability of potential Support Parents.
  • Staff sends an email with contact information to both parents.
  • Support Parent contacts other parent (phone, text, or email).
  • Parents talk by phone at mutually convenient time (2-4 calls suggested).

Anyone in a parenting role (e.g. parent, guardian, grandparent, foster, adoptive) who would find it helpful to talk with someone in a similar situation may request a match. Sharing thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences with someone who’s “been there” can help parents feel less alone, less isolated, and more part of a community.

Support Parents have a child with a special health care need, which is defined by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau as: “Those who have one or more chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.” A Support Parent has had the time and opportunity to go through their own process of
adjustment and different emotional states. They have had experience parenting and navigating healthcare and educational systems.

  • Communication skills: non-judgmental and active listening
  • Self-awareness and self-reflection; understanding your own values and beliefs
  • Maturity and empathy resulting from your own adaptation process
  • Listening carefully rather than making assumptions or comparisons
  • Share your own hopes, resources, and practical experiences
  • Maintaining confidentiality is important to assure privacy and trust for both parents
  • Relate respectfully to people of different backgrounds and cultures can help parents feel less alone, less isolated, and more part of a community.
  • Make calls when you have time to talk.
  • Introduce yourself as the Support Parent matched by VFN.
  • Use person-first language (e.g., child with a disability rather than disabled child).
  • Clarify terms that may be unfamiliar to you or to the other parent.
  • Refer to children and adults by name.
  • Ask parent about strengths of the child and family.
  • Ask how other family members are doing.
  • Ask open-ended questions.
  • Offer suggestions about what has worked for you keeping in mind that everyone is different.
  • If you’re having difficulty connecting with the other parent
  • If your availability changes
  • If you think another match would be helpful
  • If you have any questions or concerns

Yes, staff will use our database to search in Vermont first, and then we’ll try the
national P2P (Parent to Parent) organizations.

Yes, we offer a variety of different ways for parents to connect, share information, and provide support. We have a closed Facebook group, a Yahoo listserv, a list of support groups, Sibshops, a Vermont Leadership Series, and Family Faculty. Families also enjoy participating in our annual conference and Family Fun Day.