Our mission is to provide education and support to families in Northeast Ohio who have concerns about their child. We serve all families, including those children with and without formal diagnoses. Our families:
•Have a child younger than 13 years of age
•Live in Cuyahoga or Lorain County
•Have a concern about their child
Resources are available for a number of concerns including anxiety, attention issues, developmental delays, epilepsy, and sensory issues. We also help families whose children are having difficulty making friends, struggling academically or facing a major life change such as parents divorcing. No concern is too big or too small. Connecting for Kids can help.
More Than “Just a Special Needs Group”
Dear Families,
When my son was first starting therapy, I was overwhelmed with doctors, therapists and conflicting advice. I attended a support group for children with special needs, but felt as though my child’s issues were minor compared to the challenges the women in the group were facing. I told my friends that my sons needs weren’t severe enough to justify attending the group’s functions.
I have since spoken to many mothers that felt the same way when they tried to attend support groups. On the contrary, I have also spoken to mothers who felt as though their child’s needs were too severe to be in a support group.
In short, we all want a place to find support, resources and information AND find another family whose child has similar issues. So our group is taking the philosophy that every child has special and unique needs, whether they have a formal diagnosis or are considered “typically developing.”
At some of our programs, we will give you an opportunity to split into groups based on the type of issue your child is facing. At other events, we will discuss issues that are relevant to every family, regardless of what your child is facing.
Sarah Rintamaki, Executive Director
Our Programs
Connecting for Kids offers numerous programs to support local families with a concern about their child:
•Hands-on Family Training Programs, including Teach Me to Play, Music Therapy & More and Elementary Experiences.
•Speaker Series
•Coffee and Chat support group
•Facebook Groups
•Parent Match Program
•Local resource fairs
•Awareness programs, including Sensory Awareness and Wandering Awareness
•Online Service Provider Directory
•Online resources including podcasts
All of our programming is provided at no cost to families and is funded by grants, fundraising and generous donations from our community.
