Utah Parent Center

10/20/2026

Inclusion benefits EVERYONE, even if it feels harder. Esperanza is a sibling, and when she was in school, she noticed her brother was hidden away.

Before Section 504 in 1973 and the ADA in 1990, barriers were more common, and exclusion was the norm.

Veteran sibs and parents, can you relate to this sibling's experience?

10/19/2026

We're coming to YOU, Southern Utah! 📍 We'll be in Cedar City on Tuesday, 10/20, and St. George on Wednesday, 10/21. Come in-person to learn about resources to make being a caregiver to a child with a special healthcare need a little easier.

We'll teach tips for avoiding medical anxiety and trauma, how to communicate effectively with providers, and how to manage a healthcare plan with confidence.

Register for Cedar City:
bit.ly/CedarCityHealthGPSOct26

Register for St George:
bit.ly/StGeorgeHealthGPSOct26

10/19/2026

As we continue to talk about autism and burnout this month, it’s important to include autism parent burnout in the discussion. Burnout happens when demands exceed capacity for too long without sufficient time to rest and recover. It’s ultimately a nervous system response to overwhelm, but it gets overlaid with all sorts of value judgements. Burnout is often seen as:

Not being strong enough
Not loving your kids enough
A moral failing

And plenty of folks who haven’t walked in an autism parents’ shoes have all sorts of opinions and solutions- some are useful but often then feel hollow, misaligned, and judgmental.

Just as autistic individuals need adequate support to navigate burnout, so do parents.

And- many autism parents are autistic or otherwise neurodivergent themselves. The tired false dichotomy of “autism parents vs. autistic individuals” is far more nuanced than is often discussed.

In future posts, we will explore the overlap between autism parent burnout and autistic burnout. How can parents who are in burnout support kids who are in burnout, and how can the systems and environments around us change to better meet our needs?

10/19/2026

October 21st is to spread awareness about bullying and the importance of unity and inclusion. Here are 3 things you can do to participate:

1. Use your voice! Share a social media post or wear orange to visibly send a message about bullying.

2. Attend our Monthly Wise Wednesday webinar focused on bullying. Learn the signs & how to report it.

3. Donate! We get dozens of calls every week about this topic. Many families in our community struggle with bullying. Get families resrouces for free with your donation, give at utahparentcenter.org/donate

10/19/2026

Siblings are special. Do you have a sibling who is a high school senior? Check out this scholarship just for sibs:

DONATE TO THE MAGPIE FUND OUR MISSION The Magpie Fund is dedicated to helping the siblings of special needs children. ABOUT THE MAGPIE FUND Raising a child with special needs is

10/07/2026

During Amazon Prime Day, help us stock up on holiday gifts for kids in need. Because of YOU and our gift drive we did in the summer, we are already ahead on our holiday assistance goals. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2QU77BPRQLH1V/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Mail items to us at:
ATTN: ELF BRIGADE
Utah Parent Center
5296 S Commerce Drive, Suite 302
Murray, UT 84107

10/07/2026

We're so proud to congratulate Melissa Teemant, our incredible Youth-In-Care Parent Consultant, who was recognized last month by the Utah State Board of Education and awarded Education Partner of the Year.

Melissa assists a broad spectrum of caregivers, including kinship placements (grandparents or other relatives), foster parents, and other caregivers committed to raising children with disabilities.

Through her work, Melissa provides practical support and valuable insights to families, such as:

💙Offering recommendations to IEP teams to help students grow and succeed
💙Assisting individuals through the process of seeking a special education evaluation
💙Brainstorming effective accommodations to address unique needs
💙Answering questions about student and parent rights within the IEP process
💙Sharing disability-specific resources and information
💙Connecting families to free or low-cost community resources
💙Supporting families with resources to help children remain in the home when behaviors are challenging
💙Ensuring that the educational rights of students and families are protected

Melissa’s approach exemplifies the comprehensive, compassionate support the Utah Parent Center extends to families and professionals statewide.

Families and professionals can reach Melissa Teemant for support by calling or texting her directly at 385-910-4750, emailing her at [email protected]

10/06/2026

We're hiring THREE parent consultant positions across the state. If you're passionate about helping other Special Education parents navigate their journey through peer support, this might be for you!!

Find all three job postings on our careers page: https://utahparentcenter.org/careers/

10/05/2026

Will your loved one be entering adulthood in the next 5-10 years? NOW is the time to start making a game plan, but you don't have to do it alone. We have so many free workshops ready to help guide you and the first one is just days away.

You can get all the registration links to these events & all the others we host on our website: https://utahparentcenter.org/events/