05/14/2026
Even under the best of circumstances, having a child in your life brings new challenges, stressors and struggles. Add disability to the picture and families may feel overwhelmed and unprepared. Family support is critical.
What is family support? We can’t give you a clear definition, because it will look different for every family. It’s doing whatever it takes to support a family to care for their child with disabilities and allow that child to grow up in a healthy family. Family support can come from “natural supports” as well as more “formal supports.” What’s the difference?
Natural supports are important for every family; disability only increases the need for these kinds of supports. It’s the kind of support you would get from people in your life if disability were not a part of the picture. It’s friends, neighbors, extended family, people from your church, the lady at the local grocery store, the coach at the elementary school, the dance teacher down the street, a friend of a friend…It’s the people who come in and out of our lives naturally and to whom we would turn for support under everyday circumstances. Sometimes it’s harder to ask for help when disability is involved, but it need not be – many of those same natural supports are willing to be there for you in spite of the disability and they just need to be invited. There may be other natural supports just waiting to be discovered. Possible resources for natural supports in your community can be found at the end of this article.
https://texasprojectfirst.org/family-support/
Even under the best of circumstances, having a child in your life brings new challenges, stressors and struggles. Add disability to the picture and families may feel overwhelmed and unprepared. Family support is critical. What is family support? We can’t give you a clear definition, becaus...
