Request for your help with Parent Mentor activities

Parent Mentor plays the only role which supporters or experts can never play in supporting developmental disorders. As the mentor is an experienced parent who raised a child with developmental disability, she/he can respond sympathetically to the troubles of parents raising children with developmental disabilities. However, of course, parents are neither supporters nor experts. Therefore, they cannot play a role of supporters and experts such as to give detailed advises on medical cares, to devise various consultation techniques so as to fit the consultation case, and to conduct psychological counseling according to the status of the consultant.

Supporters / experts and Parent Mentors can support developmental disability support from different aspects. That is why there is a deep meaning in collaboration with local supporters / experts and parent mentors. By collaborating with regional parents and mentors, regional developmental disability support will become richer. For example, parents will be able to gain a lot by cooperating with parents’ parenting study groups and consultation meetings on child development support. It is also important not only to rely on specialized support organizations but also to participate in pairs with experts and Parent Mentor in parent / child classrooms after infant medical examination, child raising support center, kindergarten and nursery school, etc.; and in terms of child raising support, it will have a important meaning.

And also, there is an important request. As opportunities for parents and mentors to receive consultation increase, parent mentors may need specialist supports. For example, if the problem of the consultant is far from his / her parenting experiences, if the problem of raising children has complicatedly become involved with various other problems, or if the consultant himself / herself requires urgent supports. In such cases, if you could back up the parent mentors of the region in the position of a supporter or an expert, parental mentor can work securely and safely. This is very important to note.

Family supports in development disability support are very important and necessary. We would like to ask for your cooperation as a supporter or an expert for the parental mentor initiative which supports and develops family support from the family’s point of view.