About Families First

Families First is a free empowerment training on the basics of early intervention in the Philadelphia school system.

All families receiving early intervention services in Philadelphia are welcome.

Families First was developed and is taught by parents of children in Early Intervention, in partnership with nationally recognized professionals.

Upcoming Sessions

Grief and Loss for Young Families Impacted by Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

November 7, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Caregiving brings about a lot of grief and loss that are often unexpected. As parents, we have dreams of what our children would be or could do and when developmental delays and/or disabilities enter their lives, we are not sure what to think, what to expect, or how to cope. In this workshop, we will discuss how grief and loss impact caregivers of young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and how we can nurture ourselves as we navigate such challenging emotions.

Presented by Chou Hallegra, Project Manager, Vision for Equality

Chou is the parent of three children impacted by autism and other developmental challenges. Chou has also been involved with different family initiatives in PA for at least the past ten years, including ODP's Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) family trainers' pilot, the Office of Childhood Education and Early Learning (OCDEL)'s Parents as Partners in Professional Development (P3D), Temple University's Institute on Disabilities' Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (C2P2), and more.

Register for Stress, Wellness, and Resilience on November 7

Through the Looking Glass: Conversations on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

This 2.5-hour training will be presented in two parts:

1. November 13, 2024: a link to the one-hour pre-recorded session will be available on this website.
2. December 11, 2024: 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.: 90-minute live session includes an in-depth Q and A. Registration is required.

Networks for Training and Development will discuss ways to engage and speak with children about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Subject areas include

Looking Inward — exploring unconscious bias, diversity, and social identities
Looking Outward — exploring empathy, compassion, and listening
Moving Beyond the Conversation — exploring microaggressions, and self-care

Handout materials will be provided to all attendees.

Presenter: Shauna Roman

Shauna currently serves as Executive Director of Networks for Training and Development, Inc. She is passionate about value-based leadership, strategic planning, and applying adult learning principles in all areas of her work. For decades, Shauna has been involved in varying ways with people with disabilities, organizations, and systems to achieve meaningful, person-centered outcomes. As a Qualified Facilitator of The Leadership Challenge® (Kouzes and Posner), Shauna curates diverse learning opportunities through the use of assessment tools, training, and innovative consultative practices.

Presenter: Jessica Stover

Jessica is the Director of Training and Consultation. With experience in low to high technologies, Jess continues to assist people to live the lives they wish at home, work, school, or play with focus on AT intertwined with Person-Centered Planning and a variety of wellness modalities. She is involved in all teams at Networks (Technologies for Independence and Control, Community and Organizational Development, Employment Supports, and Wholistic Practices) and is a reiki and reflexology practitioner. Jess continues to be enamored by the power of touch and the incredible effects wellness has in all scopes of life for everyone. More recently, she has been studying the captivating power of supporting people to tell their stories through Biographical Timelines and how this, and other Person-Centered Planning tools, can establish new avenues of understanding surrounding a person for them and their communities of support. Jess is also the "resident doodler" at Networks and provides support, assistance, and facilitation with graphic facilitation and organizational planning. She has presented and co-presented at national, regional, and local conferences and trainings on a variety of topics to include wellness, person-centered planning, natural supports, and assistive technologies — all to assist people and their teams create meaningful, connected, and rich lives.

Register for the December 11 live session of Through the Looking Glass

Recorded Families First Sessions

For information you need, watch our in-depth, recorded Families First webinars. Registration is required to access the free sessions.

What My Son with Autism Taught Me about Life

Presenter Jamiel Owens, Family Relations Coordinator for the Center for Autism Research at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) shared experiences as the father of a teenager with autism and discussed his journey with Early Intervention and resources in Philadelphia. Recorded June 2024.
Request access to What My Son with Autism Taught Me about Life

Momma Chronicles Too

"To provide support to each mother and child that we serve as well as the communities that we surround. Our ultimate goal is to shed the stigma that society has placed upon disabled parents and children."

Presenters: Latoya Maddox and Domonique Howell. Latoya Maddox is a mother with disabilities. Currently studying for her master's in public administration at Penn State World Campus, she received her BSW from West Chester University. Latoya is the Senior Independent Living Specialist at Liberty Resources Inc. for Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Domonique Howell is a mother, has cerebral palsy, is a full-time wheelchair user, and a disability advocate. She works as an independent living specialist for Liberty Resources Inc., a center for independent living in Philadelphia. Domonique is also the developer and founder of Momma Chronicles Too (founded in 2014), a support and advocacy group for mothers with disabilities and women guardians who have disabled children. Recorded May 2024.
Request access to Momma Chronicles Too

Transition to Kindergarten Panel Discussion Webinar

For parents of children in Philadelphia starting kindergarten in September. Learn vital information about the Transition to Kindergarten process with a panel of experts: representatives from Elwyn Early Learning Services, The School District of Philadelphia, and The Philadelphia Interagency Coordinating Council (PICC). Recorded March 2024.
Request access to Transition to Kindergarten Panel Discussion

Let Your Loving Hands and Heart Go to Work

Knowing how to use your loving heart and hands to create calm moments is a wonderful thing. We all want more of those moments. Learn some ways to bring ease into your world and that of your family members.

Presented by Marianne Roche and hosted by Stacy Phillips, Project Coordinator for Educational and Leadership Development. Recorded January 2024.
Request access to Let Your Loving Hands and Heart Go to Work

We Are in This Together: Parent and Professional Perspectives for Supporting Your "Ausome" Neurodiverse Child

Discussion on the importance of collaboration and understanding between parents and professionals. The teamwork of parents and professionals in supporting each other to help their neurodiverse child achieve a life of possibilities is crucial to success.

Presented by Jamiel Owens, father of an "Ausome" teen and Family Relations Coordinator for the Center for Autism Research; and Jessica Lax, Psy.D., Clinical Director for SPIN. Hosted by Stacy Phillips, Project Coordinator for Educational and Leadership Development. Recorded June 2023.
Request access to We Are in This Together

Addressing Social Emotional Development, Concerns and Challenging Behavior in Young Children

Presented by Kim Prendergast, ABC ITEI Coach and Team Support Consultant and Cynthia Gray, Early Intervention Training Coordinator, Thomas Jefferson University.
Recorded May 2023.
Request access to Addressing Social Emotional Development

Transition from an IFSP to an IEP, the Nuts and Bolts

Presented by Stacy Phillips, Institute on Disabilities Project Coordinator for Educational and Leadership Development; and Malinda Knipfer, Special Education Consultant. Recorded November 2022.
Request access to Transition from an IFSP to an IEP, the Nuts and Bolts

Overview of the IFSP and IEP

Presented by Stacy Phillips, Institute on Disabilities Project Coordinator for Educational and Leadership Development; and Malinda Knipfer, Special Education Consultant. Recorded October 2022.
Request access to Overview of the ISFP and IEP

Potty Training

Presented by Icylee Basketbill, Families First Trainer. Recorded September 2022.
Request access to Potty Training

Therapeutic Play with My Child

Presented by Kathryn Snyder, Parent to Child and Therapy Associates. Recorded May 25, 2022.
Request access to Therapeutic Play with My Child

Advocacy Tips for Families

Presented by Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Associate Director of Policy, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. Recorded April 11, 2022.
Request access to Advocacy Tips for Families

Assistive Technology for Families

Presented by Stacy Phillips, Project Coordinator for Leadership Development, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. Recorded April 20, 2022.
Request access to Assistive Technology for Families

Families First offers you...

• Direction on how to be an effective member of the Early Intervention Team.
• A chance to meet other families with children who receive services.
• Information to help you be confident as an equal member in your child's Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Family Services Plan (IFSP).

Parents who attended Families First told us...

"I discovered the importance of developing a vision and goals for my child."

Families First is sponsored by:

• Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS)
• Elwyn Early Learning Services
• The Philadelphia Interagency Coordinating Council (PICC)

Families First is conducted by: The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, College of Education.