Currently - UCF has over 2500 members of it national directory of parents, professionals and policy makers who are committed to working with parents of children with communications and learning disorders. The UCF goal is to expand this directory, which includes members from foreign nations, to over 20,000. The network will be managed by a fulltime Information Specialist located at the Parent Center. The Parent Center will provide a safe place where caregivers of children with these challenges can talk, share experiences, learn, and be strongly supported by others who are experiencing similar challenges in their families. Parenting a child with special neurological challenges can be extremely stressful and debilitating, and the premise is to teach parents how to implement tools, which will result in more effective living, which will ultimately enhance their children s self-esteem and prepare them for life in the real world.
Home is the microcosm of society.
By providing the vast array of educational information available, the chances for success will be greatly enhanced. With a diversified roster of professionals, every aspect of the child and parent can be nurtured. It is important that The Parent Center be viewed as a nonbiased facility recognizing that each child is unique, and that there is not one single method, which works for everyone. By offering the expertise of a diversity of professionals, parents can become aware of the many ways in which a family can aspire to become healthy and functioning, which will ultimately provide children with the tools required for living a quality of life. The Parent Center would provide a broad range of tools and choices, which would allow parents to choose appropriately, based on their specific needs.