PHP’s Mentor Program is unique in that it matches parents of children with any special need of any age, any culture, etc. As a result of serving the Bay Area for 31 years, PHP has a wealth of experienced and willing potential mentors available to support and befriend another parent. Through these special relationships parents come to realize they are not alone in having a child with special needs, that others have successfully navigated this daunting road, and that a larger community of support exists to help guide their way.

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Research shows that “when parents are more connected to other families in their communities, their children benefit. Helping networks have a positive effect on parents ability to deal with stress, on mother’s perceptions of themselves and their children, on father’s involvement in child rearing, and on children’s self-esteem and school success.” (Family Resource Coalition, 1996) In particular, Singer et al (1999) found that parent-to-parent programs like PHP’s Mentor Program:

• Are a valuable source of assistance for many families of children with disabilities
• Offer a unique form of assistance not typically met by formal service systems,
• Help parents make cognitive adaptations to disability in the family
• Help parents become more effective at coping with the demands of parenting a child with a disability while maintaining a desirable family life.