Parent Support Websites

These resources include information on adoptions, new parent support systems and other tools to help first-time parents.

Adoption

AdoptUSKids: AdoptUSKids is a federally funded project dedicated to raising public awareness of adoption and promoting adoption of children from foster care. It operates under a cooperative agreement with the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The project recruits and connects foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.

Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children: The AAICPC promulgates rules and regulations to carry out more effectively the terms and provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, a legal agreement among all states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands that coordinates the placement of children across state lines.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: A service of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, the Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to publications, websites and online databases covering a wide range of topics concerning all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption and foster care. Included on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website is National Foster Care and Adoption Directory Search that provides a listing of adoption and foster care resources by state.

Defense Finance and Accounting Service Adoption Reimbursement Program: The DFAS website provides an overview of the Department of Defense Adoption Reimbursement Program, along with requirements, procedures and a description of qualifying expenses.

Department of State Office of Children’s Issues: The Office of Children’s Issues formulates, develops and coordinates policies and programs and provides direction to U.S. Foreign Service posts on international adoption.

New Parent Support Program

BabySigns: Baby Signs® is a research-based program that teaches infants and toddlers to use simple, easy-to-do gestures to communicate what they need, what they see and even what they feel with their parents and caregivers.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: The CDC, an organization within Health and Human Services, works to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury and disability. Under “Life Stages,” “Specific Populations,” and “Injury, Violence and Safety,” service providers can find information on a wide variety of topics related to new parents, parents of toddlers and preschoolers, and preventing child abuse and neglect.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: This government website provides access to information and resources designed to help protect children and strengthen families. It includes information on building healthy families, child abuse and neglect, and adoption.

Other Resources

The Health Resources and Services Administration via their Office of Women’s Health portal offers FREE emotional wellness tools via the Bright Futures for Women’s Health and Wellness Initiative. Scroll down under Emotional Wellness Tools to locate the guides targeting health care providers, young women or women of all ages.

These guides can be downloaded, copied and used during home visits, if appropriate, and include tips for broaching sensitive topics, worksheets to stimulate thoughtful reflection and offer ideas for building and sustaining emotional wellness.

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau, another division of HRSA, provides links to Depression During and After Pregnancy, a Resource for Women, Their Family and Friends. A FREE printer-friendly Perinatal Depression Booklet can be found at the top of the page.

Healthy Children: This American Academy of Pediatrics website features topics of interest to parents such as car safety seat guidelines, immunization information, firearm safety, common childhood illnesses, ADHD, related books and much more.

Medline Plus: This National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health website contains links to current news and research. The “Parenting” section of the site provides information and links to articles and research reports on a number of relevant topics.

MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: This resource provides contact information for programs and services, maps and directions, links to comprehensive location overviews and community points of interest for military installations worldwide.

National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome: This website provides information and resources on shaken baby syndrome in an effort to educate parents and to prevent further injury of children from this type of child abuse.

U.S. Government Parenting Website: This federal website provides information on a number of parenting topics, such as expecting, health issues, education issues, child care and grandparents raising grandchildren.

WIC Overseas Program: The Women, Infants and Children Overseas Program is a Defense Department/Defense Health Agency program that provides families with food, nutrition tips, health screenings and other resources.

ZERO TO THREE: Parents and those working with families with children birth to 3 years old will find information on the website of ZERO TO THREE, a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports parents, professionals and policymakers in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. The organization’s website offers general child development guidance, including information about brain development, early learning, school readiness, child care, health and nutrition. In addition, ZERO TO THREE has a wealth of information specifically developed for military families – and those who support such families – about how to help young children build resiliency and cope with parental separation, relocation and other stressors.