If you’ve ever typed “child care options for kids with disabilities” into Google and immediately felt overwhelmed, we get it. Child care isn’t one-size-fits-all, especially when your child has unique support needs. For some families, it looks like finding a caregiver who just gets it, whether through a friend or agency, or a respite provider. For others, it can include building a care plan at home that includes mental wellness, advocacy, and everyday functional life skills — things like learning routines, managing money, getting dressed, toilet training, or even understanding medication.
This week, we’re talking about what “child care” really means when you’re parenting a child with disabilities and extra support needs — and how you can get the support you need without feeling like you have to figure it all out alone. Whether you’re deep in the process of interviewing potential caregivers or just trying to teach your kid how to order their own snack at a restaurant, we’ve got tips, tools, and stories from parents who’ve been there too.
Beyond babysitting: specialized child care that’s just right
Finding the right care for your child isn’t as simple as calling the local babysitter. If your child is a Regional Center client, they may be able to help connect you with a respite agency — and you might even have more say in how that care looks through parent conversation (where you help choose the caregiver) or Self-Determination (which gives families more control over how services and supports are used).
Or, you might consider hiring through a private agency or job board. But even that takes planning. One parent suggests making a list of “must-haves, flexible-to-haves, and nice-to-haves” to help you find the right fit and set clear expectations from the start. We have more tips and tricks to finding a caregiver that’s just right for your family, including a list of questions to ask when interviewing a potential caregiver. Or tune into our bite-sized, AI-powered companion podcast episode!
At-home supports and day-to-day skills
Child care isn’t just about finding a sitter or a nanny, it’s also about the day-to-day ways families support their kids’ growth and independence at home — from morning routines and toilet training to teaching advocacy and life skills during everyday moments (like playing restaurant!).
We’re sharing tips to help your child build independence and confidence, plus 5 ways to model self-care and mindful living skills (and take care for your own mental wellness) along the way. Plus, this is a great topic to ask potential caregivers about: how comfortable would you be helping my child with [toileting, dressing, mealtimes, other important needs]?
⚠️ Undivided Updates: IHSS Edition ⚠️
- IHSS hour cap alert: speak up. The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee is reviewing Governor Newsom’s proposal to cap all IHSS provider hours at 50 per week, which would negatively impact families whose children receive more than 50 hours per week and might struggle to find a second provider. Please call and email the senate, state assembly committee, and your representatives to make your voice heard! We’ve prepared a template letter here that you can share.
- Prep for a second provider. If the proposed changes do go into effect and your child receives more than 50 hours per week, you may need to hire a second IHSS provider so that your child receives all of their hours. Some families in our community are already getting a second provider set up in the system just in case. Check out our step-by-step guide for Undivided members for a walkthrough of all the forms you need, how to allocate hours when filling out timesheets, and other expert tips during the onboarding process.
One of our parent members told us, “I have a child who requires Protective Supervision. I truly credit Undivided for helping me secure this crucial service for my son. I no longer feel stressed or ignorant about the path I’m on trying to take care of my son. Before Undivided, I felt alone and worried. I now have a secret superpower in my wheelhouse: Undivided!”
RSVP now→ Special Education Updates: How Federal Proposals Could Affect Our Kids
With potential changes to federal education departments on the horizon, many parents of students with disabilities are understandably concerned how these changes could affect their children’s access to education. Here to help us understand what’s at stake is Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). Join us for a FREE Zoom webinar on June 12, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. PT where Denise will go over what’s changing, what’s not, and what we need to know to protect our children’s rights. Register for the free event here→
Join us for expert office hours
Have questions about Medi-Cal or your private insurance, or how you can use both together? Join us on Wednesday, June 11 at 12:00 p.m. PT for expert office hours with Leslie Lobel, Undivided’s director of health plan advocacy. If you’re an Undivided member, Leslie will be available on Zoom to answer questions about denials, appeals, preauthorizations, DME, and more. If you’re not an Undivided member yet, get started here to join us for office hours every week.
Tune into Undivided Conversations
Happening this week on our Facebook page:
- Disability Awareness. For top tips on disability acceptance and the importance of inclusion, catch the re-stream of our conversation between Karen Ford Cull, non-attorney education advocate and Undivided content specialist, and Diana Pastora Carson, creator of Beyond Awareness, this Saturday, May 31 at 10:00 a.m. PT.
- Getting the Most Out of Self-Determination. Catch the re-stream of our conversation about how you can use SDP to get the supports and services your kids need with Christine Tolbert, Self-Determination program manager on the California State Council for Developmental Disabilities, this Sunday, June 1 at 10:00 a.m. PT.
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What’s the difference between Regional Center respite and specialized supervision? Hear a quick explanation from Undivided’s public benefits specialist on our YouTube channel→
Make sure your child is safe when you’re not around by teaching them these 3 simple phrases. Check out this Instagram post→
Have you heard about a great in-person or online conference or training coming up for parents in the disability community? Share your recommendation in our private Facebook group→
With potential changes in funding and legislation coming down the pipeline, it’s more important to us than ever to keep families and providers informed! Connect with Undivided on LinkedIn→
