South Bay Families Connected has produced this page with the goals of connecting South Bay parents and guardians of children, teens and young adults with special needs with information and resources to support their unique social & emotional wellness needs and to foster inclusion within our community. In addition, our hope is to share ideas for neurotypical members of our community, young and old, on how to best interact, socialize and connect with neurodivergent community members. Given the wide array of special needs categories, from learning differences to spectrum disorders, this page cannot address every diagnosis or offer resources for treatment or IEPs. For instructions to view this page in Spanish, click on en Español.
Families Connected Resources
Expert advice
Monica Fyfe, MFT, BCBA, RPT-S offers seven tips to help us connect with neurodivergent friends. For the resource she references, visit the Friend 2 Friend Society’s blog.
Monica Fyfe explains how to support your child’s function of behavior with SEAT (S- Sensory, E- Escape/Avoidance, A- Attention, and T- Tangible) and ACT (A- Acknowledge the feeling, C- Communicate the limit, and T- Target an alternative) tips.
Monica Fyfe focuses on her favorite topic, teaching interactions to facilitate social skills.
A South Bay story
The Henry Family shares their story of raising a special needs child, along with advice to parents and youth about how to connect with special needs students.
SBFC South Bay parent and expert blogs and education/support
Monica Fyfe, MFT, BCBA, RPT-S
Talking to Your Child About Their Diagnosis by Monica Fyfe, MFT, BCBA, RPT-S
Things I Wish I Knew: Helping Your Highly Sensitive Kid by a Manhattan Beach Mom
Anxiety: Our Family’s Journey by Laurie James
ADD and My Kid, Part I by Laurie James
ADD and My Kid, Part II: After the Diagnosis - Concerns About Self-medicating by Laurie James
Related Families Connected resources for parents and guardians
Resources for teens
South Bay Resources
Clicking on the logos, images, and links below will take you out of the Families Connected website and to the online resource indicated. South Bay Families Connected is not affiliated with these organizations, nor have these organizations paid to have their resources shared here. We do not endorse these programs or assume any responsibility for the programs and services they provide. If you have treatment referral needs, please click on the Beach Cities Health District logo.
South Bay resources for special needs families
The Friendship Foundation supports parents and families who have children and young adults with special needs by providing a safe, accepting and inclusive environment where they can enjoy sports, art, music and many other social programs with their peers.
Check out their amazing Friendship Clubs and programs.
Friendship Foundation’s new inclusive Campus will provide vocational training and job placement, giving students with special needs the tools to transform the workforce and find a lifelong passion and purpose
We Are Brave Together is a nonprofit organization that provides respite, community and mentoring for mothers caring for children of any age with disabilities, special needs, or other medical or mental health challenges. Founded in 2017 by South Bay resident Jessica Patay, mother to a 17-year-old son with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. This international community includes over 1150 members in 42 states and 10 countries.
Don’t miss their outstanding and comprehensive resources guide for special needs parents.
Partake in a free virtual support group.
Listen to their podcast.
Read their blogs for shared stories and advice.
Visit their YouTube Channel for inspiration and advice from experts.
Our Village is a non-profit in Redondo Beach, CA whose mission is to help children, teenagers and young adults with autism, adhd, social anxiety and other social skills needs by providing access to social skills groups that are research-based and offer exceptional quality for families.
Check out their Virtual Peers Social Skills Groups and Kid2Kid Play Groups.
Visit their outstanding Social Resources page to improve their connections with friends with online games and more.
For referrals, visit the Beach Cities Health District’s Health Resources referral page.
Visit their Social Emotional Health referral page.
Visit their People with Disabilities page.
Curated Gallery of Resources
Clicking on the logos, images, and links below will take you out of the Families Connected website and to the online resource indicated. Families Connected is not affiliated with these organizations, nor have these organizations paid to have their resources shared here. Please note that, unlike the Families Connected website, some of the websites/articles included here may display pop-up ads. Please read the terms of use agreement on this and all websites visited. Families Connected will remain open in your browser.
Featured national videos
Recommended resource for learning differences
Learning and thinking differences are variations in how the brain processes information and can affect reading, writing, math, focus and following directions. We define these differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, as lifelong; unrelated to intelligence; causing delays in developing communication or learning skills; and diagnosable or identifiable by a professional. (source: Understood)
Visit Understood.org for resources, blogs and parenting tips on a broad array of learning differences topics, including:
Watch videos of personal stories featuring young adults who learn and think differently
Listen to In It, a podcast on raising kids who learn and think differently en Espanol
Recommended national resource for a variety of challenges and diagnoses
Learning and Developmental Disorders and Topics A - Z (Child Mind Institute)
ADHD - A Parent’s Guide (Child Mind Institute) en Espanol
Recommended parenting articles for any diagnosis
Why Self-Care is Essential to Parenting (Child Mind Institute)
School Success Kit for Kids with Executive Functioning Issues (Child Mind Institute)
How Parents of Children with Autism Can Strengthen Their Relationship (Greater Good Magazine)
How to Give Praise that Builds Your Child’s Self-Esteem (Understood.org)
20 Things Every Parent of Kids with Special Needs Should Hear (Abilities.com)
Helping Your Child with Autism Manage Their Sensitivity to Movies and Shows (Common Sense Media)
Social-Emotional Learning: Intangibles that Support Success (ED 100)
How Can we Help Kids with Self-Regulation (Child Mind Institute) en Espanol
Six Signs Your Child is Resilient (Understood.org)
9 Flexible Thinking Activities for Kids (Understood.org)
5 Ways to Reframe Anxiety for Your Worried Teen (ADDitude Mag)
How to Teach Kids with Dyslexia to Read (Child Mind Institute)
How Girls with ADHD are Different (Child Mind Institute)
Don’t Let a Child’s Disorder Destroy Your Marriage (Child Mind Institute)
Supporting vs. Enabling a Child with Challenges (Child Mind Institute)
5 Ways Video Games Can Help Kids with Special Needs (Common Sense Media)
5 Ways to Support Siblings in Special Needs Families (Child Mind Institute)
Supporting the Emotional Needs of Kids With Learning Disabilities (Child Mind Institute)
Helping Children with Autism Learn to Communicate (Child Mind Institute)
For More Youth Wellness Resources, Visit:
For South Bay parents and caregivers
Go to the South Bay Families Connected landing page to view local events, the Teen Resource Center, to sign-up for the SBFC monthly parent e-newsletter, and more.
For parents and caregivers in the U.S.A.
Visit the Families Connected landing page for non-region-specific, free youth wellness online resources.