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Qi Creative knows it takes a village to raise a child—but a village must serve more than children. As success coaches, we want parents to be supported and assisted no matter the progress on their goals and journeys.

In today’s world, our metaphorical village has grown bigger, broader, and in many cases, international and near-instantaneous. Online groups allow parents to connect and exchange information on whatever topic they wish to discuss—be it general parenting tips or specific resources for particular issues.

The following Facebook groups cover topics that range from autism to feeding to toileting challenges, giving parents the possibility to connect with like-minded people facing similar challenges. Take a look at these recommendations, and don’t hesitate to join the ones that suit your needs and wants.

Autism Inclusivity

Aiming to uphold and raise autistic voices above the crowd, Autism Inclusivity is a group led by autistic individuals that focuses on providing advice, information and insight to parents and caregivers of autistic children.

A private group with over 142,000 members, Autism Inclusivity is not a medical team of experts, and doesn’t claim to be. Instead, it encourages parents and caregivers to ask questions to autistic adults to understand their perspective and help them see the world the way their children do.

The perspective from the group is that Autism is not something that needs to be cured, but understood. As such, discussion and debate within the group help foster a sense of familiarity with autism and, thus, support autistic children’s needs.

Ask Me, I’m an AAC user!

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, which refers to alternative communication methods that do not rely on speech or writing. It is usually used by individuals who can’t or won’t use more traditional communication methods.

In this Facebook group, AAC users have priority when answering questions and providing information.

Ask Me, I’m an AAC user! is a private Facebook group with over 19.1k members as of now. It encompasses a plethora of AAC-related individuals—from AAC users, speech-language pathologists, doctors, family members, and anyone interested in learning about AAC.

Within the group, you can receive insight, advice, and even ask questions and information from people with experience when it comes to AAC. In discussions, AAC users are the ones that have priority answering questions and providing information, which guarantees their voices and experiences are always raised above.

Shopping/Learning more about AAC? Read our blog post about AAC here.

Selective Eating Disorder (SED) and ARFID Parents/Carers Support

Ran and administered by Felix Economakis, a psychologist with experience in ARFID and SED, this group focuses on providing a discussion forum for parents of children with ARFID—Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

The group welcomes new members with a pinned post by Economakis, which provides information about ARFID, key factors that separate ARFID from picky eating, essential advice, therapy options, and useful information.

Beyond that, it encourages members to ask questions, post their achievements, and exchange information regarding their experience and what they have learned.

Adults with ARFID should abstain from posting here, heading instead to its sister group.

ARFID: Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Another option for parents seeking a support group focused on ARFID, this group counts with 18.1k members and is one of the most active Facebook forums regarding the disorder.

This community discourages marketing or promotional material. Instead, it highlights personal experiences and resource-sharing between parents who wish to support one another.

Thursdays are reserved for people with ARFID to share their insights, allowing their voices to be heard while also giving parents and caretakers food for thought and additional information.

Keep in mind that health professionals do not administer this group, and it does not aspire to be a medical resource.

Chicago Feeding Group Family Support Community

As it says in the name, this small Facebook group is run by the Chicago Feeding Group, a nonprofit organization focusing on providing support to families of children struggling with pediatric feeding disorders and the professionals assisting them.

For people in the Chicago area, they provide low-cost workshops and webinars, as well as sponsoring online support groups meant for anyone involved with children that struggle to eat.

In particular, this group is meant for families and caretakers to exchange relevant data, including tips, useful angles and strategies, amongst others. It creates a solid network that guarantees a steady flow of information for the collective benefit of affected children.

Getting to the Bottom of Potty Issues

Managed by Dawn Wagner-Meller, MPT, Getting to the Bottom of Potty Issues is a parents and caretaker’s resource and discussion haven, focusing on the eponymous potty issues—constipation, encopresis, toilet refusal, bedwetting, day wetting, pelvic floor problems, and much more.

With strict rules against providing advice or promoting products, it instead focuses on exchanging general medical information that can enrichen parents’ knowledge when coupled with professional guidance.

With just below 1,000 members, the community is a close-knit and active group, with information curated by a professional to guarantee up-to-date and relevant tips for you and your family.

Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist

Although not precisely a Facebook group, Greg Santucci’s Facebook profile is a rich resource for parents seeking for additional information to support the healthy development of their children.

Santucci is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist focusing on “compassionate, collaborative, and brain-based interventions” to support healthy neurodevelopment in kids with the active role of their parents.

Within his Facebook page, he often uploads succinct yet important advice, shares videos and podcasts, and provides a steady supply of professionally-approved information that can make a difference when it comes to your children.

The B Team (Collab & Proactive Solutions model Plan B focus)

The Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model (CPS) is an evidence-based model of psychosocial treatment that is growing in popularity among pediatric therapists of all kinds.

Crafted by Dr. Ross Greene, this model aims to provide a collaborative, proactive, and empathic approach to problem-solving that focuses on non-punitive measures that nurture respect and kindness. Misbehavior from children answers to unsolved problems, not malice.

The B Team is a community that aims to support parents in the journey towards understanding CPS and the Plan B, the proposed method to solve the diagnosed problems.

The community focuses on sharing experiences and personal advice, always highlighting that they do not provide medical assistance or diagnosis. Nonetheless, it remains an excellent group that allows newcomers to CPS to dip their toes in this renowned method.