Resources for Sibs
SUPPORT NETWORKS
The Sibling Support Project has specific content focused on supporting teen sibs. Sibteen groups, Sibshop opportunities and book recommendations can all be found here!
Sibshops are lively peer support and education programs for school age brothers and sisters of kids with special health, developmental, and mental health concerns. A list of registered Sibshops may be found here.
With over 1700 members, SibNet is the largest and oldest listserv for adult sisters and brothers of people with special developmental needs. SibNet is hosted by the Sibling Support Project and the Sibling Leadership Network.
To address the need for information and support, OAR has launched its “Autism Sibling Support” initiative, beginning with three new resources.
BOOKS
New York Times Bestseller Wonder, by R. J. Palacio, a Young Adult novel
Asperger’s Sibling Support by Trish Thorpe
Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon
My Big Brother Bobby: Understanding Angry Feelings and Behaviors of Others by Rebecca Dauer (also a sib!)
Being the Other One: Growing up with a Brother or Sister who has Special Needs by Kate Strohm
Boy Alone by Karl Greenfeld
The Normal One: Life with a Difficult or Damaged Sibling by Jeanne Safer
ARTICLES
Sibling caregiver research article co-authored by Ellie
Research by Boston University’s Dr. Gael Orsmond
Chicago Tribune on Don Meyer, director of the Sibling Support Project
An NPR article on Givoanni Cocco’s photographs of his sister who has a disability
A New York Times piece by Anne Fadiman, author of “A Hmong Child: Her American Doctors and the Collision of the Two Cultures”
OTHER RESOURCES
Poster presentation by Ellie at the Society for Social Work and Research in 2018
Great piece by the Sibling Leadership Network on the importance of support for sibs of individuals with mental illness
University of Michigan’s helpful resource sheet
2016 article written in the Washington Post by a parent
Information on sibs from Autism West Midlands
Zelezeh blog
TED Talks
Faith Jegede: Autism through a sibling's eyes
Alicia Arenas: Recognizing Glass Children
More resources to come!