National Sibling Conference

If you have a sibling with a disability, there’s a conference you need to attend. The National Sibling Leadership Network Conference will take place June 6 in Pittsburgh. (Sorry for the short notice, folks!)

The conference is intended for siblings of people with disabilities, people with disabilities, parents and family members. Professionals and sibling supporters are also welcome. Conference sessions will cover research on siblings with disabilities, sibling stories, resources and support, and civil rights issues.

I attended the SLN conference in 2010. I knew I would find myself among like-minded people, but was still blown away as I sat in the ballroom and looked at a crowd of hundreds who understood my story the way most people never could. It was like being at a family reunion with people I had never met before.

If you can’t go this year, put it on your calendar for next summer. In the meantime, get acquainted with the Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) and the work it does around the country.

SLN works to provide siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support and tools to advocate for their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their families throughout their lives.

To register for the conference and learn more about the Sibling Leadership Network, visit the website.