Autism Parent Resource Center

Practical support. Clear explanations. Free tools. No judgment.

Every autistic child is different. This resource center is designed to help parents and caregivers understand common services, learn practical skills, find community support, and access tools you can actually use at home.

You don't need to learn everything at once. Start with what your child needs right now.

🧩 New to Autism?

Start here for plain-language information about autism, support needs, common terminology, evaluations, and what your next steps might look like.

→ Understanding Autism & Where to Start

🧠 Understanding ABA

Learn what Applied Behavior Analysis is, what BCBAs and RBTs do, common ABA terminology, what modern supportive ABA can look like, and questions to ask a provider.

→ ABA Explained for Parents

🗣️ Communication Skills

Learn about requesting, echoics, tacting, receptive identification, intraverbals, joint attention, gestures, AAC, and other ways children communicate.

→ Helping Your Child Communicate

🖼️ Visual Communication & PECS

Find visual schedules, first/then boards, choice boards, communication supports, routine visuals, and printable resources.

→ Visual Supports & Communication Tools

🤟 Sign Language & AAC

Explore sign language, AAC devices and other forms of communication for children who don't consistently use spoken language.

→ Communication Beyond Speech

🧸 Play & Peer Skills

Simple ways to practice turn-taking, joining play, parallel play, sharing space, cooperative activities, boundaries and interacting with peers.

→ Play & Friendship Skills

❤️ Feelings & Emotional Regulation

Feelings charts, coping tools, break cards, calming activities, emotion identification, co-regulation and ways to help children communicate when they're overwhelmed.

→ Feelings & Regulation Toolkit

🔍 Understanding Behavior

Learn about ABCs, functions of behavior, reinforcement, prompting, shaping, replacement behaviors, generalization and other commonly used behavioral concepts.

→ Behavior Explained Without the Jargon

🖐️ Occupational Therapy & Sensory Needs

Learn what OT does and explore sensory processing, fine-motor skills, daily living skills, feeding, movement and regulation.

→ OT & Sensory Support Explained

🧸 Autism-Friendly Toys & Activities

Find sensory-friendly toys, communication activities, fine-motor activities, calming tools, cooperative games and inexpensive alternatives you may already have at home.

→ Toys & Activities by Skill and Sensory Need

🛡️ Safety & Crisis Prevention

Learn about prevention, recognizing escalation, environmental safety, de-escalation and what programs such as QBS Safety-Care are designed to teach.

→ Safety & De-escalation Resources

🖨️ Free Printables

Feelings charts, visual schedules, choice boards, routine cards, play activities, communication tools and other resources you can print and use.

→ Free Autism Parent Toolkit

👨‍👩‍👧 Find Your Community

Find autism organizations, autistic-led groups, parent support groups, inclusive activities, adaptive recreation, sibling support and local family resources.

→ Find Autism Support Near You

🎟️ Sensory-Friendly Events

Find sensory-friendly movies, museum programs, library events, recreation programs and other inclusive activities for families.

→ Find Sensory-Friendly Activities Near You

🏫 School & IEP Support

Understand IEPs, accommodations, school services, communication with your child's team and ways to advocate for appropriate support.

→ School & IEP Parent Guide