Are you raising children who are not your biological offspring? If you’re a grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or any other relative stepping into a parenting role, the Relatives as Parents Program at Brooker Memorial is here for you!
Our Mission
RAPP provides a caring and supportive environment for relatives who have taken on the role of raising children. We understand that this journey can bring both joys and unique challenges, and we’re here to walk alongside you every step of the way.
What We Offer
- Peer Support: Connect with others who share similar experiences. Our group provides a warm, nonjudgmental space where you can share stories, advice, and encouragement, helping you feel understood and supported.
- Monthly Meetings: Adults gather for meetings monthly in the evening at Brooker Memorial, 157 Litchfield St., Torrington. We provide dinner and babysitting services. There is no fee or cost to participants. The adult meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of topics for adult programming. Recent topics include Probate Court, legal guardianship, interactions with schools when a child has special needs, self-care for caregivers, LGBTQIA+ issues for children and supporting them, as well as financial support programs on the state and federal level.
- Family activities: Four times a year we offer activities that involve the entire family. Recent activities have included family board game night, Halloween celebration that included costumes and pumpkin decorations, family trivia night and go kart riding at a local facility.
- Community Building: Join a community that fosters friendships and builds a supportive network, so you never feel alone in your parenting journey. Through shared understanding, we help you feel a sense of belonging.
Resource Library
We offer a range of resources tailored to the needs of relatives raising children. Topics include navigating legal issues, understanding child development, working with school systems, and managing stress.
To search by any keyword or title, type it in the “search by” field and you’ll get all a list of all our resources that use that keyword or title. To search for resources on a specific topic, select a topic using the drop-down menu.
Subjects: Connecticut, adoption
Subjects: Connecticut, family, adoption, foster, caregivers, training
Subjects: mental health, family
Subjects: mental health, family, LGTBQIA+, caregivers
Subjects: family law, legal
Why Join Our Group?
The adults in the support group report that they get great comfort talking with others in the same situation they face.
In addition, they always learn things from each other, as well as the “expert” who has joined the talk. Lived experience is a great teacher and many of our grandfamilies have experiences to share with other families, such as going through the adoption process and the benefits. The current members have build a great community of support with each other.
There are also proven health benefits to members of support groups, including lower risk of hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
Kinship caregivers who have supportive connections experience more positive physical and mental health.
For more information or to register, contact our Community Engagement Coordinator at (860)489-1328 ext. 129.
