Free Sibling Support Project — SibShops for Kids of Special Needs, Nationwide
The Sibling Support Project is the only national program dedicated to the lifelong concerns of the brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental, and mental health concerns. Founded by Don Meyer in 1990, the project trained over 400 SibShop facilitators across the US and internationally and operates several online communities for siblings.
SibShops
SibShops are 3-5 hour peer workshops for siblings ages 8-13 of kids with special health, developmental, or mental health concerns. Held on Saturdays at hospitals, family service agencies, schools, and community centers across the country, SibShops blend recreation, dialogue, and peer support. Sibs learn that they are not alone in their experiences, get to talk frankly about the joys and challenges of being a brother or sister of someone with special needs, and have fun.
Teen and Adult Sibling Programming
Beyond SibShops, the project supports peer communities for older siblings: SibTeen Workshops (for siblings 13-17), Sib20 (for young adult siblings 18-30), the SibNet listserv for adult siblings, and various online communities and resources for sibling advocates of all ages.
Who This Is For
Siblings (ages 8 and up) of someone with a disability, chronic illness, autism, intellectual disability, mental health condition, or any other special concern. The project explicitly recognizes that siblings have lifelong roles and concerns that are often overlooked in family-of-origin services.
Why SibShops Matter
Siblings of kids with special needs grow up with experiences few of their peers share — extra household responsibilities, divided parental attention, complicated feelings about their brother or sister, and unique fears about the future. SibShops gives kids the chance to connect with other siblings who get it, normalizing what they’re experiencing and giving them tools.
How to Join
Find a SibShop near you at siblingsupport.org/find-a-sibshop. SibShops are typically hosted by hospitals, family service agencies, or school districts. Most are free or have nominal materials costs. The Sibling Support Project also offers facilitator training for organizations that want to start a local SibShop.