Watertown, MA, May 3rd, 2025, with Perkins School for the Blind . Free. The Early Connections Conference brings together families with children from birth to age 7 who are blind, deafblind, or low-vision, including those who have multiple complex disabilities—to engage with each other and leading professionals in the field.
* There will also be an exhibitor expo with resources for families.
2025 Key Note Address: Lauren Fornes: Lauren is a Perkins parent, as well as a mom to three typically developing children. Lauren took an extended break from the corporate world to focus on her family, including her son with neurological blindness, spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. When her son’s health stabilized, Lauren dedicated herself to “seeing for two” as an interior decorator, children’s book author, and advocate for universal design and inclusion.
Workshops will cover:
- Mindful Parenting: Nurturing Yourself While Supporting Your Child with Disabilities
- Big Feelings and Behavior: What does it mean and what do we do?
- Life Beyond the Living Room
- Empowering Growth: How Experiential Learning and High Expectations Drive Student Independence
- Senses and Sounds: Phonological Awareness Activities for Families
- Emotional and Social Intelligence: The Building Blocks for Connections
- Art is for Everyone
- Math, Movement, and Communication: Building the Foundations of Early Learning
Conference Resource Exhibitors include:
- Federation for Children with Special Needs
- Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
- Discovery Museum
- The Child Who Never Knew
- Exceptional Lives, Inc.
- CHARGE Syndrome Foundation
- The Assistive Device Center at Perkins School for the Blind
- CVI Center at Perkins
- Perkins Outreach/Community Programs
- Perkins Academy
- Arc of Massachusetts – Pathways to Friendship
- Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA)
- Special Achievers
- Selvas BLV, formerly HIMS Inc
- BILLY Footwear
- Adaptive Melodies
- Camp Abilities
- Perkins Library
Registration is required to www.perkins.org/get-involved/events/early-connections or contact Info@Perkins.org, by phone, 617-924-3434 
