Care, Protect, Grow

"This isn't a book—it's a map. A map of a landscape most families are forced to navigate alone, finally offering a clear path forward."

"Care, Protect, Grow is the most comprehensive and compassionate guide for special needs families to financial and life planning I've ever read. The authors utilize their professional and lived experience to provide a step by step and easy to follow process filled with meaningful case studies. This book is so captivating, you don't want to put it down and I can't wait to share it with our community."

"Care Protect Grow is the bible for navigating care of a special needs child from diagnosis through adulthood. Regardless of where you are on this journey the book has something for everyone. Despite being a parent of a special needs adult as well as a health care professional, I learned new information and gems that I can incorporate into my plans for my son. These brave women share their stories, expertise and insights in all the areas of caring for children of all various special needs. It moves beyond traditional financial and estate planning and challenges parents to consider care needs in a comprehensive way, embrace advocacy, and navigate the complex government and legal landscape on behalf of their child now and into the future. All parents, grandparents and anyone who loves a child with disabilities can benefit from this easy-to-read manual."

"Families like ours need guidance that feels human. Care, Protect, Grow offers a practical, compassionate roadmap for every family that's ready to plan, but doesn't know where to start."

"As a physician who specialized in caring for children and youth with disabilities and chronic illnesses and the parent of individuals with disabilities, I have lived and seen the challenges of special needs planning from many perspectives. Not only can one not see the forests for trees, but more often one is so focused on day-to-day challenges that you can't see the tree for the bark. Care, Protect, Grow provides the framework to step back, reorient and work in a practical way to ensure that not only their challenged family member, but the entire family can create a better future for everyone."

"This book bridges the gap between expertise and empathy in a way our industry urgently needs. Kristin Carleton, Kathy Matthews, and Mary McDirmid offer families — and the professionals who serve them — a compassionate, research-informed roadmap for navigating caregiving and financial decision-making across generations. It is an empowering and deeply human contribution to the field."

"Informed, empowered, optimistic: These are three words that describe how I feel as the parent of a special needs child after reading this incredible book! The authors have created a uniquely powerful and comprehensive resource to promote not just financial security, but the holistic well-being of all family members. They have taken a topic which had previously filled me with dread and made me excited to get started planning! As both a mental health professional and a mom, I can't wait to recommend this book far and wide."

"I am extremely pleased to endorse and advise parents to obtain and read the new book 'Empower Your Family through Special Needs Financial Planning.' This is the most complete guide devoted to this critical issue. Finally, competent and compassionate advice is available. I have worked with children, parents, and strategic scientists of teaching and behavior analysis for over 50 years in several countries. The advice provided in this book fills the longstanding gap in advice for parents."