Carroll Families
About Carroll Families
The Carroll Families initiative aims to support, educate, and connect parents and other caregivers of children who are blind or visually impaired. We feel that sharing resources and offering emotional support for the unique needs of families with children experiencing vision loss is critical and we look forward to growing this supportive community. Facilitated by Barbara Duffy, Director of Foundation and Family Relations and parent of a visually impaired son, our goal is to build strength and comradery, as well as provide suggestions, solutions, and resources to help those in our care.
Barbara Duffy, Carroll Center Parent and Director of Foundation & Family Relations
“Every day, we work tirelessly to make sure our child is living a life full of all the special memories that we can provide. As a mom of a visually impaired child, I found great support, comfort and strength when connecting with other parents of children and teens experiencing blindness. Today, I am lucky enough to work at the Carroll Center for the Blind, which provides me with a unique opportunity to help all of us learn how we can collectively support our children and each other on this journey.”
Family Support Zoom Meetings
The Carroll Families initiative hosts a Zoom series “Conversations and Connections” on a regular basis to create a platform for parents and other caregivers of visually impaired children to share ideas, resources, joys, and concerns. Meetings include guest speakers who are leading experts in the field of education services, assistive technology, and vision rehabilitation. Topics will be selected based upon input from Carroll Families members.
Upcoming Conversations & Connections
January 29, 2025 – Summer Planning
Past Conversations & Connections
November 20, 2024 – Involving Your Child in Holiday Cooking
September 25, 2024 – Enhancing Social Skills and Building Friendships
May 29, 2024 – Emotional Well-Being
April 24, 2024 – Transitions
February 28, 2024 – Supporting Your Child with Test Accommodations
January 31, 2024 – Maximizing Your Child’s Orientation & Mobility
November 29, 2023 – Partnering with Your Child’s TVI to Ensure Educational Success
In-person Events
Opportunities to gather with children, teens and families of the blind and visually impaired to connect, share resources and build a sense of community. Ideas will be gathered from Carroll Families members and could include family fun days, arboretum tours, and apple picking.
Upcoming In-Person Events
February 22, 2025 – Stargardt Summit
May 31, 2025 – Walk for Independence
Past In-Person Events
September 14, 2024 – Apple Picking
November 2, 2024 – Journey through Vision Loss
November 11, 2024 – Cane Quest
July 14, 2024 – WooSox Game
June 6, 2024 – Waltham Lions Carnival
November 12, 2023 – Arnold Arboretum Tour
Virtual Events
Convenient opportunities to connect, learn, and build a sense of community—no matter where you are. Ideas for new events and topics for webinars will be gathered from Carroll Families members to ensure we offer opportunities that are meaningful and helpful to our community.
Past Virtual Events
December 10, 2024 – Virtual Resource Seminar: Careers in Vision Studies
October 30, 2024 – Webinar with Judge David Tatel, author of “Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice”
August 7, 2024 – Daily Living with Stargardt
June 18, 2024 – Canes to Canines Webinar
May 22, 2024 – Living with Stargardt 101
February 29, 2024 – Stargardt Summit
Programs for Children
Education Services
Our Education Services team supports school-aged children at their school. Teachers of the Visually Impaired provide direct instruction and adapted materials to students and serve as advocates between the child and school administration, while Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists provide critical mobility instruction.
Summer Programs
Knowing that a great deal of learning occurs outside the classroom, our summer programs allow children and teens the opportunity to learn and grow through hands-on independent living instruction along with community experiences and recreational activities.
Braille Challenge
The Braille Challenge is a national competition for school-age children who read and write braille. The Carroll Center hosts the New England Regional Braille Challenge for students from across New England.
Cane Quest
The Carroll Center for the Blind celebrates “White Cane Awareness Month” with families and children through our Cane Quest program. Children and teens in grades 2-12 who use a white cane are invited to our campus with their families to navigate 14 cane mobility stations.
Additional Resources
In addition to programs developed and offered by the Carroll Center, we have compiled a list of resources designed to support members of the Carroll Families community and those they support.
We Want to Hear from You
The Carroll Families program is driven by you, the families of children and teens we serve. Please use the link below to submit ideas for family support Zoom meetings and meet & greet gatherings, and sign up to receive invitations and other Carroll Center updates.
Contact Information
For more information or questions about the Carroll Families program, please contact Barbara Duffy, Carroll Center Director of Foundation & Family Relations and parent of a Carroll Center alumnus. Barb can be reached via email or by phone at 617.969.6200 x 255.
