Knowledge Center
TATRA Navigation Menu
Planning for transition: It's never too soon
Parents of young adults often confess that "it seems like only yesterday" that their son or daughter was an infant-a toddler-entering kindergarten-and so on. In other words, children grow up quickly. From that perspective, it's never too soon to begin planning for their future as an adult.
If a child has a disability, preparation is even more important. Many experts suggest that a family begin thinking about the child's adulthood from the moment of birth or diagnosis, particularly if the child's disability will affect his or her employment and independence.
If you've yet to map out your child's transition from childhood to adulthood and your son or daughter is approaching the teen years, don't despair. It's likely that many of the common-sense child-rearing approaches you've used throughout his or her life are good preparation for adulthood. Nevertheless, it never hurts to make sure that your family is moving forward on the right path and to make changes as soon as possible if you aren't.
PACER Center transition staff members suggest that parents consider the following issues as they guide their children and young adults with disabilities through the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Social Skills
More people lose jobs because of personality conflicts and the inability to work with other people than for any other reason. Providing children with disabilities the opportunities to socialize is important training for interacting at home, on the job, or in the community.
Children need to learn communication skills, as well as how to express feelings in a socially acceptable way, take criticism without becoming outwardly upset or angry, cooperate with others, ask for help when needed, and ask for more work once initial tasks are complete. Role-playing can be an effective tool in learning communication skills.
Play groups, spiritual groups, scouting groups, and community recreation programs are examples of good places for children to learn age-appropriate social skills. Events involving extended family may provide a "safe" setting for children learning social skills.
Parents may need to teach relatives or community members about their child and his or her abilities as well disabilities. One way is to invite a sister-in-law, neighbor, or family friend to your child's individualized education program (IEP) team meeting.
Allow people in the community to meet and appreciate your child. They are the ones who may offer tips or resources or future employment.
Choices
Even when they are very young, children can begin learning decision-making skills they will need for adulthood.
Parents can start by asking children to make simple and familiar choices such as what to wear or what to eat. They must be sure the choices are ones their children are able to make and be careful to avoid offering options that are not possibilities. At first, parents can limit options by offering children a choice between two items. For example, many toddlers can indicate if they want a drink of juice or water or can choose to wear red or blue socks. As children grow older, the opportunities for making choices increase. For example, a child can select a topic for a school report or which videotape to watch. Eventually, a young adult may decide whether to attend vocational school or college or seek employment.
Children learn from consequences as they make decisions. Parents often want to shelter their children from any pain or sadness, but this is a natural part of life for children with disabilities as well. When children make a choice and it turns out to be a bad decision, parents can provide the opportunity for their children to learn about natural consequences. Everyone learns from mistakes. Parents can be there to support their children but let them make mistakes and learn from them.
Learning to make good choices gives them self-confidence, a major factor in self-advocacy and independence.
Parents need to be aware that children with disabilities, just like those without disabilities, are considered by law to be competent adults when they turn 18. Some young adults with disabilities, however, may continue to need the assistance of parents in making decisions and choices about their lives after they turn 18.
For parents to continue to have legal standing in the lives of their adult children with disabilities a number of options are available, such as power of attorney, limited guardianship, or full guardianship. Should parents wish to pursue these options, many parent organizations advise them to use the least restrictive option needed, to ensure that their children continue to have control over key parts of their lives. Parents need to check state laws regarding these options.
Responsibility
Whether it is turning in a class assignment on time or satisfactorily completing a task at work, responsibility is key to social, school, or employment success.
Assigning chores at home is one way to teach responsibility. Nearly all children, including those with cognitive or physical limitations that require assistance can be given chores. For instance, a child with difficulties in mobility can use the tray on a wheelchair to deliver dishes to the table or folded laundry to the correct room. Not only will children be proud of their work, but they will also be helping as part of the family.
Other ways for children to learn responsibility include setting an alarm clock and waking up on time for school; preparing for the next day by laying out their clothes and organizing their backpack the night before; or telephoning the host, sponsor, or supervisor if they cannot attend an activity. Parents can be on hand to assist or advise, if appropriate or if asked.
A parent's recognizing and commenting on a child's personal strengths can also lead to responsibility. Thanking a child for being patient or remarking on perseverance at a task are examples.
A child's self-assurance grows upon realizing that she or he possesses admirable traits. Praise helps children and youth acknowledge their positive qualities and encourages them to demonstrate them, resulting in good behavior that leads to confidence, social acceptance, and good work skills.
Interests
Parents can provide opportunities for a variety of activities so their son or daughter can explore different interests. Hobbies are an enjoyable way to learn skills and can lead to job opportunities. Children or youth who like sports, for example, may eventually work in a sports store or at a camp.
Parents may wish to keep a list of their child's interests and the places where he or she seem most comfortable. The parents can also note their child's skills and strengths and what motivates her or him to follow through on tasks. As a result, parents learn more about their child, in addition to seeing their child's progress.
Young adults with disabilities and their families can benefit from going through a "person-centered planning" process that helps a young adult to identify interests and set goals. It also helps family members and professionals define their contributions to helping a young person attain goals. The person-centered planning process can be written into a student's IEP.
Self-advocacy
It is usually helpful for parents to teach their child about her or his disability. Understanding the effects of the disability helps a child or young adult determine available options. Focusing on what the person can do, as well as different ways to achieve a desired result, teaches an individual how to ask for accommodations at school or in a job later on. Parents can teach their children how to communicate their needs. They can provide opportunities for their children to express their thoughts and opinions and exercise control over their environment. Later in the workplace, these skills will assist young adults in asking for what they need, especially for any special equipment or necessary changes to the workplace that will help them better do their jobs.
PACER's transition staff suggests that parents encourage their child to participate in developing her or his individualized education program (IEP), including transition goals.
They say that children and young adults attending, and perhaps eventually facilitating, their IEP meeting learn how to advocate for themselves. Through the process students learn about their disabilities and accommodation needs, gain skills in negotiating, and help to chart their own futures.
A key part of the IEP meeting during transition years involves determining the requirements for graduation, options for continued education services until age 22 (if appropriate), and whether there are services in the adult system that could help the student reach his goals after graduation. Involvement of the student with disabilities in transition planning should help everyone understand what to expect when the student is done with high school.
Employment
Most parents of children with disabilities can expect that their sons and daughters will grow up to work, and they can help their children build dreams.
Ways to approach employment include talking to children about different jobs; pointing out what people are doing in their jobs; and asking children's opinions about the tasks. Visiting a parent's workplace and trying some tasks exposes a child or youth to employment.
Volunteering can teach children much about what is expected at work without undue pressure. Volunteer experiences provide opportunities to learn job skills, meet new people, communicate with people who are not used to being with people with disabilities, and learn to do a task in a certain time period and do it well. It is a great opportunity for career exploration.
Transition programs
Parent Training and Information centers (PTIs), Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), and other organizations have programs to help families of young adults with questions about transition.
From one-on-one consultations by telephone to workshops, Web sites and publications, parent centers offer a multitude of resources. The resources and materials are generally free to parents. PACER Center, the coordinating office for the nation's PTIs and CPRCs provides information on how parent can contact a parent center in their area by calling (888) 248-0822 toll free or visiting PACER's Web sites at www.pacer.org or www.taalliance.org. Those Web sites and another, www.fape.org, contain transition information as well.
Laws
It is important for young adults, as well as their parents, to learn about laws that provide for and protect adults with disabilities
Transition programs at school should instruct students about federal and state laws affecting adults with disabilities. Laws affect employment, medical care, housing, and other areas of concern to adults with disabilities. Understanding the law helps persons with disabilities exercise their rights. Again, parent centers are a good source of information.
Let go
Pushing young ones out of the family nest is one of the most difficult things parents can do for their children. It is especially hard for families whose child with a disability may need more support than siblings without disabilities. Sending a daughter with learning disabilities off to college or moving a son with mental retardation to a group home is scary.
However, mothers and fathers can find some comfort in knowing that, as parents, they have done their best to prepare their child for the adult world.
This article was prepared by PACER Center for publication in the November 2003 issue of Exceptional Parent (EP) magazine. It is one of an ongoing series of articles on education issues featured in each issue of EP. Additional articles in this series can be found on the web at www.eparent.com/index.asp
PACER Center is a national training and information center for families of children and youth with all disabilities: physical, cognitive, learning, emotional, and others. PACER is located at 8161 Normandale Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55437-1044. Families can call (952) 838-9000 (voice); (952) 838-0190 (TTY) or (888) 248-0822 (toll-free). PACER's Web site is www.pacer.org and its e-mail address is pacer@pacer.org
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
