Here are some thought-provoking questions to consider when choosing a program to support your child’s transition to independence.
What would an empowering transition program look like? What are the key components? How will you know if your child will be guided to be the most independent adult they can be? Here are a few of my suggestions and thoughts to help you make a successful choice.
- Find out the philosophies, values, beliefs, and mission of the organization that founded the program and the administrators who oversee the program. Have they created not only a safe program but one that fosters capabilities?
- Become knowledgeable about the staff they hire to support your adult child. Are they nannies and butlers or are they mentors and coaches? Are they experienced, and is there ongoing professional development to engage in ongoing learning? Can they communicate with people like your son or daughter? Do they connect?
- Is there an evaluation process that identifies your son or daughter’s interests, strengths, and enthusiasms? Do they nurture skills that they need in order to live, work, and recreate with the least amount of help? Is there an effective progress reporting process and program adjustment system?
- Will you be a key piece in the development of your son or daughter’s adult plan, helping to identify goals that truly utilize their interests to design a meaningful and purposeful plan?
- Does the physical environment support nurturing independence? Is a kitchen available to teach meal planning, cooking, appliance use, and care? Does the site support sensory challenges such as loud and unexpected noises or bright flickering lights? Are the bathrooms created to support hygiene development skills? Are there any effective spaces where your child can remove themselves when overwhelmed? Are there outdoor spaces to engage in social, recreational, and perhaps motor planning activities?
- How close is the program to additional community activities where your son or daughter can learn how to interact and use business and community resources?
- Does the program have sufficient transportation options to ensure access to the greater community where adult skills can be practiced?
- Will the program address at least some of the key skills needed for living as independently as one can? For example
- Effective communication skills
- Self-regulation
- Problem-solving in a home environment, at work, in the community, and with others
- Work and/or volunteer skills
- Hygiene skills
- Social interaction skills
- Leisure and recreation skills
- Discuss how clients are chosen for the program. What profiles of clients are admitted? What types of behavior challenges can your child expect to see from others? Are staff members trained to provide support to those with anxiety, frustrations, overwhelm, and confusion, which can lead to aggression or acting out?
- If your son or daughter is on the autism spectrum, find out if staff are trained to understand their symptoms, characteristics, and learning styles.
- If your son or daughter has additional medical issues, such as seizures, find out how the program supports such medical challenges.
- Find out how the program receives and terminates a client. Transitioning into a new program should be done carefully. New and novel is often challenging for those on the spectrum. Families shouldn’t have to receive a call, saying please come and pick up your child as they are no longer a good fit. There should be some type of process in place to discuss and address termination before it actually occurs.
- Find out how your son or daughter will be included in the decisions of their program development
- Will the program have consultants or staff who understand the therapeutic needs of the clients, such as speech therapists, assistive technology specialists, or occupational therapists?
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a program that moves beyond the adult daycare model, then perhaps the above recommendations will be helpful. If you want your son or daughter to expand their skills, have their interests acknowledged, have their independence nurtured, and help them to be as independent as possible, then please do ask the questions above before choosing.
