Imagining a Great Life for Your Child

Today’s Agenda

• What is a “great life”?
• Setting a vision
• Understanding expectations
• Core components of a “great life”
• How families can help
• Addressing concerns

Question and answer session

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Today, People with Disabilities…..

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What Does a Great Life Look Like?

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www.lawrenceroffeephotography.com

www.lawrenceroffeephotography.com

It’s Important to Have a Vision

• Families are the champion for their youth
• Help your youth have a voice
• Formal “services” not always a long-term option

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How do We Define Expectations?

• “Expectations” are a belief that someone will or should achieve something; that something will happen or is likely to happen in the future.
• “High Expectations” are the belief that a person with a disability (or other barrier) can achieve the same life and have the same life choices as everyone else.

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Where Do Low Expectations Come From?

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• Society’s perceptions about the impact of disability
• Feelings about having a child with a disability
• What we are told by others

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The secret is seeing that people with disabilities can do great things, and not letting other people’s ideas impact your son or daughter’s ability to make lives for themselves.

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The Importance of Having High Expectations

Families set the bar for how the rest of the world sees their child.

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• Use positive language with your child
• Use positive language with school and service providers
• Helps to avoid a lack of confidence
• Helps to avoid restrictive programs

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What is your vision for a “great life” for your family member? ��What don’t you want for your family member’s future? �

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Charting the Life Course �Life Trajectory Worksheet: Families

Everyone wants a good life. The bubbles on the right will help you think about what a good life means for you or your family member, and identifying what you know you don’t want. You can use the space around the arrows to think about current or needed life experiences that help point you in the direction of your good life. 

Developed by the UMKC Institute for Human Development, UCEDD. More materials at lifecoursetools.com 

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Foundations of A Great Life

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A Great Life: Education

The school years set the stage for self-confidence, skill building, and social connections.

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• Advocate for inclusion
• Families are a critical partner
• The IEP drives the process
• Education and training after HS is important

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A Great Life: Employment

1. Everyone can work!
2. Work looks differently for everybody.
3. Employment should be rooted in what your child wants to do.

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Why Should Your Child Work?

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• It is what is expected of adults
• Socialization
• Self-worth (dignity)
• Purpose
• Money
• Promotes mental health
• Because they can!

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How Families Support Employment

• Set the expectation (a job in the community)
• Teach soft skills

- Manners

- Taking directions

- Time management

• Teach real things
• Chores in the home
• Be a partner with school and employment services

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What is Success?

Think of a couple things that you would not be successful at on your first try.

Success in employment is an ongoing process and will look different for everyone.

• Hours worked
• Tasks
• Tolerance
• Recognize and celebrate progress!!

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A Great Life: Independent Living

What skills does your family member need to live independently or function in the community?

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• Transportation
• Financial literacy
• Healthy habits
• Housing

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A Great Life: Community Connections

How will your family member be meaningfully connected to the community they choose to live in?

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• Connected to the people they want in their lives
• Opportunities to contribute to community
• Recreation and hobbies
• Formal supports only if necessary

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A Great Life: Personal Choice

Is your family member being given the opportunity to dictate the direction of their lives?

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• Self-directed IEPs or service plans
• Ability to take risks
• Their decisions don’t always match your vision
• Do “supports” ever act as a barrier?

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Vision Statement

• Great tool to help job seeker express their goals
• Can double as a resume

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https://www.kentuckyworks.org/2018/08/07/brighter-futures-vision-statement/

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Having Questions or Concerns is Normal

When thinking about a real job in the community for your child, is there anything that makes you worried or concerned?

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Having Questions or Concerns is Normal

When thinking about a real job in the community for your child, is there anything that makes you worried or concerned?

• Will they be taken advantage of?
• Will they be safe in the community?
• What will happen when I’m gone?
• Can they get a job?
• What do I do if I don’t agree with their decisions?

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The Balancing Act

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Longer Runway

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Takeaways

1. Set a vision for a “great life”
2. Put your family member in a position to lead
3. Having questions and concerns is normal
4. Success looks differently for everyone. Celebrate the small steps.

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Questions

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Resources

Raising Special Kids

https://raisingspecialkids.org/transition-to-adulthood/

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Arizona Department of Education

https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/transition/

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Arizona Community of Practice on Transition (AZCoPT)

https://sites.google.com/view/azcopt

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TransCen, Inc.

https://www.transcen.org/

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Raising Special Kids

602-242-4366

800-237-3007

www.raisingspecialkids.org

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Please consider showing your support for Raising Special Kids by making a donation in any amount

raisingspecialkids.org/donate

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THANK YOU!