Transition to Life
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Career decision making is a process, not an event that occurs at a given time. Your child's future career will be influenced by events that can occur beginning in the preschool years and continuing throughout their adult life. Here are some ways in which you can aid your child in positive career development.
Don't discourage your child from planning particular careers at an early age. It is better to ask. "Why does this appeal to you?" than it is to say something like "You wouldn't like to do that" or "That's completely unrealistic." Until major action decisions have to be made, it is best to let your child think about all possible job choices.
Try to help your child think about alternative choices. The question, "If for some reason you couldn't do this, what other things would you want to do?" is a good one to raise. It will help you learn more about your child, and will also help her or him broaden the basis for career decision-making. Talking about your own alternative career choices will also help in this. For example, discussing jobs you've had in the past, or changes you might be considering in your present occupation.
Try to eliminate sex bias in thinking about your child's future career. Your daughter may well wish to enter an occupation you now think "masculine," or your son enter one that you consider "feminine." Don't discourage them from thinking about such occupations. Times are changing, and they will need extra measures of your emotional support. If the child next door discourages your daughter from being a doctor because "girls are nurses," take your daughter to a woman doctor if you can. If you can't, point out women who are in traditionally male jobs. Say things like, "A person's sex doesn't matter, it's ability that counts."
Don't hesitate to respond when your child asks "What do you think I should be when I grow up?" Try to make it clear that it is more important that he or she be happy than become what you would like. However, you can point out particular talents that he or she has and discuss the jobs that these would be helpful in.
Tell your child about the work you do. Try to do so in a positive way so that your child will gain respect for you by respecting what you do. Neither encourage nor discourage your child from considering your occupation. The important thing is that your child sees that you, through your work, are making contributions to society.
Encourage your child to ask people about their jobs. Make use of your friends who are in the occupations your child is considering. Emphasize to your child that he or she should seek information, not firm advice, from such persons. If your child is particularly interested, ask a friend if your child can visit to see what the job actually involves.
Take your child on field trips to see various people at work at factories, offices, auto mechanics shops, etc. This is very helpful in letting children acquire a realistic view of a variety of jobs.
Help your child explore hobbies and other leisure-time activities that are productive and useful. Sometimes such activities can lead to career choices. Whether they do or not is unimportant. What is important is that they can help your child see himself or herself as one who can accomplish something successfully.
-U.S. Department of Education
I. What is Guardianship?
A. The purpose of guardianship is to replace the disabled person's authority to make person decisions when the individual does not have the adequate natural capacity to make decision for himself/herself.
B. Since guardianship denies an individual the right to freely exercise certain personal liberties every effort should be made, through the use of social counseling services, to prevent the need for appointment of a guardian.
C. In Illinois, parents are the natural guardians of their children until they reach the age of 18. Even if your child is developmentally disabled, the law presumes that he/she is mentally competent when he/she reaches age 18; and legally, a parent would then have no authority to make decisions on their children's behalf. Parents, however, usually establish a cooperative relationship with their children and the agencies providing services. Hopefully, this relationship allows parents to remain involved in decisions affecting their children. However, there remain instances when guardianship is indicated.
II. Why Guardianship?
A. The following questions are important to ask before instituting guardianship proceedings. Is there a real danger the person will:
**run away and be unable to provide himself/herself with food, clothing and shelter?
** harm himself/herself or others?
**be physically abused?
**become involved in serious criminal activity?
**make purchases be/she is unable to afford?
**be forced into prostitution?
**be exploited by marriage or by others?
**be denied the right to be sterilized in the absence of guardianship?
** be denied medical or surgical treatment in the absence of guardianship?
**be denied transfer/discharge from a Department of Mental Health facility?
B. Should it be decided that guardianship is needed, there is a requirement that the person be legally declared incompetent at a court hearing. (Refer to Chapter XI of the Probate Act.)
III. Duties of Guardian
A. American Association of Mental Deficiency (AAMD) Policy
1. A guardian of the person should generally:
**
interact regularly with the individual;
**allow the ward to make as many decisions as possible and participate as meaningfully as possible in other decisions affecting his/her life;
** serve as an intermediary or interpreter for the person in his/her interaction with society;
**enlist professional expertise where necessary;
**assure that the individual fulfills all civil duties;
**act on behalf of the individual in securing personal rights;
**select and mobilize community resources on behalf of the individual;
**keep track of the individual's progress in service programs and assure that his/her civil liberties are being adequately safeguarded.
2. A guardian of property should:
**oversee the handling of the financial assets the individual may have and assure that all financial decisions are made in the best interests of the individual;
**cooperate with the guardian of the individual in funding services, etc.
**All guardians should report periodically to the guardianship agency or court on the discharge of guardianship duties.
References:
Probate Act of 1975, IL Rev. Stat., Chap. 3,
1. How many people live here?
2. What kinds of skills/jobs do the other people who live here have?
3. What is the maximum length of stay?
4. Is there a waiting list?
5. How long is the waiting list?
6. What are the requirements to b considered?
7. What is the monthly cost for service?
8. Do you accept Medicare or Medicaid payments?
9. Is there a cost to each individual who lives here?
10. What is the staff/individual ratio per shift?
11. What specific living arrangements are provided?
12. What are each individual's responsibilities in upkeep of the home?
13. What services are provided other than room and board?
14. What support services are provided?
15. What community-based leisure activities are available?
16. How often do these leisure activities occur?
17. What in-house leisure activities are available?
18. How often are in-house leisure activities available?
19. What community resources are available in the immediate neighborhood?
20. What assurances are there to guarantee individuals' rights?
21. What is the policy for home visits?
22. How can parents/guardians give input on facility or family/friend rights to your programs?
23. Do you provide transportation for personal and social needs, to and from job, or therapeutic appointments at no additional cost?
24. Can an individual who lives here actively search for or maintain employment?
25. Can an individual who lives here have full responsibility for his/her financial affairs?
1. What services does your agency provide?
2. What are the eligibility requirements to receive services?
3. What information is needed to be considered for services and who is responsible for providing the necessary information?
4. When and where should application for services be made?
5. How long does it take between application and start of services?
6. What services are free?
7. How is it determined who pays for services recommended?
8. Is there a cost to the consumer?
9. At what age should individuals apply for services?
10. How long will services be provided?
11. Who decides which services/programs an individual will receive?
12. Can any conditions cause loss of service?
13. What assistance can be given to help people secure jobs?
14. How much money may an individual earn and still be eligible to receive services?
Students receiving special education and related services need to take a variety of preparatory steps in order to have real choices and viable options in senior year. Following is a checklist for parents, counselors, teachers, program coordinators, and students themselves to consider well before senior year decision time.
The Basics
Personal and Skill Development of Student(parent, counselor, teacher, and student)
Assessments, Records, Course Options in High School (parent, counselor, student)
Obtain all special testing records before high graduation. They may be needed for later applications to college or vocational rehabilitation services, and some school systems destroy these records after graduation.
College Applications
Getting Ready to Apply (parent, counselor, teacher, student)
Consult with advisors to understand fully how much support or special help the student is receiving.. The level of LD services needed in college should be based on a realistic picture of what accommodations have been needed for success in high school.
Challenge the student to evaluate whether he or she has high motivation to put in the long hours needed to accomplish college level work. Is there a career goal? Is college the best transition or training for employment and independence? If so…
Decide whether to arrange for special testing conditions for the PSAT, SAT and/or ACT: Options include extended testing time, readers, cassettes, and sometimes different test locations.
4. Consider community colleges, technical or proprietary schools, specialized on-campus programs that include a vocational training component, as well as colleges with support services.
5. Contact the Office for Special Student Services or the Disabled Student Service Office of colleges before applications are submitted. Be sure what types of accommodations and services are available. Do they match those needed by the students in the high school? Is there an LD specialist on staff? How many LD students attend? What documentation is required? Are there other pre-admissions requirements such as a letter of recommendation from a high school LD advisor?
B. Application Decision, Decision and Transition to College
(parents and advisors with students)
1. The student should make a copy of each application form. The copy should be used as a worksheet to collect the needed information. The material should then be typed onto the original form and sent to the college.
2. Visit colleges, while they are in session, before making a definite choice. Consider the community around the college, costs, students' activities, programs offered, as well as LD services provided.
3. Consider enrolling in a summer orientation session for admitted LD students at the selected college. Or, take one course in a regular summer session. Getting acclimated to the campus and knowing about support service systems builds the student's confidence.
4. Search for a summer study skills course designed for people with learning disabilities. Collect advice on how to be organized for studying on the college level.
5. Search out any personal contacts or suggestions that will lead the student to find an appropriate advisor, friend, or mentor on campus.
References: HEATH Resource Center