This section describes what transition planning is all about by
talking about the following:

• Best practices – a discussion of things that makes transition
  planning work well;
• Person-centred planning – an approach to including your
  child in transition planning;
• Getting an early start – a discussion on the importance of
  getting a handle on transition planning in the pre-teen years; and
• Managing the process – pointing out that much of the
  responsibility for transition planning rests with parents.

Transitions are about change. The transition process is about looking
ahead to the future and preparing for one of the most significant times
in your child’s life – becoming an adult. For parents this may be a time of
many emotions. As your child grows up, you may suddenly realize that
they are becoming their own person with likes, dislikes, and their own
view of the world.

Exploring new interests, getting to know the community, starting new
programs, working with new service providers, establishing relationships with
new caregivers, leaving familiar surroundings and friends and making new
ones are some of the changes that lie ahead. Planning for these changes
takes time and so an early start is important. Realistically, it will require a
lot of preparation to develop a plan for the future that is positive and
practical and that best reflects the preferences and interests of your child.

The time of transition planning is about building your child’s self-reliance
skills. Your natural instinct is to protect your child and as a parent of a
child with developmental disabilities that instinct is likely even stronger.
However, it is important to not underestimate your child’s abilities. Find
ways to set expectations for your child and provide them with lots of
encouragement to do their best. Encourage them to expect the best from
themselves. Throughout the planning exercise, it will be important to
recognize opportunities to strengthen your child’s independence and
their ability to begin advocating on their own behalf – a skill they will
need as they become an adult.

Transition planning will mean making many decisions with your child
about various aspects of their life. It is important for you to begin preparing
for the time when your child is no longer in school everyday. You need
to consider things like living arrangements, community programs,
employment opportunities, further education opportunities, health care,
recreation and social activities. The transition planning activities will
help you look at each of the areas noted above to identify your child’s
strengths and opportunities for growth, identify things they want to pursue
and how they should go about pursuing them.

Not all of these changes need to happen at once. In fact, today many
adolescents with or without developmental disabilities continue to live at
home with their parents while attending post-secondary programs or
after entering the workforce. However, the difference is that as a parent
of a child with a development disability you may continue with many
parental responsibilities that other parents pass on to their children as
they reach adulthood.

Transition is about planning and preparing for the changes that adult life
will bring and then having your child do the things that other young
adults do. While some young adults with developmental disabilities may
require supports and services from their community to do those things,
adult life involves much more than receiving services. Becoming an
adult is about participating in community life and being a citizen – a
contributing member of society.

Tip # 1

More information on Best Practices is
available in Part 2: Tools & Resources under Tool 1.

Best Practices in Transition Planning

Best practices can be defined as programs, initiatives or activities which
are considered leading edge and can serve as exceptional models for others to
follow. Research studies on best practices in transition planning typically
identify a similar list of outcomes – person-centred or person-directed
planning, including others in developing the plan, identifying a coordinator,
and monitoring and updating the plan. Given their importance, many of
these issues will also be discussed throughout the document.

In addition, some good examples of best practices research can be found in
British Columbia at the Ministry of Children and Family Development,
the Alberta Central Region Community Board, and the “Transitions from
High School to Adult Life” project completed by the Saskatchewan
Association for Community Living. In the United States, several good
references are available through various states, including Washington,
California, North Dakota and Michigan.

Tip #2

More information on resources in other
jurisdictions is provided in Part 2: Tools & Resources under Transition Planning
Resources, Transition Planning Guides and Other Transition Planning Resources.

Person-Centred Planning

Your child will be at the centre of developing their transition plan for
their future. You and others close to your child need to find ways to
have your child take a leadership role in planning and decision-making
throughout the process to the extent that they are able. Involving your
child in this way is called person-centred planning.

This approach to planning is about understanding your child, their gifts,
their dreams, their interests and their preferences. It is about focusing on
enabling qualities – the positives – to bring plans to action. Person-centred
planning is based on the belief that each individual has strengths, has the
ability to express preferences and make contributions and choices. Again, it
is recognized that each child’s ability to contribute to the planning process
will be different but every contribution in whatever form is important.

You may already be familiar with person-centred planning from other
programs or activities as it is an approach that is not unique to transition
planning. Using a person-centred planning approach to develop the
transition plan is key to ensuring that your child will be the driving force
throughout, with you, the parent, playing a significant role as well.

Much has been written about person-centred planning and there are
many tools and exercises available to help those in your network better
understand your child. Of particular interest are two such tools – MAPS
(Making Action Plans) and PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with
Hope). MAPS is a planning process that takes a look at a person’s story –
their history – to understand them and help them develop a plan to
move in the direction of their dreams. PATH takes a point in the future
and works back to the present, identifying the steps needed in between to
make a dream a reality.

Tip #3

Further information about these tools is available at
www.inclusion.com. They are also identified in Part 2: Tools & Resources under
Transition Planning Resources, Person-Centred Planning Tools.

Much of the person-centred literature suggests that families should engage
a facilitator to help through the planning process as is the case with the
MAPS and PATH tools. The facilitator does not have to be a service professional
but it is helpful if it is someone who has been trained in the use
of person-centred planning tools. The Central Alberta Community Board
has developed a set of person-centred planning tools so that families can
engage in the planning activities and manage the process on their own.
Many individuals, families, and service providers have been involved in
conceptualizing, designing, piloting, and evaluating the person-centered
planning process now being implemented in communities across the
Central Alberta region. A person-centred planning tool and guidebook
have been developed; a literature review and personal stories of success
are also available for review. In Ontario, the Individualized Funding
Coalition recently developed a person-directed planning guide, also available
in a plain language version.

Tip #4

The Alberta documents can all be accessed at
www.pdd.org/Central/resources/personcp.shtml and the Ontario
document is available at www.individualizedfunding.ca. More information is available
in Part 2: Tools & Resources under Transition Planning Resources,
Person-Centred Planning Tools.

Involving your child from the beginning to create a plan that best reflects
their interests and preferences is more likely to enhance the outcomes for
your child and lead to the development and implementation of a more
appropriate plan for the future. You should involve your child in ways
that make the most sense based on their abilities and circumstances.
Person-centred planning is a great way for your child to take ownership
of their plan and to feel in control of their lives. It also provides them
with an opportunity to begin advocating for themselves, an important
skill in building self-reliance.

Get an Early Start

Planning for an event helps to identify the things that need to be
done ahead of time, prepare for what is coming and think of
alternative strategies if things do not go exactly as planned.
Transition planning will help your child identify opportunities
and experiences during their school years to help prepare them
for life as an adult.

One of the most important aspects of transition planning is getting an
early start. By the time your child reaches the age of nine you can begin
with casual conversations about what they want to be when they grow
up. Talking about the future with your child will help them become
more comfortable with the whole notion of change. You will need to
prepare your child well in advance to make sure they are ready to be
involved and make decisions about the future. This is an important time
for them and one they may not be ready to participate in at first. Planning
allows both you and your child to prepare for the change ahead, to identify
concerns and questions and become emotionally prepared for the move
to adult life.

Through the education system, at age 14, your child will begin planning
for the future through the development of an Individual Education Plan
(IEP) and a Transition Plan. These plans will identify specific actions and
activities that will help move your child closer to achieving their goals
for the future. Further details about transition planning in the education
system in Ontario are discussed in Section 4.

However, you don’t need to wait for the education system to get started.
You can begin by keeping track of basic information about your child
(reports, records, certificates of achievement etc.) and your family to share
with various individuals as you go through the planning process.
Having your child help you complete these transition planning documents
that are found in Part 2 of this guide and discussed in Section 3 is a great
way to introduce them to becoming involved in the planning process.

Manage the Process

Transition planning is a partnership involving you, your child, other family
members, teachers, friends, community and adult service providers, employers
and any other individuals with a vested interest in your child. As parents,
your role will involve taking charge and effectively coordinating a set of
activities to develop a transition plan that best reflects the interests and
preferences of your child.

Transition planning is not an easy task and it is likely to be overwhelming
at times. But you do not have to face it alone. Early on you will want to
surround yourself with people who can help you. These people will
become your network of support that know and have a vested interest in
your child. Your network should be energizing and creative and will likely
include other members of your family, friends, peers, teachers, and/or
community support workers and even other parents of children with
developmental disabilities. Find ways to give people in your network the
opportunity to enjoy hospitality and to become familiar with one another.
This will help build strong and effective relationships and help build
commitment to your child. Many of the individuals in your network of
support may become part of your transition planning team – individuals
you select to help you put your plan together. While you are your child’s
best advocate, there are many other people involved in your lives – both
known to you and new to you – that can provide a wealth of information
from an objective and fresh perspective. Section 3 provides more details
on establishing this team.

You will encounter transition planning in the education system; it may
also come up through your involvement in the service system; and you
need to be thinking about transition planning activities at home as well.
However, this planning process is not going to happen on its own and
you cannot wait for someone else to start the ball rolling. It is going to
take your hard work and effort to do this. You will need to coordinate
your efforts across the community and education systems and build the
most effective transition planning process for you and your child. The
more prepared and knowledgeable you are, the more ready you will be to
take charge and coordinate these efforts successfully.

3. THE STEPS IN TRANSITION PLANNING

This section suggests a series of steps to follow in getting the planning
process started. The steps include the following:

• Step 1: Create a Vision and Build the Profile;
• Step 2: Build the Team;
• Step 3: Set Goals;
• Step 4: Action Plan; and
• Step 5: Updating the Plan.

A number of steps are outlined below to help you get started
on your planning. The steps are sequentially numbered
but since it is your plan, you can carry them out in any
order that makes the most sense to you. For example,
you may want to build your transition team first and
then have the team help develop the profiles.

The worksheets identified in each of the following steps
have been adapted (with permission) from materials developed in British
Columbia by the Ministry of Children and Family Development “Your
Future Now. A Transition Planning & Resource Guide for Youth with Special
Needs and Their Families”. They are intended to guide you through the
development of your transition plan. Use the worksheets, reuse them, modify
them – they are meant to provide you with examples of the type of information
that may be helpful to you as you identify your specific path to the future.

If you do not find these exercises suit your needs, there are other examples
of transition planning guides identified in Part 2 under Transition Resources.
Take a look at these other on-line guides and find one that is a good fit
for you and your child. The important thing is that you do get started, and
not necessarily which tool is used.

When beginning the worksheets, encourage your child to be involved in
completing the exercises to the best of their ability. Support them and
have them seek assistance from you, their friends or other family members.
The more involved your child is the more likely the plan will reflect their
interests and preferences. Having helped in making these decisions will
give them a sense of accomplishment and confidence as they take a step
towards a life of more independence as an adult.

Step 1: Create a Vision and Build the Profile

Building the profile is about gathering information on your child, your
family and your family situation. You will need to share this information
with the transition planning team since not everyone will be as familiar
with your circumstances as you are. This will help the team in making
the right decisions throughout the transition planning process.

The first exercise is about creating a vision for your child. This is an exercise
that you may revisit several times as your child grows and their preferences
and interests change as they experience new and different things.

Tip #5

Tool 5 in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides a set of vision developing questions
that can be used at age nine and repeated as your child goes through
the adolescent years.

’’ONE PARENT’S ADVICE… ON A VISION ‘‘
“Develop a vision for the future for your child. Make it your own vision
and do not be limited by what others may say or what you think you
may get. Draw support for your vision from every possible direction
around you. Don’t be afraid to call upon others for help and input.
Secure the support you need for an ordinary life for your child. And
remember to get a network for yourself as a
parent - this is a difficult journey.”

You should consider developing a vision as early as possible. This vision,
when broken down into yearly goals, becomes very helpful in developing
the transition plan. Establishing a vision is a great opportunity to set
expectations for your child – realistic expectations based on their strengths,
interests and preferences.

The vision exercise is meant to find out what your child is interested in,
where their strengths and abilities lie and what they want to do in the
future. This exercise should clearly outline what your child can do, what
they are good at doing and what they like doing. Taking this approach
can help make the experience more positive and will likely result in having
your child perceived more positively as well.

‘‘ FROM A PARENT ’’
“When my daughter was a very young child we were focussed on her
problems and looking for the right “fixes”. We tried to get her into a
specialized school and she was not accepted. In retrospect, this was
the best thing that ever happened since it started us down a path
of inclusion.”

This early experience and others that followed really helped shape a change
in this family’s philosophy. Instead of continuing to see problems and
looking for fixes, they began to see gifts, what their daughter could bring
to others and looked for ways to include her in all activities. This is not
to say that your child’s challenges should be ignored – they should just
not be the focus of the plan nor the basis of its development. Rather,
they can be incorporated into expectations or identified as the needs to
be supported throughout the transition period.

Tip #6

More information on MAPS and PATH can
be accessed at www.inclusion.com
The vision information can be accessed at
www.pdd.org/docs/cent/PCP_811_Jan19.pdf. Further details on this and other
tools available from the Central Alberta Community Board can be found in Part 2:
Tools & Resources under Person-Centred Planning.

In establishing a vision for your child, there are other tools that can be
helpful as well. Both the MAPS and PATH activities are useful to identify
the unique preferences, experiences, skills and support needs of
your child. The Central Alberta Community Board tools may also be
helpful in identifying a vision and building a profile of your child.
Next, you will develop your child’s profile which builds on the
information identified in the vision. The list below identifies the
type of information you should be gathering about your child as
you develop their profile.

Gathering Information about Your Child

Identify people in your child’s life, such as family members,
friends, cultural associations, school personnel, social workers,
current service providers and community members.

• Discuss where your child spends his or her time.
• Identify things that others see as strengths that contribute to his
  or her positive characteristics.
• Identify things that people see as areas where growth is needed.
• Discuss the kinds of choices your child makes.
• Identify preferences, including things that motivate your child
  and create happiness, and non-preferences, including things that
  do not work for them, that create frustration and unhappiness.
• Discuss personal goals and dreams.
• Identify the most vital priorities to work on now (2-12 months)
  and in the future (1-5 years).
• Discuss opportunities, including things or people that can help
  your child achieve his or her personal goals and dreams.
• Discuss obstacles or barriers, including things or people that are
  getting in the way of your child achieving his or her personal
  goals and dreams.
• Identify strategies to help your child overcome obstacles or
  barriers and achieve personal goals and dreams.

Now, you will need to identify information about your family. This
information should include services that you currently use, what you
anticipate needing when your child reaches the end of school and the
ways you can help your child reach their goals for the future. The following
questions are things to consider in developing a family vision and
completing a family profile

 

Family Profile

• What supports and services do you use now and will they
  continue when your child reaches the age of 18 or 21?
• What additional or different supports and services do
  you anticipate needing in the future?
• Will your child continue to live at home and for how
  long? Will you require other living arrangements for
  your child?
• Do you have the means – financial and otherwise – to
  support your child in adulthood?
• What financial planning do you need to consider?

These are things you will need to include in your transition plan and are
as important as making arrangements for your child.

Tip #7

Your child, with
appropriate assistance, can complete his or her profile by using the
format provided in Tool 7 found in Part 2: Tools & Resources.
You can complete your family profile by using use the format provided in Tool 8
in Part 2: Tools & Resources.

Step 2: Build the Team

While you will be expected to be very involved in the development of
your child’s transition plan, you do not need to do it alone. Build a team
for your transition plan by seeking the support of people who can help
you to set your child’s goals for the future and then help in making those
goals a reality. Choose from people who are part of your network of supports
or circle of friends – people you are comfortable with. It is suggested
that your team have at least two members and no more than eight – any
more may be overwhelming.

Some individuals you may want to consider in addition to yourself and
your child can include the following:

• Other family members;
• Parents who have recently gone through a transition plan
• Themselves;
• Teachers;
• Community workers;
• Friends;
• Peers;
• Employers; or
• Other members from the community.

Some members of the team may be involved with the planning process
from the beginning. Others may be involved on a limited basis.

It may be helpful to ask yourself the following questions to identify the
most appropriate members of your network or team:

• Who knows your child best?
• Who does your child trust and feel comfortable around?
• Who does your child look to for advice and support?
• Who would your child like to help him or her with their
  transition from school to adulthood?
• How can these people best help?

It will be important for you to involve people that know your child well
and that may also have a vested interest in your child. You will want to
include people that have a positive outlook and can see the gifts and
strengths your child has to offer. Think about including those that will
network and advocate on your child’s behalf in much the same way as you
will yourself. Remember, creativity is going to be a key to the success of
your transition plan. The education system and the service system may
not be able to support you in the way that you expect. So it is important
to involve people on your team who can help develop innovative ways to
support your child as they make their way to adulthood.

Once you have established your team, you will need to think about who
could take on the role of coordinator. This person will be a key contact
for the team throughout the process and will take the lead in organizing
the activities of the team.

Tip #8

Tool 6 in Part 2: Tools & Resources section provides a template for keeping track
of your team members contact information.

You will likely be responsible for most of the work involved in the planning
process so surround yourself with the right people. Use your network
of supports most effectively and gain from the experience of others.
Seek out parents that have been through this process before and involve
them in your planning efforts. Find a mentor for your child – a peer that
has recently made the transition to adulthood who can support your
child as they go through the steps in developing their plan.

Tip #9

Tool 2 in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides a suggested list of roles
and responsibilities for members of the transition team.

 

Step 3: Set Goals

Once the profiles are completed for your child and your family, you will
need to consider developing goals. Goals are an important step in the
process since they will help identify the kinds of experiences your child
should pursue through their high school years and the skills they will
develop as a result.

There are a few things to consider in developing goals with your child.
Write them down so you can tell if your child has achieved the goal(s).
Goals should also be positive and possible. It may also be helpful to
separate them into short-term and longer-term timeframes. Examples for
each are identified below:

Short-term goal: Mary will find a volunteer position in the community by
the end of April.

Long-term goal: Mary will have a part-time paying job by the end of next
year.

Short-term goal: Adam will remain at Middletown Collegiate until age
21 to maximize learning of literacy, numeracy and life skills.

Long-term goal: Adam will continue to practise and maintain his
literacy and numeracy skills after leaving school and to further
develop life skills.

Establishing goals is a good way to address a fear your child may have
about the future and it will give them a chance to talk about it. They
can become more comfortable with something that they have concerns
about through a number of small but progressive steps.

Following is a list of questions you can use to consider as part of the goal
setting exercise.

Goal Category	Question
Health	What will their health and medical needs be? How will they live a healthy lifestyle?
Housing/Living Arrangements	Where will they be living? Will they be living at home, in a supported living arrangement, in a group home, or in their own apartment?
Finance/Money	What about money? What will be their source of income? Will they require assistance with banking? If so, who will help?
Friendship/ Social Life	What will their social life look like?
Transportation	What will their transportation needs look like? Do they need to use adapted transit?
Post-secondary	Will they go on to further their education?
Education/Training	Will they go to a university or college? Will they take a training course?
Employment	What will they do after school is finished? Will they get a job? Will they go to a day program?
Recreation	What will they do for recreation? Will they join a sports team? Will they take an art class?
Community Involvement	What will they do during their spare time? Will they volunteer? What about spiritual and cultural activities?
Legal/Advocacy	What will their legal needs be? Who will help them stand up for their rights?

Tip #9

Tool 9 in Part 2: Tools & Resources may help you to identify your child’s
goals for the future.

Step 4: Action Plan

Now that you have identified the pieces of the plan in the previous three
steps, the action plan will help you pull it all together.

Tip #10

Tool 10 in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides a sample template that you may
want to use in developing your transition plan. Other samples are available in
the guides listed in the Part 2: Tools & Resources under Transition Planning
Guides in Canada and United States.

First, your transition team will review the goals set in Step 3 and the
potential supports and services identified to help in achieving these goals.
In doing this, your team should consider the following questions:

• What are your child’s goals?
• What skills or behaviours does your child need to learn to
  achieve these goals?
• What local programs, services and supports are available to
  support your child’s goals?
• What responsibilities must you, the school, adult services,
  cultural and community agencies, and your family assume in
  order for your child to reach his or her goals?
• What are the gaps or barriers within current programs and
  services that must be addressed?

Then, the team is ready to identify the tasks that need to be completed
to achieve the goals. Members of the team will also need to assume
responsibility for these tasks to ensure that they are carried out. These


actions need to be fairly detailed so it is clear what needs to be done, by
when and by whom.

The next step will involve reviewing the tasks identified to make sure
that they are consistent with the vision developed for your child.

Tip # 12

Tool 11 in Part 2: Tools and Resources provides a chart to summarize the
actions and assigned responsibilities. It can then be used to review your progress
at the next transition planning meeting.

 

There are many activities that can be completed along the way, other
than those specifically identified in the transition plan that can be used
to help make progress towards your child’s goals. Many of these activities
are ways to establish and reinforce self-reliance skills for your child.
These activities will also be important to keep track of as you progress
through the adolescent years.

Not every item will be relevant to every individual. Use the checklist as a
guide to provide you with ideas and make adjustments to better fit your
circumstances.

Tip #13

Tool 4 in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides a checklist of items ranging from
birth through adolescence that can be helpful in moving your child towards
his or her vision of the future.

Step 5: Updating the Plan

One of the most important steps is reviewing and updating your plan on
a regular basis. One of the tasks of the transition coordinator is to schedule
meetings to keep track of tasks that have been assigned and progress
towards their completion. These meetings become an important opportunity
to review the goals and ensure that they continue to be consistent
with your child’s interests and preferences.

In reviewing the goals and the tasks assigned to each, it may be important
to revise the goals and make them more specific as needed. As your child
moves through their adolescence, their interests may become more
defined and so too should their goals. An opportunity
provided through a work experience program at school or
a volunteer position in the community may help them to
more clearly set the directions they want to take as an
adult. Use these times of review to ensure the direction in
the original transition plan is still consistent with your
child’s current interests and preferences.

4. TRANSITION PLANNING AT SCHOOL

This section outlines the following information on transition planning
in the education system:

• The school’s role – what you can expect from the education
  system in planning for your child’s future;
• The value of work experience and co-operative education;
• Your role in the school transition plan – how you can utilize the
  education system resources for your transition plan;
• Being an active participant – the importance of being involved
  with your child in the education process; and
• Staying in touch – the importance of being aware of what is
  happening with the education process and how you can influence
  the opportunities available to your child by being involved.

The Ontario Ministry of Education has developed a process to help students
with the transition to work, further education and community living. An
Individual Education Plan (IEP) must be completed for each student with
special education needs that details the academic expectations for each
year of school. Research indicates that having both the parents and child
involved in the development of these plans can significantly improve the
likelihood of a successful transition. The following information provides
an overview of the process outlined by the Ministry of Education and the
role you should take in making your way through the school transition
process and integrating it with your own family transition plan.

The School’s Role

In Ontario, the Education Act, states that principals
are responsible for ensuring that an IEP is developed
for each student who has been identified as exceptional.
If your child is 14 years of age or older, the IEP must
also include a transition plan to appropriate postsecondary
activities; for example, work, further
education and/or community living.

The Principal will likely assign responsibility for coordinating the
development, implementation and monitoring of your child’s IEP to
one person – possibly the classroom teacher. The Ministry of Education
recommends that a team approach should be used throughout the
IEP process. In reviewing the following information you will see the
similarities between the planning process in school and the personcentred
transition planning process described earlier.

The following is a list of important information that will be included in
your child’s IEP:

• their strengths and needs;
• relevant assessment data;
• medical/health information;
• your child’s current level of achievement in each program area;
• goals and specific expectations for the student;
• program modifications or the changes required to grade-level expectations in the Ontario curriculum;
• accommodations or supports and services that will help your child access the curriculum and demonstrate learning;
• special education services provided to your child;
• assessment strategies for reviewing your child’s achievements and progress;
• regular updates, showing dates, results and recommendations; and
• a transition plan (if your child is over the age of 14).

There are five phases to the IEP process which include the following:

1. gathering information;
2. setting the direction;
3. developing the plan;
4. carrying out the planned activities; and
5. reviewing and updating the IEP.

Most IEPs follow the timetable of a school year or semester. They are developed
in early fall and cover the time up to the end of June or the end of a semester
session. The IEP process involves ongoing review, evaluation and adjustment
on a term-by-term basis. The IEP process is curriculum-oriented which
means it should focus on how your child is expected to progress through
the Ontario curriculum, with or without any modification of expectations.

The development of the transition plan through the education system
should be consistent with the directions identified for your child in their
IEP. The goals and action plan in the IEP should inform the development
of the transition plan to ensure the actions in each are moving towards a
common objective. You will need to ensure that both plans are consistent
with your child’s interests and preferences.

Tip #14

The Ontario Ministry of Education and the School Boards in Central West Region
have developed guides and templates for parents to assist with educational
and transition planning. These can be accessed through website links which
are identified in Part 2: Tools & Resources, Transition Planning Resources
under Education Planning Documents.
These websites also include information on Special Education Programs in
Ontario and for each School Board.

The Value of Work Experience

As you participate in the development of the IEP, you will need to identify
opportunities that will give your child a broad range of experiences to help
explore their strengths, abilities and interests. Co-operative education
and other forms of work experience programs available through the
education system are an important part of developing a transition plan
for your child. Co-operative (co-op) education, work experience, and
school–work transition programs allow your child to experience a variety of
opportunities and to learn more about themselves and the world of work.

Co-op education and work experience programs will require a written
learning plan that covers their work placement goals and activities. To
ensure the work experience is a meaningful one, the learning plan for the
work experience program must be linked and consistent with the directions
identified in the IEP – the student’s goals, strengths and needs. It will be
important for you or your transition coordinator to be the link between
your child’s teacher and the co-op education teacher to ensure you make
the most of this opportunity.

Tip #15

Further information on the Co-operative Education and other forms of Experiential
Learning Program can be accessed through the Ministry of Education website at:
www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/curricul/secondary/coop/cooped.pdf
plan with the plan you are developing at home and make good use of the
education system resources available to you.

Your Role in the School Transition Plan

As a parent, you have a significant role to play in the development of
your child’s IEP and their transition plan. Being involved with your child
means you have a better chance of developing a successful plan consistent
with your child’s vision for the future.

While the school system has established requirements, standards and
guidelines for developing the IEP and transition plan, the shape of the
process will likely be different in each school. Regardless of the process,
parents and students should be consulted and involved in the development
of the IEP and transition plan. You should be prepared to be involved in
the process to ensure you are receiving the supports most appropriate for
you and your child.

Be prepared to ask lots of questions. Speak to the teacher, find out what
the process will be, who will be leading the activities, who else will be
involved, what will be developed and when. Make sure the teacher
knows that you and your child want to be included in decision-making
throughout the process. You will need to ensure that the IEP and transition
planning processes are integrated and consistent with each other and
moving in a direction consistent with your child’s preferences and interests.

If you have started your own transition planning activities at home, there
should be an overlap with the information being developed through the
education system, for example, identifying your child’s strengths, interests,
dreams and areas to work on. Consider linking the education transition

Be an Active Participant

Help to establish the transition team by suggesting individuals you know
will be creative and reflect a positive attitude throughout the planning
process. Find out who will be involved from the school – both school
personnel and those from the community. Do not hesitate to make suggestions
as you see fit. Ask about including a parent from another family
in the neighbourhood that has recently gone through transition planning.
Find out if your child could be provided with a peer mentor, an older student
about to leave the school system that has been through the process.

Be prepared to share lots of information about your child. Share any
exercises you have already completed such as the vision setting activity. In
addition to advocating for your child and presenting your views of them,
it is also important to listen to what others have to say and value their
input. They may bring a different but fresh perspective of your child that
you may not see.

Be prepared to participate in meetings by bringing creative ideas and
information to the table and encouraging the same of others. Help to
establish realistic goals and expectations for your child. Then make sure
activities are identified that help move towards achieving your child’s goals
both at home and at school.

Identify and seek out opportunities and experiences for your child during
their school years that will help them achieve their goals for the future, for
example, co-op experience, work experiences, or volunteer opportunities.
These activities provide them with much needed work experiences but are
also great networking opportunities that will help your child become
connected to the community outside of school.

Stay in Touch

The IEP and transition plan will require lots of monitoring and review on
a regular basis. Find out how this will be done and how your child’s
progress will be measured throughout the year. Make sure that reviews
focus on ensuring the directions are still consistent with your child’s
interests and strengths and that identified activities are being completed
as previously assigned. Regular reviews are important to ensure that your
plan is on track and still consistent with a direction that you and your
child are comfortable with pursuing.

Keep the lines of communication open with your child’s teacher. Don’t
feel you have to wait for the next meeting of the transition team to
discuss your child’s progress. Recommend changes in goals, strategies
and/or resources or support where you see a need.

This is your process. You will likely have to take an active role throughout
your child’s school career to ensure the process is moving
your child towards the achievement of their goals. Making
good use of the resources that are available through the
school system will help to create a plan that will provide your
child with many positive experiences to assist them make
the transition to adult life.

5. TRANSITION PLANNING IN THE COMMUNITY

This section outlines transition planning in the community system through a
Discussion of the following:

• Adult system reality – this is not an entitlement system and you need to
  be prepared;
• A description of accessing adult Services in Dufferin and Wellington Counties
  and the Regions of Halton, Peel and Waterloo.

 

the service system is complex, there are many people accessing the services available
and many waiting for supports. The transition to ad ult life may be a confusing time.
Your child will likely h ave to leave behind some of the supports, if not all, they have
become familiar with as an adolescent. You may need to develop a whole new set of
activities, supports and services that are consistent with your child’s preferences and
interests as they begin their life as an adult. Th ere may b e some services that will
continue to the age of 18 and even beyond (e.g. Special Services at Home) and some
that will not continue (i.e. Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities). There are
different supports and services available to a person over the age of 18 - such as the
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

You need to become knowledgeable about services for adults and how your child will fit into
the system. This is a time for asking questions. B e sure yo u know what is going to happen
to services and supports your family is currently receiving and what new services you may be
eligible for as your child becomes an adult. Use this information as you begin your transition
planning process.

As you make your plans for the future it is important to remember your child is entitled to
service through the publicly funded education system. Ad ult services are not based on a
system of entitlement. Both the increased demand for service and government policies have
required agencies to look at serving those persons in their community who are “most in need”.
Practically this means that while your son or daughter might be eligible for service in the adult
system, they may be on a waiting list for some time. Being prepared is key to a successful
transition, but it is not a guarantee of receiving the supports and services that you might
expect from the system.

the following information explains the access process for each of the communities in Central
West Region.

Access in Dufferin County Th ere are currently three access agencies in Dufferin County serving
people with a developmental disability: Community Living Dufferin, Dufferin Child and Family Services
and Kerry’s Place Autism Services.

Each of these three agencies will help persons with a developmental disability and their family in the
following way:

• provide comprehensive information about services and the system;
• determine eligibility for service;
• document the initial referral information including the types of service
• and supports that are being requested; and
• provide support to the individual and/or family.

Each agency has their own range of services and supports. Dufferin Child and Family Services provides a
variety of services and supports to infants, children and adults. Their services specifically for people with
a developmental disability include the Infant and Child Development Program, the Service Coordination
Program(s) for children and adults of all ages, respite services, the Complex Special Needs Support
program for under18 years of age, the Medically Fragile Technologically Dependent Day Respite Program,
and the Special Services at Home Program. In addition each of these services offer a wide variety of
outreach, social, group work and educational forums. Community Living Dufferin provides a Community
Outreach and After School Activity Program, Employment Programs, a Learning & Leisure Program and a
Behaviour Therapy Program. It also provides and supports community living arrangements and housing for
adults who have a develop mental disability. Kerry’s Place Autism Services provides resource information
for parents, respite, residential and day program supports as well as leisure and recreational activities.

 

If you know the agency and service you want then contact them directly. If you are unsure about what
services and supports you want then you can call any of these three agencies and they will take your
information and make the link to the appropriate lead agency.

Again, the following agencies participate in this access process: Dufferin Community Living Kerry’s Place
Autism Services Dufferin Child and Family Services Access in Halton Region Halton Coordinated Services In
take was developed to provide an intake mechanism for families and/or individuals who are seeking services
in the developmental Services sector in Halton. One call to Halton Support Services provides you with an
entry point to any of the participating developmental services agencies with in Halton . However this does
not mean that services will necessarily be available to meet the needs of families and/or individuals.

Once a call has been made to Halton Support Services (call HSS at 905-849 - 8000 or 1-800-6 00-2013) the
family, individual or caregiver will be connected with the Coordinated Intake Worker who will: take the initial
referral information including the types of service(s) that are being requested ; • begin to make an initial
determination of the urgency of needs and preferences; and • help the family, individual or caregiver in
understanding and matching them with services which might best meet the individual’s or family’s needs.

After this call the family/individual will be sent an Application Information Form to complete along with a
request for medical documentation regarding the individual’s disability. When HSS receives this information
eligibility for service will be determined and an Intake Worker will arrange for an in formation session for the
individual and family. This session will provide in formation on the developmental services sector and other
supports in Halton and help the family/individual Identify their needs.

If the request for support involves residential, day program or passages services, the completed application
information forms will be reviewed by the Halton Coordinated Services In take Committee (HCSIC ) which is
responsible for the residential selection process in Halton and for managing the list of individuals waiting for
service. Yo u need to keep in touch with Halton Support Services if there are any changes in your
circumstances that may have an impact on the referral for service.

the service providers participating in this access process are:

• Community Living Burlington Community Living Oakville
• Christian Horizons
• Developmental Foster Care Service
• Community Living North Halton Halton Support Services
• Access in Peel Region

Within the Region of Peel there are a number of agencies which can assist individuals in their transition to adult
services. Each agency h as its own intake process so you will need to directly contact the agency you are
interested in . If you are unsure which agency would best suit the needs of your family member, any one of
the services can direct you to the most appropriate agency with in the Peel Region .

 

Brampton Caledon Community Living and Community Living Mississauga provide the following Services:

• Service Coordination
• Day Supports/Programs and Planning
• Future Planning
• Supported independent and group living
• Access to Regional support mechanisms

 

Kerry’s Place Autism Services and Christian Horizons each provide similar services as listed above. Kerry’s Place
Autism Services focuses on the unique needs of individuals with a diagnosis of autism and offers parent support
groups, skill building groups and consultation regarding behaviour needs. Christian Horizons operates a variety of
supported independent and group living arrangements in Peel Region.

Family Services of Peel offers counselling services. The Adult Protective Service Worker assists adults 1 8 years
and older who have a developmental disability, and who are living on their own in the community. The worker
will assist the individual to identify their strengths and needs, and will provide support, problem-solving, and life
skills support

Peel Case Management provides services to children and youth up to the age of 18 . This agency assists families
to link with other services in the community which can then assist the family with transition planning.

Residential supports in Peel Region are managed by an inter-agency Committee of service providers and Ministry
representation. This committee is responsible for maintaining a regional list of those individuals who are interested
and need supported living. In addition, any vacancy that becomes available in Peel Region is handled by this
Committee. Access to this service is provided through the agencies listed below.

the following agencies in Peel Region can assist with the transition to adult services:

• Brampton Caledon Community Living
• Community Living Mississauga
• Christian Horizons
• Family Services of Peel
• Kerry’s Place Autism Services

 

Access in Waterloo Region the Developmental Services Access Centre (DSAC) – Water loo Region serves as
the single point of access for adult developmental services in Waterloo Region. It offers a range of professional
and support services, and can assist individuals and families in connecting with residential, community participation
/Passport supports, and respite Services. Individuals mu st have a developmental disability (an intellectual disability
and /or an autism spectrum disorder) in order to be eligible for developmental services.

To make a referral to DSAC, please call 519-74 1-1121 . When you call, some basic information will be collected
about your needs, and then you will b e connected with an intake worker. this per son will confirm your eligibility
for services and obtain information that will help to get you some initial service. You will then be connected with
the community services and programs that can support your goals. After you are in the system, you will receive
regular mailings and updates about new events and programs that may be of in ter est to you. This will include
workshops and programs targeted for people making the transition from school to adult life.

Access in Wellington County
Access Information and Referral (AIR) is the centralized intake and referr al point for Developmental Services in
Wellington. AIR, in conjunction with its service partners, provides access to support for infants, children and adults
with developmental concerns in Wellington County (including access to Passport). AIR will help answer your
questions and make any referrals you want to the services and supports within the Developmental Services system.
You can contact AIR at 519-8 24-4015 or toll free at 1-8 77-216-1116.

the following agencies participate in this access process: Christian Horizons Hopewell Homes Community Living Guelph
Wellington Kerry’s Place Autism Services Trellis Mental Health & Developmental Services KidsAbility Family Counselling
and Support Services Torchlight Services

Tip #16
Contact information for each of these agencies mentioned in the access descriptions is provided in Part 2:
Tools & Resources under Resources for Families.

 

6. TRANSITION PLANNING AT HOME

This section outlines things that you can do at home to help move
the transition planning process along such as:

• Focus on the positive – an approach to presenting your child
  throughout the process that helps create a supportive and
  creative environment;
• Building self-reliance – the importance of fostering independence
  for your child and examples of how to do this;
• Get connected – the importance of finding people to support you
  and help you through the process; and
• Consider all options – the importance of being creative and
  trying new things.

There are many things that you can do at home to support the
transition planning process without waiting for your child’s teacher or
someone in the community service system to start the process.

Focus on the Positive

Keeping a positive attitude and setting expectations are very important
factors in developing your transition plan. High expectations do not
provide any guarantee of success, but setting expectations will help your
child reach their potential. Always remember the way you view your
child will have a direct impact on how they are viewed by others.

Everyone has strengths, gifts and abilities. Speak of your child’s enabling
qualities rather than the barriers that limit them. Too often, children with
developmental disabilities have come to be described by their disabilities,
which can be limiting in determining an appropriate action plan. When
focussing on their abilities, strengths and interests, it is much easier to
develop a positive and more creative plan.

Build Self-Reliance

Building self-reliance is a key activity in developing a successful transition
plan and in helping your child become a more independent adult. There
are lots of ways you can begin developing your child’s self-reliance skills at
home from an early age simply through daily living activities. Use these
opportunities to encourage your child to recognize and develop their abilities.

Building self-reliance is also about allowing your child to make decisions.
Start early. Help your child become comfortable with the notion of making
their own decisions. This will help them accept their role as decision-maker
during transition planning activities.

Remember, making decisions will involve risks which subsequently have
consequences. There may be a few hard lessons learned along the way
but it is all part of growing-up and taking responsibility for actions as an
adult. Continue to encourage your child and be sure to let them know
that it is okay to make mistakes – everyone learns from their mistakes.
Your child will come to recognize that they are capable of making decisions
for themselves, which will help them as they move to life as an adult.
Start small. Help your child to decide on things with low risk, such as what
to wear, what to have for lunch, etc. Teach your child that they can ask for
advice in making decisions – it is not something they need to do alone.

Below are examples of ways to encourage self-reliance. They progress
from activities to do at an early age right through to the
high school years. Recognize that not all activities listed
may be appropriate for your child. Identify those that
are consistent with your child’s abilities and adapt
suggestions where necessary. You may be surprised by
what your child can accomplish if given the chance
and lots of encouragement.

Examples of Ways to Encourage Self-Reliance

• Teach your child everyday skills like brushing their teeth.
• Give your child household chores that match their abilities.
• Provide them with an allowance.
• Allow your child to choose how to spend some or all of their
  allowance.
• Teach your child their personal information such as address, phone
  number.
• Begin giving your child choices so they can learn to make
  decisions, like choosing which clothes to wear.
• Teach your child the consequences of their behaviours and their
  choices.
• Begin asking your child what they want to be when they grow up.
• Have your child help in making simple meals for the family and
  progress to having them make meals on their own.
• Involve your child in neighborhood and community activities,
  such as Scouts, swimming lessons, story hour at the library etc.
• Wherever possible and at an appropriate time, allow them to
  participate without you.
• Encourage hobbies based on your child’s interests and strengths.
• Teach your child to speak up for themselves.
• Allow your child to complete homework assignments as
  independently as possible. Let them tell you when they need
  your assistance.
• Teach your child life skills, such as money management,
  shopping skills.
• Introduce your child to the public transit system.
• Encourage your child to get to places in the community on
  his/her own by using the public transit system, walking, making
  arrangements with friends.
• As part of the high school experience, consider community based
  job training (co-op programs) and life skills if these are appropriate
  activities for your child. Involve your child in all decision-making.
• Include your child in meetings about their education through
  the IEP process and transition planning.
• Continue to talk about career interests that are consistent with
  your child’s interests and strengths.
• Help your child talk directly with doctors and other service
  providers.
• As appropriate, encourage gradual moves toward greater personal
  independence and self-care.
• Have your child do volunteer or paid work in the home,
  neighbourhood or community. Assist your child in developing
  good work habits.
• Have your child become a mentor for younger children just
  entering high school.

Tip #17

Tool 4 in Part 2: Tools & Resources
highlights a complete checklist of transition activities that includes many
self-reliance building activities that you can start from a very early age.

When thinking about self-reliance beyond the school years look at the
Ontario Skills Passport (OSP), a resource that provides clear descriptions
of the skills used in virtually all occupations, as well as important work
habits. The OSP was developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education and
the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The purpose of the
OSP is to document an individual’s demonstration of skills and work
habits that are considered to be of great importance in the workplace.

Students and job seekers can use the OSP to identify the skills they already
have and to plan further skill development so that they can more easily
make the transition to the workplace and/or to post-secondary education.
The skills listed in the OSP are transferable skills that a student, job seeker
and worker can take from job-to-job, sector-to-sector and school to work.

There are two components of the OSP that may be of interest in you and
your child:

• the OSP database which lists skills and related tasks by occupation;
  and
• the OSP portfolio to keep work plans and other skill-related
  documents, such as a résumé and an OSP skills summary chart.

Tip #18

You can access the Ontario Skills Passport website at:
www.skills.edu.gov.on.ca/OSPWeb/jsp/en/login.jsp

As you get into the activities for identifying what your child wants to do
beyond school, this is a good resource to identify the skills your child may
need in considering a potential occupation or post-secondary opportunity
to pursue.

Get Connected

This is the time to make sure you are informed about what is going on at
the school and in the service system. Speak to your child’s teacher. Make
sure you understand the IEP and transition process as it is established in
your child’s school. Speak to your service providers. Understand what is
going to happen to the services you are receiving now when they reach
the age of 18 or 21. Find out about your community. Ask to be added to
mailing lists of organizations you are interested in, sign up for newsletters,
and read the community newspaper. It will be important for you to
understand your community as you help your child make a connection
to their community.

Transition planning is about being organized and prepared. If you
haven’t already started, it will be helpful to keep various records for your
child together; for example, report cards, assessments, certificates of
involvement in community programs etc. Put this guide into a binder
and use it for keeping your transition planning resources and other
important information in one place. You will likely need to refer to these
documents as you discuss your plans for the future with various individuals.
Keep track of who you talk to, times and dates of conversations, what was
discussed, referrals to other individuals or organizations, and identify if a
follow-up conversation is required.

Tip #19

Tool 3a in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides a template for keeping track
of contact information as you begin talking with individuals and organizations.

Don’t think you need to try to do this all on your own. Ask other people
to get involved to help you and your child throughout this process. Start
early and establish strong support networks – family, friends, parents,
professionals, employers, trainers, community groups who can help build
a connection to your community. Access agencies can provide you with
information on parent groups in your community or ask at your child’s
school. If you find there are no parent groups in your area, consider
starting one of your own.

Networking will be a key activity for you as you go through the transition
process. This may involve making calls to people you have never spoken
with before.

Tip #20

To make this a little less intimidating, use some of the tips in Tools 3b, c and d
in Part 2: Tools & Resources to help you in your discussions with agencies, community
organizations and professionals.

When talking with an access agency, there are many things they may be
able to help you sort out but you need to ask. There may be a transition
group already established in your area that you could be part of. The
agency may be able to connect you to a parent’s group or simply another
parent that has already gone through this process – a mentor. Ask if
there is a newsletter to parents that you could subscribe to. Find out if
there is a coordinator available to help you navigate your way through the
transition process. Be prepared to ask many of these questions for yourself
and do not rely on the service system to provide this information to you.

Consider all Options

There are different options to consider in seeking out supports for your
child that are found in the mainstream system available to others in the
community. While your child is in the education system, take a look at
the programs available to the general public through the Board of Education.
While most courses are for adults there may be some programs that are
available for younger people. Having your child participate in these programs
can help to build their self-reliance skills and further develop their interests.

Get out in your community with your child and find a connection. From
early on, participate with your child in recreation and leisure programs.
Sign up for swimming lessons, craft programs, library groups. Seek out
appropriate faith groups to participate in. These activities will provide you
with a strong connection to the community and a good network of connections
when you are looking for experiences for your child as an adolescent.

Find other parents and see what things they have done. Use their experience
and knowledge of the system to help you make your way through. They
will have a wealth of information that you can use to help determine your
activities for your child. Ask your child’s teacher what other parents have
done for their children. They will likely have some good ideas based on
what has worked for other parents in a similar situation.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. During this time in your child’s
life, you need to give them many experiences to find out what they like
and what they don’t like. They need to find out what works for them.
Trying new things will help them experience the world, will help them
become familiar with their community and help them to be a part of it
as they make the transition to adult life.

The creativity of parents…
One strategy is connecting to other parents who are seeking the same
opportunities for their sons and daughters. Parents could consider pooling their
resources and working together to develop a daytime schedule based on the
unique needs and goals of their children. By doing this, parents are able to
choose the hours that are best suited to their routine and select
their own support staff.

Look in your community for an easy-to-access location such as a library or community
centre for a meeting place. From there you can access a broad range of activities
such as volunteer placements, fitness activities, literacy programs, and life skills.

7. NOW YOU ARE READY TO START

This section provides you with some practical tips on getting started
now. Some of the suggestions include:

• Create your family vision – turn to Table 8 in the Tools & Resources
  section for further information;
• Create your vision for your child – a completed sample vision is
  highlighted in this section. You can also turn to Table 5 and Table
  7a and 7b;
• Develop your plan – turn to Table 12; and
• Timeline of important activities – a list of suggested activities is
  outlined for you as your child progresses to adult life.

There is a lot of information in this guide. This section provides you
with a short summary of the activities to consider now that you are ready
to get started with your planning.

Create Your Family Vision

Knowing where you and other members of your family want to be in the
next five years or ten years is an important part of developing a vision
and plan for your child. For most parents, the responsibilities of raising a
child are close to being complete once their child reaches adulthood.
Children take on more and more responsibilities for themselves. When
raising a child with a developmental disability, parental responsibilities
often continue on much longer, if not for life. You will need to consider
how to manage these responsibilities within the context of how you see
your life changing as you enter your retirement years.
For example, do you see your child continuing to live at home and for how
long? At some point you will likely need to consider alternate living
arrangements. It may not be right away but it is something that you
need to consider as part of your plan.

Tip #21

Tool 8 in Part 2: Tools and Resources sets out a family profile that can be useful
in creating your family vision.

You will need to ensure that your financial situation can manage the
demands of supporting yourselves in retirement as well as any additional
demands needed to support your child in the future. You may want to
consider contacting a financial adviser to determine if you are receiving all
the tax benefits you are entitled to as a parent of a child with a developmental
disability and to ensure you are taking advantage of the appropriate
investment tools that can help you meet your financial goals (e.g.
Registered Education Savings Plans, Registered Retirement Savings Plans etc.)

Tip #22

In Part 2: Tools & Resources under Financial Resources there is a list of tax
benefits, credits and rebates as well as investment vehicles that may help you
in making some financial decisions about the future.

Create Your Vision for Your Child

As discussed in an earlier section, the vision for your child is an opportunity
to highlight all of the gifts, strengths and abilities they have to offer.
Being positive in establishing a vision can make a difference in how the
planning for your child is approached and the way in which your child is
perceived by others – define them by their abilities not their limitations.

Tip #23

Below is a brief version of the tool you will find in Tool 5 in Part 2: Tools &
Resources which will help develop your child’s vision. Use this along with Tool 7
to help complete your child’s profile.

My name is:	My age is:
What I like to do and what I can do…
At home:
At school:
At work (if working):
In the community (outside of home, work or school)
For fun (hobbies and interests):
What I would like to do or learn to do…
At home:
At school:
At work (if working):
In the community (outside of home, work or school)
For fun (hobbies and interests):
When I grow up:
Summary…
My strengths/gifts are…
My interests are…
Some limitations that I need to talk about are…
In my vision for the future, I would like to…

It is important to remember that all individuals have unique abilities that
make them the person they are. Keep these in mind as you go through
the steps of transition planning. The following example shows how you
can create a vision for your child based on the positive attributes and
unique abilities your child has to offer.

ONE PERSON’S VISION…

The following is an excerpt from one parent’s description of their daughter’s adult life
reflecting the vision of inclusion they held for their daughter.
“She has an extremely vigorous calendar of commitments. On Mondays
she listens to Grade 1 students read at her old elementary school. This
exercise helps the little ones gain confidence in their reading ability.
Sue cannot speak and for the children this means they are able to read
freely with no expectation of criticism, simply the reassurance of a smiling
face. Sue is also a facilitator at the Royal Ontario Museum in the
Bio-Diversity Hands-On exhibit, helping people discover things that they
might otherwise not notice. My daughter also brings hope and inspires the
vulnerable and dispossessed through her own vulnerability, when she
volunteers at the Mustard Seed drop-in center with its community kitchen,
library, sewing room, etc. Salt and Light TV is another place that Sue
contributes her gifts. As well as helping with editing, her presence reminds
this Catholic community who can sometimes get wrapped up in the hustle
and bustle of film making, of the values that form the foundation of their
faith. Most inspiring to many, is the fact that Sue is a dancer. She dances
with the Spirit Movers liturgical dance group and testifies to her strong
faith using this medium. How does a person who is non-verbal and
wheelchair bound living within the constraints of others ideas and
expectations of people with disabilities do all these things? Her success
in overcoming obstacles is mainly due to the deep and committed
relationships she has developed with family, friends, her support circle
as well as collaboration with community groups that she comes in contact
with regularly such as church, schools and other venues. Her support
circle, who have been meeting regularly for the past 13 years, help interpret
her goals and dreams. Sue does not speak, so those around her ensure
that she has many other ways to express her feelings and desires. It is
imperative that she have long-term relationships both paid and unpaid
who can help build the capacity of the community to welcome her gifts.
In return, Sue helps them create a better world for all. This is citizenship,
and Sue is an esteemed educator in this regard.”

Get Your Plan Going

These next steps in the process will involve a lot of work on your part.
Identify your transition team and select someone to be the coordinator.
This is likely going to be an unpaid position, so if no one will take on this
responsibility, it will be up to you to take it on yourself. Hold meetings,
network, fill in the worksheets, network, update and monitor progress
and network some more. The more connected and supported by creative
people you are the better. Keep track of everyone you come in contact
with over the years – networking is very important to developing your
plan for the future.

Tip #24

Tool 12 in Part 2: Tools & Resources provides sample transition plans for you to
review as you develop your own. One shows an example of a plan for a youth
with high needs and the other is for a youth with moderate needs.

Timeline of Important Activities

As you make your way through the transition planning process, there are
many things to remember and some important timelines to keep in
mind. As your child moves through their teenage years, you will need to
clearly understand which services will change and which will remain the
same and at what age these changes will take effect. You will also need to
understand what you need to apply for and what is required for each
application. For example, you will need to obtain a diagnosis of your
child’s disability for the Ontario Disability Support Program. You should
apply for this benefit prior to your child’s 18th birthday (at least six
months prior) which means the formal diagnosis documentation is
needed by the time they are 17.

The following is a list of activities and events that you should take note
of as your child progresses towards adulthood. Again, activities should be
undertaken that are consistent with your child’s abilities and where such
activities make sense for you as a family.


ACTIVITIES FOR PARENTS TO CONSIDER TO PLAN
FOR TRANSITION

Age 0-2

• Obtain a birth certificate and/or proof of citizenship.
• Begin financial planning. Set aside money to assist your child in
  the future.
• Apply for the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the Universal Child
  Care Benefit.
• Apply for other federal benefits for children with disabilities, as
  appropriate based on eligibility requirements.
• Start a file for records like medical records, assessments, report cards,
  community certificates, records of completion.

Age 3-6

• Talk with parents of children with and without disabilities. Begin
  developing a network of friends and supports early.
• Apply for Special Services at Home through the Ministry of
  Community and Social Services.

Age 7-11

• Begin asking your child what they want to be when they grow up.
• Begin developing a vision for your child for life after high school.
• Begin developing a vision for your family for the future.
• Network with others who have recently experienced transition planning.

Age 12-16

• Open a bank account for your child, if you haven’t already done so.
• Include your child in meetings about their education through the
  IEP process and transition planning.
• Find a parent’s group or transition planning group to join. If none
  are available, consider starting one.
• Consider carefully your child’s options for high school education.
  Encourage community-based job training (co-op programs) and life
  skills if these are appropriate activities for your child. Involve your
  child in all decision-making.
• Continue to talk about career interests that are consistent with
  your child’s interests and strengths.
• Look at the Ontario Skills Passport website for helpful information
  on developing employment skills at:
  http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca/OSPWeb/jsp/en/login.jsp
• Have your child do volunteer or paid work in the home, neighbourhood
  or community. Assist your child in developing good work habits.

Age 17-21

• By age 17, obtain a diagnosis of disability in preparing for the Ontario
  Disability Support Program (ODSP) application. Your child’s
  pediatrician can be helpful.
• Begin thinking about health care services that need to change as your
  child reaches adulthood, i.e., changing from pediatrician to family
  doctor.
• Contact the Office for Students with Disabilities on campus of a
  college or university your child is interested in attending.
• Contact ODSP for Income Support before age 18 (six months before
  turning 18).
• Contact ODSP Employment Supports for help with job search and
  training in their last term of school.
• Contact your local developmental services agency or Community
  Living Association for resources and training opportunities.
• Take on the role of coach on the sidelines and let your child
  become the decision maker
• Apply for the Passport Initiative