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.