Trajectory to Competitive Employment Ages 14-16

Transition Trajectory to Competitive Employment: Ages 14-16

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Action Steps:

Education #1: Request that the IEP team begin formal transition planning for your child. Ask for a formal transition assessment. 

A transition assessment should be used to identify your teenager's current level of performance, a list of their strengths and needs, and suggested IEP annual transition goals. Early transition planning and developing an IEP with measurable and specific goals for life after school has a substantial impact on children's successful transition to adulthood. This planning will impact their ability to secure jobs and/or pursue postsecondary education. 

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In many states, between the ages of 14-16, the IEP team initiates these considerations about the transition to adulthood. Make sure that this discussion is started. Note that the transition plan should be based on your child's individual strengths and needs, as well as his/her aspirations for the future. An initial set of assessments related to your child's functioning, an inventory of their career and educational interests, daily living skills, as well as their prior academic performance should all be considered before developing goals for transition to adulthood.

During the transition years, your child's IEP must contain specific transition services defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). IDEA requires that by age 16 the IEP team must determine what instructional and educational experiences will help students prepare for the transition from school to adult life. IDEA requires that parents and students be involved in all aspects of transition planning and decision-making. Together, you will design a high school education that will ensure your child will gain the skills and competencies they need to achieve their desired goals.

Education #2: Empower and encourage your child to be an active participant (or leader) in the transition planning process.

Your child is the most important person on the IEP team! Empower and encourage them to lead or play an active role in identifying their own goals for after high school, the steps toward achieving them, and addressing potential roadblocks. This helps prepare your child to be a more independent and effective self-advocate. For those individuals who need more support, visual aids and other accommodations should be made. The transition plan still must be driven by their desires, preferences and strengths. 

Self-determination training helps children and teens to understand how to use their strengths and abilities to advocate for the supports and services they need. This will be a crucial skill in adulthood. While many schools offer such trainings, you should request your IEP team to consider a training that enhances your child's understanding of their strengths, needs, and how to request the necessary accommodations in school, at work, and in the community. 

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Healthcare: Explore any health issues that may be affecting your son or daughter and their ability to access education and employment.

  • Ask your doctor to measure your child's baseline functioning in the following areas: 
    • mobility 
      cover of Autism and Health: A special report by Autim Speaks
    • activities of daily living
    • nutrition
    • social functioning
    • mental health status
    • medical status

Working through any health barriers now - and learning how to manage these challenges - will make it easier for your young adults to transition to the workforce as independently as possible.

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Work Readiness: Ask your school about pre-vocational services.

Ask your child’s school about pre-vocational services. These services include vocational assessments conducted to understand your child's interests by exposing them to different careers, and documenting their skills, abilities, and interests. These services also provide your child with knowledge about workplace etiquette and social skills needed on the job. Your child can also participate in unpaid work-experiences or internships to gain more experience about the career that they are interested in pursuing. It is also important that your child has access to training in self-advocacy and the basic principles of self-determination.  

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Having specific goals related to employment in your child’s IEP is essential. Supporting these specific goals with related services, such as pre-vocational training, is associated with improved employment outcomes after high school for youth with disabilities.   

By this age, your child in school should have: 

  1. Specific goals in their IEP related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills. 

  2. Specific services identified in the IEP to help them achieve those goals. 

Your child's IEP should include specific goals and supports related to their employment interests. These goals can focus on specific workplace interpersonal and professional skills that many teens with autism need help with: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism. These soft skills are among the top skills desired by employers in job applicants. Rather than "hard" or technical skills, many of the soft skills relate to personal qualities that prepare a young adult to succeed in a professional workplace. Most teens with autism can and should learn them, as well as how to identify the hard/soft skills required to perform the job or career path they are interested in. 

In some states, schools initiate programs that engage students in community-based vocational assessments to assist them in exploring career interests. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs that support vocational training for adults are also authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to fund some career exploration activities. If your child's school does not have sufficient resources or programming to provide early career immersion experience, your local VR program may help. 

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