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The Role of Parents and Guardians in The

The document discusses the critical roles of parents and guardians in supporting the transition of students with disabilities from school to adulthood. It highlights the importance of emotional support, life skills preparation, advocacy, and collaboration with educators, illustrated through case studies of individuals like Sarah, James, and Maria. The document emphasizes that strong parental involvement significantly enhances the success rates of these transitions.

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inchristalone2018
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3 views55 pages

The Role of Parents and Guardians in The

The document discusses the critical roles of parents and guardians in supporting the transition of students with disabilities from school to adulthood. It highlights the importance of emotional support, life skills preparation, advocacy, and collaboration with educators, illustrated through case studies of individuals like Sarah, James, and Maria. The document emphasizes that strong parental involvement significantly enhances the success rates of these transitions.

Uploaded by

inchristalone2018
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Role of Parents and

Guardians in the
Transition Process
April 2 & 3, 2025
🎤 Engagement

Give the key roles parents played in the


video.
Case Study 1:
From High School to College – Sarah’s Journey

📍 Background:
Sarah, an 18-year-old with mild cerebral
palsy and a learning disability, always
dreamed of attending college. However, she
struggled with time management, note-
taking, and advocating for accommodations.
Parental Support

✅ Emotional Encouragement:
They reassured her that she could succeed,
even when she doubted herself.
Parental Support

✅ Life Skills Preparation:


Before college, they practiced budgeting,
meal planning, and transportation with her
to increase her independence.
🎯 Outcome:

With her parents’ guidance, Sarah


successfully completed her first year of
college. She joined a disability advocacy
group and gained confidence in advocating
for her needs.
💬 Discussion

What would have happened if Sarah’s


parents had not advocated for her
accommodations?
💬 Discussion

How did her parents balance support with


promoting independence?
Why Parental Involvement
Matters
Statistics:
Research shows that students with strong
parental support have a 50% higher success
rate in employment and independent living.

Why Parental Involvement
Matters
1. Key Points:
oParents provide advocacy, emotional
support, and life skills guidance.
oTransition planning is more effective when
parents collaborate with schools and
agencies.
The Key Roles of Parents in
Transition
2. Emotional & Moral Support:
Encouraging confidence and resilience

3. Collaboration with Educators & Agencies:


Participating in IEP/ITP meetings

The Key Roles of Parents in
Transition
4. Teaching Life Skills: Budgeting,
transportation, self-care

5. Exploring Post-School Options: College,


vocational training, employment

The Key Roles of Parents in
Transition
6. Encouraging Community Participation:
Social inclusion, networking

7. Monitoring & Adjusting Goals: Adapting to


new challenges

The Key Roles of Parents in
Transition
Brainstorm examples for each role.
Case Study 2: Vocational Training &
Employment – James' Path to a Career

Parental Support:
✅ Exploring Vocational Programs: His parents
researched apprenticeship and vocational
training programs that provided job coaching
for young adults with ASD.
Case Study 2: Vocational Training &
Employment – James' Path to a Career

✅ Job Readiness Training: They enrolled


James in a social skills program that helped
him practice professional communication.
Case Study 2: Vocational Training &
Employment – James' Path to a Career

✅ Securing Workplace Support: His parents


helped him apply for a job with an autism-
friendly employer, ensuring workplace
accommodations like a quiet workspace and
clear task instructions.
🎯 Outcome:

James completed his vocational training and


landed a paid internship at a tech company.
With ongoing parental support, he eventually
transitioned into a full-time job.
💬 Discussion

What specific role did James’ parents play in


his employment success?

How can educators help families find these


kinds of vocational opportunities?
Case Study 3: Independent Living –
Maria Moves Into Her Own Apartment
📍 Background: Maria, a 22-year-old with
Down syndrome, wanted to live
independently but struggled with daily tasks
like grocery shopping, cooking, and
budgeting.
Parental Support:

✅ Gradual Skill-Building: Her parents started


early by teaching her daily living skills, such
as cooking simple meals, using a grocery list,
and managing her bank account.
Parental Support:

✅ Transitional Housing Experience: They


enrolled her in a supported independent
living program, where she learned how to
live on her own with minimal supervision.
Parental Support:

✅ Community & Safety Planning: They


worked with a case manager to ensure she
had a support network, emergency plan, and
accessible public transportation options.
🎯 Outcome:

Maria successfully transitioned to her own


apartment in a supportive living community.
She maintained a part-time job and relied on
occasional parental guidance rather than full-
time support.
💬 Discussion

What challenges might Maria have faced


without her parents’ preparation?

What other supports (besides parents) can


help young adults with disabilities live
independently?
Interactive Mind-Mapping or
Brainstorming
🧠 Visual Engagement: Divide yourselves into
small groups (5-6 students/group).

Materials needed:
Large sheets of paper, colorful markers, sticky
notes, scissors, glue, colored paper, etc.
📝 Task:

Brainstorm and map out different ways


parents support the transition process.
Parents and guardians play different roles in
supporting a student’s transition from school
to adulthood. In your group, create a mind
map that explores the different ways parents
help their children succeed in this process.
Create the Mind Map

1. Place “Parental Support in Transition” in


the center and branches out into different
areas of support.
22️⃣Teaching Life Skills
Budgeting & money management
Cooking, laundry, personal hygiene
Public transportation training
3️⃣Advocacy & Legal Support
Ensuring the child receives disability
accommodations
Navigating government services
Connecting with transition specialists
4️⃣Emotional & Social Support
Encouraging independence and self-
confidence
Helping the child build social relationships
Teaching self-advocacy skills
5️⃣Community & Resource Networking
Finding local disability organizations
Enrolling in mentorship or internship
programs
Creating a long-term support system
🔄 Discussion:

Present mind map, then compare findings


with the structured lecture content.
🔹 Step 4: Group Presentations & Comparison
with Lecture Content

Present mind map, explaining the key roles
you identified.

Discussion

oWere there any surprising roles you didn’t


initially think about?
oWhich support areas seem most critical for
a successful transition?
How do these roles change depending on the
student’s individual needs?
Reflection & Application

Individual Reflection Task: “If you were a


parent of a child with a disability, which roles
do you think would be the most challenging?
Why?”
Engaging Posters/Graphic Organizer

📍 Posters/Graphic Organizer
summarizing the roles of parents (digital)
🔹 Content
✅ Parental Roles in Transition Planning (e.g.,
emotional support, advocacy, teaching life skills)
✅ Step-by-Step Transition Guide (A roadmap from
school to work/college/adulthood)
✅ Parental Challenges & Solutions (Common
concerns parents face and strategies to address
them)
🔹 How to Create & Present?

📊 Design Your Own – Use Canva to create


digital Posters/Graphic Organizer
📌 Engagement Tip:

Which role do they think is most important?


Why?

Which aspect do parents struggle with the


most?
Group Reflection – "Letter to a Parent"

✉️Activity: Write a short letter from the


perspective of a student with special needs to
their parent or guardian, expressing what they
need in the transition process.
Sharing: Read your letters aloud.
📝 Activity Instructions

🔹 Step 1: Introduce the Activity


📌 Imagine yourselves as a young adult with
special needs who is about to transition to
adulthood.
📝 Activity Instructions
Write a heartfelt letter to your parents or guardians
expressing:
✔ dreams and aspirations for the future
✔ fears and concerns about the transition
✔ What kind of support you need from your parents
✔ How you feel about becoming independent
🔹 Step 2: Writing the Letter

💡 Prompts to Guide Their Writing:


📍 Dear Mom and Dad, as I prepare for this
big transition in my life, I want to share…
📍 I dream of… but I feel nervous about…
📍 What I need most from you is…
🔹 Step 2: Writing the Letter
💡 Prompts to Guide Your Writing:
📍 I appreciate how you have always…
📍 One thing I hope we can work on together is…

💡 Be Creative! Write in letter format, poetry, or


even as a diary entry.
🔹 Step 3: Sharing & Reflection

📌 After writing, volunteer to read your letters


aloud (optional).
📌 Class discussion based on your insights.
Reflection Questions:

✔ How did it feel to write from this


perspective?
✔ What surprised you the most while
writing?
✔ What do you think are the biggest
challenges for students with special needs in
transition?
Reflection Questions:

✔ How can educators and families work


together to make this transition smoother?
📌 Alternative Option: You can swap letters
with a peer and discuss your thoughts in
pairs.
Call-to-Action (Reflection &
Application)
💬 Discussion Question:
🗣 "If you were a transition specialist, what
advice would you give to parents and
guardians?"
📌 Think about:
✔ Key strategies parents can use to support their
child’s transition.
✔ Common mistakes parents might make and
how to avoid them.
✔ Resources and tools that can help parents
navigate this process.
💡 Engagement Tip: Use a think-pair-share
format—you reflect individually, discuss with
a partner, and then share insights with the
whole class.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Key Takeaways:
oParental involvement significantly impacts
transition success.
oEffective transition planning requires
collaboration, flexibility, and support.
oEducators should actively engage families in the
process.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Final Thought: "How will you apply this


knowledge in your future role?"

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