| Does your child have a moderate to severe disability? | | | | you themselves. |
| Are you concerned about your child with autism's life | | | | The information is received from as many different |
| after school? Would you like your child to receive | | | | people as is possible, so that the assessment will be |
| vocational services so that they may be employed as | | | | complete. The person performing the assessment |
| an adult? This article will discuss importance of | | | | should also observe your child in their school |
| vocational skills for all children with disabilities, so that | | | | environment. This is to allow the person to get to know |
| they can be employed as an adult. | | | | your child, and make their report more effective. |
| The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | | | | After the vocational assessment is complete, the |
| states that the purpose of IDEA is to: ensure that all | | | | person who conducted the evaluation should write a |
| children with disabilities have available to them a free | | | | detailed report. Also, have the person participate in the |
| appropriate public education, that emphasizes special | | | | Individual Educational Plan (IEP) meeting to discuss the |
| education and related services, designed to meet their | | | | results, by telephone. That way, you and the special |
| unique needs and prepare them for further education, | | | | education personnel can ask any questions to clarify |
| employment and independent living. | | | | what skills your child needs to be taught to be able to |
| So according to IDEA it requires that students be given | | | | get a job. |
| services that will prepare them for...employment. As an | | | | At the IEP meeting you should write up specific |
| advocate for over 15 years I have had many special | | | | Vocational services, that your child will receive to help |
| education personnel deny children vocational services, | | | | them prepare for a job. Also to be discussed, is what |
| that I was advocating for. I have also heard from | | | | skills your child has or needs to be taught, to be job |
| many other parents whose child was also denied | | | | ready. Don't forget to write vocational goals also. The |
| vocational services. | | | | skills should be in writing, with goals on teaching the |
| The first place to start is to request, in writing, a | | | | skills. |
| Functional Vocational Assessment. This assessment | | | | Remember to consider skills that your child already |
| will help to determine what particular skills that your | | | | has. For example: If your child knows how to do some |
| child has, and how those skills can be used in a work | | | | minor housework that can be used to get a job in a |
| setting. This assessment should be done by a person | | | | restaurant or hotel. My daughter Angelina was taught |
| that has experience performing these assessment, | | | | to fold towels, in her high school community based |
| and should have experience with children or adults with | | | | functional curriculum class. The next year she had a |
| disabilities. | | | | job folding towels in the high school pool area. Another |
| The information to be gathered is to include the child's | | | | student I know used to take out the garbage at home, |
| work and school history, learning style, work related | | | | and was given a job in the school emptying the |
| skills, work endurance, academics, or functional | | | | garbage. |
| academics, and the ability to follow directions. | | | | Vocational skills are critical for children with disabilities, |
| Information that is also important is your child's | | | | no matter how severe the disability. Children or adults |
| communication skills, social skills, interaction skills, | | | | with job skills, can work in their community, as well as |
| behavior difficulties, mobility, medical needs, fine and | | | | become an active member of that community. My |
| gross motor skills, transportation, and your child's | | | | daughter Angelina has a severe disability, and works at |
| functional skills. | | | | a local college part time. She loves her job, and the |
| Another important area to be determined is your child's | | | | students at the college love her too! She is an active |
| preferences and strengths. You may have to figure | | | | and happy member of our community. |
| out what your child enjoys, if they are not able to tell | | | | |