Questions for Lifetime Planning for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
It’s important to consider the lifetime planning of a child with disabilities. When thinking about this, the plan should be comprehensive, covering various aspects of the child’s life. The following six areas should be considered:
It’s important to consider the lifetime planning of a child with disabilities. When thinking about this, the plan should be comprehensive, covering various aspects of the child’s life. The following six areas should be considered:
- Housing: Where and with whom will they live?
- Finances: What is their current and future financial status?
- Employment: What type of job will they have, and where will they work?
- Education: What lifelong education do they want, and why?
- Leisure: What are their preferred leisure activities?
- Guardianship: Who will take care of them after the parents are gone?
The services are to be planned as a group and are intended to drive toward a result—they should not be haphazard or scattershot activities, but coordinated with each other to achieve that outcome or result. Preparing children with disabilities to “lead productive and independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible” is one of IDEA’s stated objectives.
