This week I attended the Manhattan Children's Center (MCC) Transitions conference about changing the world for young adults with autism and related disabilities.
The concept of helping special needs children transition to adulthood is one that has been close to my heart since my 2013 visit to the Ann Sullivan Center, a private special education school in Lima, Peru that educates children with severe developmental impairments.
In my December 8, 2013 blog post reflecting on my trip, I highlighted the Ann Sullivan Center's emphasis on functional skills, job training, and supportive employment over an individual's lifetime.
This week's MCC conference reminded me of the importance of this subject. Some of the highlights of the conference for me were Dr. Mary McDonald's discussion about the skills we should be teaching children from a young age so they are able to transition better when they approach "the cliff" (i.e., the loss of services as a special needs child becomes an adult), and a panel discussion about the programs available to adults with special needs.
We spend so much time, energy, and resources supporting and nurturing special needs children until high school graduation or, in some cases, the age of 21. Why stop providing such support and services simply because these individuals have reached adulthood?
Click here to view recent media coverage regarding the MCC Transitions conference: