It’s important to start planning ahead at every stage of life, before dealing with all the changes and challenges that come with each transition to a new school and system of services. Even if you have your hands full right now, there are free resources and helpful people available to assist you in getting through today’s concerns so that you can begin planning for the future.
Transition Planning Checklist
Consider the skills, activities, and services to plan for when creating your child’s high school transition plan for his/her IEP.
DD Endowment Trust Fund
Considerations in planning for the future may include wills and special needs trusts. One option for you to explore is the DD Endowment Trust Fund (ETF), administered by The Arc of Washington State. This public/private partnership creates a stable resource to enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. For more information, call toll-free 1-888-754-8798 ext. 1 or visit the DD Endowment website.
My Life Plan
Created by a partnership between the DD Council and The Arc of Washington State, is a free online tool to help you plan for the future. The questions have been designed with input from families and professionals to identify age-specific questions related to a person’s strengths and interests. My Life Plan puts the individual at the center of life decisions every step of the way.
Making Connections, Creating Opportunities
Making connections for yourself is the most important step you can take toward creating opportunities for your child and finding out how other families prepared for important life transitions.
Parent to Parent (P2P)
At any age, but particularly birth-high school transition, Parent to Parent (P2P) will connect you with a parent who has experienced the same struggles you’re going through right now. P2P also offers free workshops, trainings and one-on-one help in navigating complex systems.
PAVE (Partnerships in Action, Voices for Empowerment)
PAVE is a parent organization that offers support, advocacy, training and informational resources to empower individuals with disabilities and their families. By serving parents/caregivers, families/relatives, individuals with disabilities and/or special needs and professionals in Washington State through a range of programs and services.
