The Parents Will Still The Parents Will Still Be there……Be there……

Even After the Job Coaches Even After the Job Coaches are Gone.are Gone.

The Parents will still be there The Parents will still be there even after the job coaches are even after the job coaches are

gone…gone…Parents……..Parents……..• Are experts on their child and a vital Are experts on their child and a vital

member of the teammember of the team• Have provided long-term supportHave provided long-term support• Are advocates for services and benefitsAre advocates for services and benefits• Vary in their capacity to support their childVary in their capacity to support their child• Deal with multiple issue Deal with multiple issue • Will be more likely to participate if they Will be more likely to participate if they

feel that their participation is valued feel that their participation is valued

FamiliesFamilies

• Families are essential to the Families are essential to the transition process for all youth.transition process for all youth.

• Parents and families are often the Parents and families are often the most helpful historians, providing most helpful historians, providing the transition team partners with the transition team partners with an essential level of detail about an essential level of detail about the background, experiences, and the background, experiences, and functional needs of the young functional needs of the young person.person.

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How many times have you How many times have you heard this?heard this?

• Parents of secondary students just aren’t as Parents of secondary students just aren’t as involved as the parents of elementary students!involved as the parents of elementary students!

• The parents trust us so much that they don’t The parents trust us so much that they don’t even have to come to the meetings… they know even have to come to the meetings… they know we’ll always do what is right for their child!we’ll always do what is right for their child!

• They don’t care and we know this because they They don’t care and we know this because they never come to meetings!never come to meetings!

• Parents don’t understand the Transition process Parents don’t understand the Transition process so it’s alright that they aren’t at the meetings—so it’s alright that they aren’t at the meetings—agencies know best on the Transition issues!agencies know best on the Transition issues!

But those parents just But those parents just don’t caredon’t care

We don’t always have the time or the We don’t always have the time or the insight to determine why a parent has insight to determine why a parent has not been involved in the meetings or not been involved in the meetings or

events at school.events at school.

What was the transition event What was the transition event that resulted in the greatest that resulted in the greatest

parent participation?parent participation?• What method did you use to notify the What method did you use to notify the

parents of the event? parents of the event?

• How many times did you contact the parents How many times did you contact the parents before the event? Phone, email, mail, before the event? Phone, email, mail, through the student?through the student?

• Who contacted the parents?Who contacted the parents?

• What staff members were at the event?What staff members were at the event?

• Why do you think there was such a great Why do you think there was such a great turnout?turnout?

FamiliesFamilies• Family input early in the transition process Family input early in the transition process

establishes a solid foundation for planning establishes a solid foundation for planning and builds a critical connections and and builds a critical connections and relationships with the transition partnersrelationships with the transition partners

• It is essential to build a trustworthy It is essential to build a trustworthy relationship with the young person and relationship with the young person and familyfamily

• Appreciate the fact that families have a Appreciate the fact that families have a long history of working with multiple long history of working with multiple professionals with mixed resultsprofessionals with mixed results

• Provide support to families to plan for Provide support to families to plan for change during the transition processchange during the transition process

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Transition Partners need Transition Partners need to…to…

• Receiving input from the familyReceiving input from the family• Focusing on the young person’s passionsFocusing on the young person’s passions• Understanding family stressUnderstanding family stress• Understanding the family’s Understanding the family’s

communication and mental health needscommunication and mental health needs• Providing a reality check for familiesProviding a reality check for families• Recognizing parents’ feelings of grief and Recognizing parents’ feelings of grief and

lossloss• Helping families plan for changeHelping families plan for change• Advocating for the needs of youthAdvocating for the needs of youth

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Assessment Data from Assessment Data from Families: It is Real!Families: It is Real!

• On an ongoing basis, gather and On an ongoing basis, gather and synthesize all assessment information synthesize all assessment information gathered from familiesgathered from families

• Families observe the young person Families observe the young person within the context of genuine within the context of genuine environments (home, community, etc.)environments (home, community, etc.)

• Behavioral observations provided by Behavioral observations provided by those who know the young person the those who know the young person the best (family) can provide valuable insight best (family) can provide valuable insight into the transition planning processinto the transition planning process

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Developing Goals For Developing Goals For Parent EngagementParent Engagement

SMART goals:SMART goals:• SSpecificpecific• MMeasurableeasurable• AAction orientedction oriented• RRealistic ealistic • TTime specific.ime specific.(based on the work of Barbara Bateman)(based on the work of Barbara Bateman)

Parent Engagement Parent Engagement SSMART MART Goal:Goal:

SpecificSpecific The grant team will plan an The grant team will plan an

initial meetings to inform each initial meetings to inform each parent, of each student involved parent, of each student involved in the grant, that their child will in the grant, that their child will participate in this project with participate in this project with the goal of preparation for and the goal of preparation for and attainment of competitive attainment of competitive employment.employment.

Parent Engagement SParent Engagement SMMART ART Goal:Goal:

MeasurableMeasurable 100% of parents will meet with the staff of the 100% of parents will meet with the staff of the

grant to discuss the project; a group meeting grant to discuss the project; a group meeting will be held in the morning, 12/12/06 at 10:00 will be held in the morning, 12/12/06 at 10:00 a.m., and one in the evening, 12/12/06 at 7:00 a.m., and one in the evening, 12/12/06 at 7:00 p.m., to accommodate parent’s schedule. For p.m., to accommodate parent’s schedule. For individuals who cannot make either of these individuals who cannot make either of these meetings, individual sessions will be arranged. meetings, individual sessions will be arranged. A sign-in sheet will be completed. An A sign-in sheet will be completed. An evaluation sheet will also be prepared for evaluation sheet will also be prepared for completion by each parent. These two sheets completion by each parent. These two sheets will be included in the bi-monthly narrative.will be included in the bi-monthly narrative.

Parent Engagement SMParent Engagement SMAART RT Goal:Goal:

ActionAction The Transition coordinator will call The Transition coordinator will call

each of the 12 parents, two weeks each of the 12 parents, two weeks before the meeting, to inform them before the meeting, to inform them of the meeting and to note which of of the meeting and to note which of the three options is convenient to the three options is convenient to them. The Transition coordinator them. The Transition coordinator will email or call all of the parents will email or call all of the parents two days before the meeting to two days before the meeting to remind them of the meeting.remind them of the meeting.

Parent Engagement SMAParent Engagement SMARRT T Goal:Goal:

RealisticRealistic By giving the parents three options, By giving the parents three options,

hopefully one of the times will match hopefully one of the times will match the schedule of the parent.the schedule of the parent.

100% involvement is necessary for 100% involvement is necessary for every student and family to be truly every student and family to be truly involved in understanding of and involved in understanding of and participating in the program .participating in the program .

Parent Engagement SMARParent Engagement SMARTT Goal:Goal:

Time SpecificTime Specific The time of the grant is 7 monthsThe time of the grant is 7 months

The team should establish goals that The team should establish goals that would span this time periodwould span this time period

The team should solicit information The team should solicit information from the parents during the first from the parents during the first meeting regarding topics of interest. meeting regarding topics of interest.

Considerations for Parent Considerations for Parent Engagement Engagement

• How parents will receive weekly/monthly How parents will receive weekly/monthly updates on the skills acquisition and progress updates on the skills acquisition and progress toward competitive employmenttoward competitive employment

• The role of agencies. options and rightsThe role of agencies. options and rights

• Self-advocacy and self-determination issuesSelf-advocacy and self-determination issues

• How to be an advocate for your child and how to How to be an advocate for your child and how to teach her/him to be an advocate for her/himselfteach her/him to be an advocate for her/himself

• Identification of work qualities that will enhance Identification of work qualities that will enhance job success and satisfaction.job success and satisfaction.

Considerations for Parent Considerations for Parent Engagement Engagement

• Setting realistic but high expectations for their son or Setting realistic but high expectations for their son or daughterdaughter

• How to interpret evaluations/assessments - both formal and How to interpret evaluations/assessments - both formal and informalinformal

• How to provide support while promoting independenceHow to provide support while promoting independence

• Need for support group to discuss concerns and fears about Need for support group to discuss concerns and fears about the future of their childthe future of their child

• How to prepare for a Transition meetingHow to prepare for a Transition meeting

• Accommodations and modifications on the jobAccommodations and modifications on the job

• Provide real life parent and student examplesProvide real life parent and student examples

Shared Communication for Shared Communication for Parent EngagementParent Engagement

• Share all information Share all information given/presented to parents with the given/presented to parents with the student’s classroom, ancillary student’s classroom, ancillary teachers and vocational teachers.teachers and vocational teachers.

• Keep everyone in the loopKeep everyone in the loop

Ensure Parent Ensure Parent EngagementEngagement

• Parents are a vital force in the student’s Parents are a vital force in the student’s life.life.

• They will be with the student long after we They will be with the student long after we are gone.are gone.

• Let’s give them the skills to help their sons Let’s give them the skills to help their sons and daughters become productive and and daughters become productive and contributing members of our communities.contributing members of our communities.