Transitioning
Tips for transitions to the community
Get organized, have a system in place to have all the information you will need during and after the transition. Develop a checklist
Build a team: pull together all the individuals (paid/unpaid caregivers) who will support your youth
Create a transition plan: Together with your youth and the team create a transition plan
Regularly review your youth’s strengths, weakness, likes, dislikes, hopes, visions for the future.
Attend a transition workshop
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/pwd/pubs/spl_brochure.pdf
- https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/parents/transition/working_together_guide.pdf
- https://ilrc.mb.ca/programs/peer_il/index.htm
- https://www.newdirections.mb.ca/services/training_ed/alt_solutions.php#transition
Together with the transition team, research and plan for your youth’s long-term post-secondary education, vocational skills training and/or employment, if this is an option
- https://asdmb.ca/information/adult/supports-for-post-secondary-education/
- https://www.neads.ca/en/
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/pwd/supported_living.html
- https://newdirections.mb.ca/residential-support-programs/bridges/
When appropriate, talk to your youth about puberty and sexuality
Get a Social Insurance Number (SIN) for the youth. A SIN is needed to work in Canada and to gain access to government programs and benefits.
Check if the youth you support is eligible for the disability tax credit
- https://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/disability/
- https://www.disabilitytaxservice.ca/benefits-of-being-approved-disability-tax-credit-rdsp/
File your youth’s income taxes
- https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tax-resources/tax-saving-opportunities/when-to-claim-disability-tax-credit.jsp
- https://www.ofcp.ca/pdf/DTC-Article-from-OFCP-Mar-2011.pdf
Start a bank account for the youth you support
- https://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/topics/money/banking.shtml
- https://www.woodbinehouse.com/book_reviews.asp?product_id=978-1-60613-007-0
- https://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/12/04/5-ways-to-teach-money-management-to-older-children-with-special-needs/
Start a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for the youth you support and your family
Start Financial planning for the long-term
- https://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/rdsp/index.html
- https://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/disability/savings//index.shtml
Research housing options together with the transition team
- https://www.accessinformation.ca/documents/resource_guide.pdf
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/dio/openingdoors/housing.html
- https://www.winnipegrentnet.ca/help-links/help-special.cfm
Apply for social and health supports your youth might be eligible for in the community (e.g., homecare)
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/imd/
- https://www.canadian-disability-resources.ca/manitoba.html
- https://www.faslink.org/Disability_Guide_ENG.pdf
Learn about your and the youth’s legal rights and responsibilities (e.g., power of attorney)
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/dio/citizenship/account.html
- https://www.barrierfreemb.com/rights
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/pwd/vpact_substitute.html
- https://www.gov.mb.ca/publictrustee/
Establish a system through which the youth’s health, medical information and follow-ups are recorded and checked regularly
Adapted from the https://findsupportbc.com/timeline/checklist.php?age=8-25
The following guides offer tips and information that might be helpful while planning the transition to adulthood for your child or the individual you support.
- A protocol for transitioning students with exceptional needs from school to community: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/publications/protocol_swsn.pdf
- Information for adults with disabilities – Transition to adulthood: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/imd/pubs/transit_adult.pdf
- Working together – A parent’s guide to transition from school to community: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/publications/protocol_stc.pdf
