HALTON SUPPORT SERVICES
A community service for children and adults with developmental disabilities

A guide to transition planning for parents of children with a developmental disability
Dufferin and Wellington Counties and the Regions of Halton, Peel and Waterloo
May 2007

Written by:
Rae Roebuck and Judy Coultes-MacLeod
First Leadership Limited

PART 2: TOOLS & RESOURCES

TOOLS

Tool 2: Roles and Responsibilities of Transition Planning Team

The following information provides suggestions for members of your transition planning team and responsibilities for each.

Youth

  • Attend IEP/transition planning meetings.
  • Lead the transition planning meetings, with support as required.
  • Share his or her personal preferences, interests, skills, goals, and needs with the team (with support, as needed).
  • Ask questions and provide information to the team on various issues that he or she wants to address, such as wellness, medical, social, sexual, financial or guardianship issues (with support, as needed).
  • Assume responsibility for working towards his or her goals and completing the tasks listed in the Transition Plan.

Parents or Guardians

  • Attend IEP/transition planning meetings.
  • Prepare their son/daughter for participation in the process.
  • Support their son/daughter’s leadership role in the process.
  • Lead transition planning meetings where possible and desired.
  • Provide valuable insight into the background and values of their family.
  • Share their son/daughter’s and their own preferences, interests, skills, goals, and needs.
  • Focus the team’s planning on the youth’s and family’s needs and goals.
  • Provide their son/daughter with opportunities to learn and practice the foundation skills, such as problem
  • solving skills, assertiveness, selfadvocacy, and stress management skills that support active participation
    in the transition planning process.
  • Provide information on the programs and support services that are accessed by and available to their son/daughter.

Transition Coordinator

  • Coordinate and schedule meetings.
  • Manage the paper work and maintain a transition file that contains assessments, the IEP/Transition Plan and related materials.
  • Keep the planning session focused.
  • Resolve conflicts.
  • Monitor the progress of the IEP/Transition Plan.
  • Obtain commitment for follow-up action and ensure that all participants are clear on the specific tasks/actions they are to undertake.
  • Coordinate the writing and implementation of the IEP/Transition Plan.

Special Educators

  • Attend IEP/transition planning meetings.
  • Listen to the youth's vision and identify his or her needs.
  • Ensure that referrals are made to the appropriate community service agencies.
  • Ensure that the youth’s and family’s needs and goals are articulated, understood and used to drive transition planning.

General Educators

  • Attend IEP/transition planning meetings.
  • Consult with the planning team on education opportunities, graduation requirements and assessments, and on the youth’s progress and support needs.
  • Help identify and analyze post-secondary education opportunities.
  • Provide instruction to the youth on the knowledge and skills required to support a successful transition to adulthood.
  • Support an inclusive environment for the youth with developmental disabilities.

Vocational Specialists

  • Attend IEP/transition planning meetings for students who require vocational training or placement.
  • Help identify and analyze relevant pre-employment and vocational training programs.

Social Workers, Service Providers and Other Community Members

  • Attend and contribute to IEP/transition planning meetings.
  • Provide support services in community settings.
  • Provide the youth with cultural support and connection where possible.

Other Family Members, Friends and Advocates

  • Attend IEP/planning meetings as appropriate.
  • Share information on the youth’s and family’s preferences, interests, goals and needs.
  • Assist and support the youth and his or her family as they discuss their needs and goals.
  • Focus the team’s planning on the youth’s and family’s needs and goals.
  • Provide informal home and community experiences and supports, if possible.

Please send any feedback to: Connections@firstleadership.com

Website created by: Corina Ciobanu