Put simply, you’re focused on your disabled child, life is hectic, you don’t think too far ahead, then suddenly they’re nearing the end of school or college and it hits you……….at school my child was occupied five days a week, but what now? Colleges are usually three or four days a week, so you already have a day or two when they could be at home all day. Then at 18/19/20 you have nothing potentially, unless you plan ahead. If you work full-time it’s a real headache. Add to this the choices you're presented with are often limited, difficult to get to, and actually - just not what your now young adult wants.
Good transition to adulthood for disabled young people takes time, research, community contacts and planning - but we understand that right now you're still living in that hectic day to day world.
ICD can help you to plan ahead, look at the options and prepare for them - the earlier the better. Perhaps a combination of services are needed, perhaps some work needs to be done before your young person will consider a work or voluntary placement, perhaps it’s more socialisation and confidence building that’s needed. This is what we do - and if the voluntary/work placement isn’t there, we may just look at creating it!