Parents of children with special needs face unique challenges in raising their children. One such challenge is the question of what to do when a child with special needs turns 18, the legal age of adulthood. It is during the few years after a child turns 18 that the services and programs associated with the public education system end and are replaced by different benefits targeted toward adults. Managing the transition from services for minors to adult care presents one of the greatest challenges for parents of children with special needs. There are a number of paths parents can take to ensure that their adult child is best provided for in the future.

When I decided to become a social worker many years ago, there were few choices of graduate programs. Nowadays, those thinking about becoming a mental health professional have multiple options. The purpose of this short article is not to speak about any specific discipline or program. It’s simply for you to think about what it means to choose the field of mental health as a profession.

 Our children drive us crazy, right?! Or is it the other way around? The onslaught of “No! Don’t! Why did you… If only you would… Can’t you just…” is nonstop. Yes, we are their parents; it’s our job to set them straight. But are we conscious to take into account whether we are pushing them off the path we so desperately desire for them?