Special Needs Future Planning

Community Unit School District 200: Special Needs Future Planning

The Why, How and When?

Why: Future planning for any child or young adult can be a difficult process. The process of future planning for a child or young adult with a special need can be overwhelming and tough to navigate. This site can provide useful information to parents, teachers and caregivers. A parent is their child's best advocate and in order to advocate for your child you must be informed. The sooner a parent becomes informed of what types of services and supports their child can benefit from the sooner they can plan for the future. Planning early can alleviate feelings of being overwhelmed during major school transitions and when applying for certain funding or benefits. The reason to get things set in place as early as possible is that it takes a collaborative effort from all the supports listed in the diagram to create a busy, productive and meaningful schedule for a child when they are exiting from the public school system.  

How: In the tabs listed, one can search for federal and state funding/benefits, eligibility for support, reasons for a special needs trust, guardianship  or legal alternatives information, transportation programs and contact information to local agencies. Your answer could be just one click away.

When: Please click the timeline tab for focused areas that assist families in planning for educational, vocational, independent living, government funding and benefits, legal and financial, transportation, day programming, post-secondary and recreation and leisure domains.