The Transition Situation-Autism and Reaching 21

I don't think there is a Autism term or situation I haven't googled.  I have written a lot about my son and autism.  I have his permission to share this. This is simply my perspective and I realize the spectrum is wide.

My son graduated from his transition program this year.  For those not in the know, it is a program  where students after high school ages 18-21 are given a chance to gain employment skills or complete educational requirements with support.  My son met all the graduation requirements in 2016  but his diploma was held until his 21 birthday. This was a bitter pill for my son. A diploma meant to him that he achieved the success hoped. It was also further proof that he was disabled. However it was the best things that happened for him. It gave him a chance to practice necessary skills and for us that assist him to figure out what kind of supports he was was going to need as an adult with Autism.

There is a  hope that students will be more employable by completing the transition program. Some students have disabilities but not all.  Some are missing graduation requirements. Good Transition Programs expose young adults to the adult world with job shadows, internships, transportation training, and reinforcing activities of daily living.

My son's #1 goal was to work. As of February of this year, he was employed but the place he was working changed owners and as of July my son was out of a job. He completed one online college math course and this fall is taking a on campus college computer course. So he is back to job hunting.

There is no safety net of school is liberating but also scary as heck. All the supports are basically gone. They call this falling off the cliff. My son does receive some services - job coach and case management.  I am his caregiver and I am reimbursed for some of my time. My son pays me rent. These are all good things but now my son is constantly in my orbit. It can be suffocating at times. He signs for himself and I am not his guardian. So I am simply an adviser with little or no power to intervene on his behalf.  It is totally like being a back seat driver. Sometimes this is frustrating as my son gets easily frustrated by lots of questions or communicating with government agencies. I am still learning this dance with him.