Adolescence, Independence, and the Transition to Adulthood

In Chapter 12 we looked at the social and emotional sides of adolescence. In this chapter, we'll focus on how independent living skills can be built systematically and on planning the transition to adulthood.

Teaching Independent Living Skills

Skills like self-care (personal hygiene, getting dressed), household tasks (preparing meals, doing laundry), time management, money management, and using public transportation usually develop on their own in typically developing teenagers through observation and trial and error. For teenagers with autism, however, they generally require explicit, step-by-step, visually supported, and repeated teaching. We recommend starting to teach these skills as early as possible -- in early adolescence, and for some basic skills even in childhood.

Tip / Practical Suggestion

Break a complex task (doing the laundry, for example) into small, sequential steps and turn each step into a visual checklist. As your child becomes able to complete each step independently, gradually reduce the support in the list.

Vocational Guidance and Continuing Education

From the middle of adolescence onward, it's helpful to start thinking about future educational and vocational directions in line with your child's interests (see Chapter 7), strengths, and cognitive profile (see Chapter 18). Some young people with autism go on to higher education, while others move toward vocational training programs or straight into working life. This decision should be approached flexibly, according to the individual profile.

Legal and Financial Planning

For young people with high support needs (Level 2-3, see Chapter 5), we recommend meeting early on -- as they approach age 18 -- with a social worker or a legal advisor experienced in this area, about legal processes such as guardianship and capacity decisions, and about long-term financial planning (special accounts for people with disabilities, social security rights). This planning can offer a concrete framework that eases the family's worries about the future.

When to Seek Advice

During the transition to adulthood, the legal framework for many support services received in childhood (special education, some health services) may change. Starting to plan for this transition from age 16-17 is important for avoiding gaps in services.

Autism in Adulthood: A Brief Look

As we noted in Chapter 3, autism lasts a lifetime. In adulthood, many autistic individuals can lead fulfilling lives within independent or supported living arrangements, building meaningful work and relationships. The success of this transition is closely tied to the systematic foundations of independence and self-advocacy (being able to express one's own needs) laid down during adolescence.

Info Box -- Closing Part Five

A "normal" family life is one where your family finds its own balance -- a life all its own.

Problems with sleep, feeding, and setting up the home are often closely tied to the sensory profile (Chapter 8), and can be significantly improved with practical, systematic strategies.

Family involvement in the school process (IEP meetings) is what makes the education plan truly personalized.

Social skills and friendship can be supported with the right tools (social stories, skills groups, shared interests).

Travel and changes to routine can be made much easier with preparation in advance.

Systematically teaching independent living skills during adolescence lays the foundation for a successful transition to adulthood.

The Next Step

In this part, we looked at the practical sides of everyday life -- from sleep to school, from social skills to the transition through adolescence. In Part Six, we'll turn a little more inward, looking at your child's emotional world, sibling relationships, your own self-care as a parent, and communication within the family.