Fortunately, resources are available to help make these three to-do’s a little less daunting.

1. Establish guardianship. Will your child turn 18 this year? If so, now is the time to establish legal guardianship. In the eyes of the law, a person with a significant developmental, cognitive, or mental health disability is legally permitted to make decisions on his or her own behalf at age 18. The only way parents can continue making decisions for their child is to become their legal guardian. To learn more about this process, contact your child’s Care Manager. He or she can supply you with the paperwork needed to get started. Additional information is available in Autism Speaks’s Transition Tool Kit , a great reference for those moving from childhood to adulthood.
2. Prepare for your child’s IEP meeting. As a parent, you can be your child’s best advocate. Nobody knows your child better, so it’s important to make sure that your child’s IEP reflects goals that are meaningful. Want to know how best to prepare, participate, and follow up after the meeting? Attend a free workshop on February 19 sponsored by Parent Network called “What You Need to Know Before Your Next IEP Meeting.” For more information, visit parentnetworkwny.org or call 716-332-4170.
3. Get active! Children with disabilities are more likely to be overweight and more sedentary than their typically-developing peers. Find opportunities to increase your child’s activity level using Parent Network’s Leisure Services and Recreation Directory, or check out The Center for Allied and Unified Sport and Exercise (CAUSE) at Daemen College! CAUSE hosts FREE sports activity sessions on Sunday afternoons from 2 – 4 p.m. for kids disabilities ages 6 – 18. Sessions are held at Daemen’s Academic and Wellness Center Gym in Amherst. Daemen students are paired with participants to engage in activities that promote sport, exercise, and socialization. During the sessions, caregivers can enjoy some time to themselves with free use of Daemen’s Fitness Center. Want to hear more about it? Listen to this podcast!

Happy 2019 from all of us at The Summit Center!