Advocating for Special Education

Post School Options – Adults with High Support Needs

The development of a greater range of post school option pathways for adults with high support needs is required to maximise their potential in Australian society.

When parents have a child with a severe intellectual disability their family lives are changed dramatically. During the 12+ years that the child is able to attend school the parents are able to talk solace in the fact that their child’s needs will be supported. The child will be involved in developmental activities and their child will be able to attend school 5 days per week for approximately 40+ weeks of the year. There is security for the parents and families of a child with high support needs in the schooling system.

As the young person with high support needs reaches school leaving age this security is reduced. The parents now have to find a post school option service provider that will be able to meet the needs of their child with a level of funding decided by a government agency assessment that is regularly insufficient to allow their child to attend 5 days per week and will require at least one of the parents, if both parents are still living together to give up some if not all of their employment.