As the parent of an infant, you can’t anticipate everything your child is going to need, but there is one thing you can foresee. He is going to grow up, and his needs are going to change.
As your child with cerebral palsy becomes a teen with cerebral palsy and continues to become independent and prepare for adulthood, your role as a parent will also change. During the teen years, a big part of your parenting job will be to help your child get ready for what comes after high school.
Vocational Counseling Can Help
Vocational counseling, sometimes referred to as vocational rehabilitation, can help prepare your teen for the future in several different ways. A vocational counselor can:
- Assess your child. A vocational counselor will assess both your child’s abilities and interests in different kinds of work.
- Prepare your teen for a job. Job preparation may include working with your child on the different skills he will need to do a particular job and identifying accommodations or specialized equipment that could make the work easier for your child.
- Help your child find a job. Vocational counselors often have a network of contacts and can help their clients find appropriate jobs.
Vocational counseling should be part of your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) if he receives special education services at school. Anything that is part of your child’s IEP, including vocational counseling, should be paid for by the school district.
Sometimes, however, you or your child may decide that he would benefit from additional vocational counseling.
Plan Ahead for Vocational Counseling
By the time your child is a teenager, you have long since resolved your child’s cerebral palsy medical malpractice case. The court verdict or out-of-court settlement that you received was final. You can’t go back and ask for additional money for vocational counseling.
Our cerebral palsy lawyers will help you plan ahead. We will include the financial value of things like vocational counseling and other services your child will likely need as a teenager or adult when we resolve your child’s case.
Let us help you prepare your child for the future. Contact Gray & White today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Let’s talk about how we can help you provide for your son or daughter as an infant, child, teenager, and adult.