It's time to reframe how we view family engagement, making sure it's aligned with current transition thinking and practice.
The idea of transition has changed significantly over the past 40 years. We've moved from a simple focus on employment, postsecondary education and independent living to a broader perspective — helping youth and their families identify what a good life looks like and how to get there. Our expectations around employment have been raised and we're more aware of the impact of our messaging on families.
Traditional parent engagement efforts tend to focus on providing information on programs and services and their eligibility requirements. We've learned it should be about helping them envision what a good life looks like for their youth and taking steps to get there. For families and caregivers, this includes helping youth make decisions as well as preparing for life and work skills.
Old ideas vs. new perspectives
Open each accordion below to discover how thinking about these ideas has changed.