Common Challenges IF YOU ARE A PARENT LOOKING FOR A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR YOUR ADULT CHILD WITH AUTISM, THERE ARE NO EASY CHOICES. The first challenge you face is making that initial, emotionally charged decision. Simply coming to terms with the fact that your child may need a residential program can be difficult, especially if they have never lived outside your family home. Both you and your child might be facing a complex mixture of emotions, coming to terms with your aging and mortality, and confronting social stigma in which residential settings are seen as “sending a child away.” Finding any program that has availability might be the next big challenge. Supportive housing and residential programming providers struggle to keep up with intense demand. As a result, families are frequently faced with the illusion of choice – or, more accurately, the reality of few choices. It can be hard enough finding a program that is accepting new residents, let alone one where you can see your child feeling at home. It is tough to see past these huge hurdles and feel like you are in the position to evaluate a program at all. It might feel like you need to take what you can get. However, knowing what questions to ask can help you make the best of a difficult decision. You are entitled to decide what is meaningful to you and your family. It’s all about finding the right framework to evaluate your options.
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