Episode Details

What happens when an autistic child ages out of school?

For families supporting autistic teens and adults, especially individuals with profound autism or significant support needs, the transition beyond school can create major challenges around life skills, respite care, adult services, behavior support, community participation, and independence.

In Part 1 of this Autism Labs conversation, Mike Carr is joined by Sharon, an autism parent and community advocate, and Allie, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with approximately 10 years of experience working across autism and neurodivergent services.

The conversation explores what families can do to prepare for adulthood and why planning for life after school should begin earlier than many families realize.

Mike also shares lessons from his family's experience raising a severely autistic, non-speaking adult and operating a nonprofit day and respite program.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why respite care is important for both autistic individuals and caregivers
• The role of life skills in preparing for adulthood
• Why consistency between school, home, and respite matters
• How individualized support can help prevent behavior escalation
• Understanding triggers and recognizing what motivates each individual
• Physical activity and community participation as opportunities to practice life skills
• Challenges surrounding adult day programs and Medicaid waivers
• Self-directed services and funding considerations
• Preparing for the transition from school to adult services
• Using universities and community organizations to build additional support
• How unexpected communities can become valuable sources of connection and support

A major theme throughout the discussion is that autism support cannot be approached with a one-size-fits-all model. Each person's communication style, strengths, preferences, triggers, behavior, and level of support needs must be understood.

The episode also highlights an issue that affects the entire family: caregivers need reliable respite and trusted people who can support their loved one safely.

This is Part 1 of the conversation. Part 2 continues the discussion with Sharon and Allie.

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Autism Labs provides practical conversations and resources for parents, caregivers, and professionals supporting autistic children and adults, including individuals with profound autism and complex support needs.

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