How to Help Your Autistic Adult Child Find A Job

Some adults with Autism will be able to become effective employees and some will not. As a parent if your child wants to work and they are having difficulty finding one for themselves it's hard not to step in. If your Autistic adult child needs help finding (and wants some help) a job there is ways to help without overstepping.

Instructions

• 1

  Talk with your child about what they want and their goals. Your child is a adult so let them take lead as much as possible. Knowing the reason why they want to work will help. While it could be a variety of things, many times it is to feel valuable, wanting to lead a normal life, or to earn extra spending money. This will help you guide them.

• 2

  Help your child get a appointment with your local vocational rehabilitation center. They are a government program established to help individuals with disabilities find jobs or gain skills. Even if you know of places your child could find work, your local office will give you tools to work with. The office will assign a VR Counselor and will assess their interests and abilities. They may be able to offer them one on one on the job training, get them involved in a work group, paid training( sometimes up to one year), or even give their employer incentive for hiring them. A business may be eligible for grants or other tax incentive for hiring a participant of a vocational rehabilitation program.

• 3

  As the counselor trained to work with individuals with adult autism work with your child, remember to keep in touch with them. Let your child know you are there to help, but only step in when necessary or asked to.

• 4

  As the counselor helping them find a job let it be known of any ideas you may have. Many individuals find comfortable places to work with organizations they have already had some contact with.

• 5

  Help your child be positive. Job searches can be depressing for many individuals with autism because many business owners and managers do not understand when applicants do not look them in the eye. While this is a tough issue, this is a good reason why you went to vocational rehab in the first place, they are trained to handle these situations.