Life Skills and Independence
Life skills are part of building confidence, independence, and long term stability.
For many families, the goal is not just helping a child through school.
The goal is helping that child, teen, or young adult build the skills needed for greater independence, confidence, and participation in everyday life.
Life skills may include cooking, hygiene, money management, transportation, communication, problem solving, job readiness, and daily routines. These skills are not extra. They are part of long term stability.
Use These Resources as a Starting Point
Autism Awareness Centre Website - has several helpful articles about life skills and stories of autistic people who live independently.
The Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Life skills and Education for Students with Autism and Other Pervasive Behavioral Challenges (LEAP) teaches life skills to children with severe cases of autism with behavioral problems.
Cindy’s Autism Support - this education site provides advice about autism and life skills.
Learning With a Purpose - this blog contains many useful checklists and resource links for teaching basic life skills to people with autism.
Goodwill Industries - are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that create job training programs, employment placement and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and house hold items in more than 3,300 Goodwill stores (North America) and online at shopgoodwill.com® and other e-commerce platforms.
Healing Complex Kids shares these resources to help families think more intentionally about independence, daily living, and transition planning. Families should choose the tools that fit their child’s developmental level, strengths, support needs, and long term goals.
