May 2026 Newsletter
By: Catherine B. ("Kylee") Read, Esquire, CELA*
Milestone Ages in Special Needs Planning: 4 Must-Do’s When Your Child Nears 18
Introduction
Parents of school-age children with disabilities spend the school years navigating services their minor child needs. Overwhelmingly, most parents are uninformed about the full range of “transition planning” they need to arrange for their child even while still in school, at what ages, why, and the consequences of not taking that action.
Transition planning is broader than the school graduation and vocational placement parents are familiar with through the school system, which services often end in Delaware at age 21 or high school graduation at age 22.
Parents are stunned to learn they should start taking action while the child is still 17.
Transition planning extends beyond educational services to 4 main areas, which, when it comes to public benefits...