Westchester Exceptional Children's School

Helping Your Special Child Develop Work Skills

Leading a productive life in our society means being able to contribute to the community as a member of the work force. Not only is economic self-sufficiency important for everyone, the ability to work gives the individual a feeling of dignity, self-worth and sense of achievement that cannot be found in any other endeavor. This is true for every young adult including those with disabilities. Only in recent years, however, have the handicapped been considered capable of attaining the job-related skills and attitudes needed for employment. The trend towards mainstreaming and the philosophy that work dignifies the individual have done much for the disabled who in the past were either shunted aside or given menial, mundane tasks that neither suited their abilities nor maximized their potential.

In this issue we will focus on the kinds of training and types of employment available for the special needs individual. We'll look at how you as a parent play a critical role in instilling in your special child from an early age the appropriate behaviors, self-help skills and work habits that will help him or her become a responsible worker.

Developing Work Habits

Work habits or vocational skills are those job-related abilities necessary to fulfill tasks assigned by an employer. No matter what type of employment your special youngster engages in, certain standards are expected in order to achieve success in the workplace.

Put yourself in a prospective employer's place and ask yourself if your special youngster is capable of:

following company routines consistently - arriving on time, following rules about coffee breaks, lunch periods, absences, for example.
following written or verbal directions.
working consistently without stopping and working until dismissal without complaint.
accepting bosses' authority and constructive criticism.
completing work in the scheduled time.
working independently.

Developing good work habits at home. Unfortunately many parents don't become concerned about their special child's job prospects until their child is in his late teens. The best time to promote desirable work habits is when the child is much, much younger.

For example, you can reinforce dependability by assigning daily household chores and specific tasks to your special child and then making sure she finishes them. These could include dishwashing, table setting, bed making, for example. Get your youngster in the habit of following a routine, making sure that the assigned tasks get done in the same way, every day and at about the same time. Other chores should be assigned on a weekly basis - dusting or vacuuming, for example. Make sure your child finishes the task on the same day each week; this consistency is another good work habit. Major chores such as leaf raking or snow shoveling, for instance, can be assigned on an hourly basis with your child keeping track of the hours. In this way you can build the habits and rhythms of the work place into your child's life, no matter what her age. If your youngster learns to complete chores according to schedule and specifications, she is also demonstrating reliability and responsibility, keys to successful employment.

While you should not expect achievements beyond your child's ability level, by the same token you should not accept a poorly done or incomplete task. Encourage your child to finish her chores on time, and then evaluate the job realistically. It's unwise to praise her if the work is poorly done. It's better to list what was done correctly and then review with her things that could stand improvement. In this way your special youngster will learn how to accept constructive criticism, another key factor in satisfactory job performance.

Developing Good Self-Help Skills

Society at large, especially in the work environment, places great emphasis on personal appearance and hygiene. The ability to take care of all one's needs - from toileting and feeding to the more sophisticated nuances of personal dress and hygiene - is absolutely essential for acceptance in the work place. This is especially true when being considered for a job. No employer willingly takes on a worker who is sloppy, poorly groomed or offensive to others. Many special parents tend to avoid the subject, not realizing that their child's shortcomings in appearance and hygiene limit prospects for success later on in life. Of course, it's easier and less time consuming to bathe, groom and dress your special child yourself, but the more your child has to rely on others for self-care, the more this acts as a deterrent to later acceptance.

Look at your special youngster through the eyes of others. What kind of appearance does she present? Is she dressed in clean, stylish and well-fitted clothing? Does she choose clothing that is well matched and appropriate for the weather or the occasion? Is her hair styled attractively, and can she take care of it herself? Do fingers, nails and teeth show evidence of good hygiene? Is she capable of "freshening-up" if the occasion warrants? Take note of her table manners - are they acceptable? Can she handle a cafeteria tray and use a knife, fork and napkin properly? It's never too late to implement a self-help program for your child. Mastery of basic skills is important to insure greater employment opportunities.

Developing Appropriate Social Behaviors

Many employers place as much value on social skills as on vocational or mechanical aptitude. According to recent studies some major reasons for job failure include inability to get along with others, resistance to authority, inability to work without distracting co-workers, and, surprisingly enough, rude and socially unacceptable behaviors! Social development is a crucial area where parents and home training can make the most impact. You can help your special child develop appropriate interactions by modeling correct behaviors. It's a good idea to start when your child is very young before bad habits become ingrained. Remember that it takes constant repetition and practice before good manners become a habit.

Here are some things you can do at home. Role play and practice correct salutations, including polite greetings and handshakes. Remind your child to refrain from touching, hugging or kissing others. Remember that what might be considered cute or endearing in a younger child is offensive in an older one. Many special children persist in habits that are not age-appropriate because they lack social awareness and judgment. The special parent must intercede and teach social amenities that other children pick up on their own.

Observe your child carefully in social settings and make sure she doesn't display and rude or embarrassing behaviors. For example, many special children are unaware that scratching or touching their private parts or not using a handkerchief properly is offensive to others. If your youngster has any inappropriate habit, you can help by sequencing the correct behavior step-by-step. Enrich your child's general knowledge of how the rest of the world functions by taking her to social functions, restaurants, church services.

Types of vocational Training

Parents, home training and the school all play an important role in preparing the special youngster for future employment.

Prevocational training, including specific work activities and job-related academics, is usually available while your child is still in school. As it generally takes many semesters to develop the skills necessary for employment, your youngster's special education curriculum should combine classroom instruction along with actual occupational and vocational exploration.

An appropriate school-based training program can include:

functional reading - completion of job applications, forms commonly encountered in the workplace, locating and interpreting information found in work orders, directions, signs.
functional math - skills necessary to handle money, paychecks, banking, budgeting.
interpersonal skills - work-related attitudes, how to handle day-to-day problems associated with work settings, getting along with others, responding to the bosses' authority.

Career awareness. Some school-based pre-vocational training programs offer students a chance to participate in various trades or occupations right at the school. These are taught by trained special education/vocational teachers and often include:

general clerical skills, such as filing, mail sorting.
office skills, including the use of the computer, data entry.
assembly-line work, including collating, sorting, packaging.
food preparation, cooking, assisting chefs.
child care.
automotive trades, gas station work.
porter work, building maintenance.
small engine and appliance repair.
landscaping, grounds keeping, horticulture.

Work study. Quite frequently, as a result of prevocational and hands-on school training, the special needs young adult feels ready to move on to a real job. Some schools sponsor work-study arrangements where the student spends part of the day at school and part of the day at a paid work placement.

Supported employment is a transition program offered to the special needs individual who in some cases needs more extensive preparation. A trained counselor or job coach actually goes with the special needs person to the job site and works alongside to make sure the individual is doing the job correctly and is getting the needed assistance. When the individual demonstrates he is capable of working on his own, the job coach is gradually phased out.

As the name implies, competitive employment is the ability to seek, find and maintain employment on one's own. Not everyone, however, has the ability to succeed at the highly skilled, technical and professional vocations required in today's complex society.

Because of the nature or severity of their handicapping condition, many special needs individuals require closer supervision in a more protected setting.

Individuals with these requirements can make a contribution by working in a sheltered workshop. Generally, this is a facility that provides modified work experiences along with such supplementary services as social work, counseling, barrier-free access, etc. For some it marks a half-way experience, for others it is their life-time employment option.

The activities found in a sheltered workshop focus on bench-type assembly work - assembling or putting together various items, packing, sorting, using laminating and shrinktype packaging machines. Some sheltered workshops specialize in mailroom activities - folding, stapling, collating printed material. Pay for this type of work is related to employee output, rather than hourly or weekly wages.

Parents whose special youngsters are going to work in a sheltered workshop setting should visit the ones that are most appropriate. Because of the need for closer supervision parents should ask these questions:

Is there a well-trained staff?
Does the staff give enough supervision?
Is the facility housed in an attractive, safe, well-maintained building?
Is the work area neat, organized, conducive to the work at hand?
Does the workshop offer counseling, on-the-job training, aptitude testing?
Are the workers offered a variety of tasks?
Does the staff work closely with the family?
Does the workshop provide job placement and follow-up service as the individual gains more skills?

The guidance and encouragement provided by parents and vocational training professionals play a major role in helping the special needs person face the challenge of the workplace, no matter what type of employment track best suits each individual.

Post Graduate Training

Some individuals who have completed their secondary school programs are capable of going on to higher education or technical training. Today we find an increasing number and variety of programs designed to help special young people discover their niche in the working world.

Here are some sources for getting the most recent information on available programs:

A National Directory of Four Year Colleges, Two Year Colleges, and Post High School Training Programs for Young People with Learning Disabilities
edited by P. M. Fielding
Can be ordered from:
Partners in Publishing
Box 50347
Tulsa, OK 74150
(918) 584-5906

Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities
4156 Library Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15234
(412) 340-1515

Marketing Your Abilities: A Guide for the Disabled job-Seeker
J. Lobodinski, et al.
Washington, DC: Mainstream, Inc., 1984
Describes job search, resumes, other related issues

See Me More Clearly: Career and Life Planning for Teens with Physical Disabilities
J. S. Mitchell New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1980
Special section on career planning

Do's and Don'ts

Do extol the virtues of work, going to work, etc, whenever you can. This will encourage a positive atti-tude towards work in general and motivate your special youngster to work as hard as she can.

Do talk regularly to your child about various kinds of jobs and what goes on in the work setting. If possible, take her to visit you in your place of business.

Do start early in encouraging good work habits. Don't wait until your child is a teenager to teach her about responsibility. Most special children require constant repetition and frequent practice in order to acquire skills, so the younger you begin, the better.

Don't demean any work experience your child engages in, no matter what the task or pay scale. This will only frustrate your child and hinder motivation.

Do be realistic about your child's employment options. Find out about vocational tests, evaluations and aptitude testing that will give a clearer picture about your child's actual capabilities.

Do enhance your child's mechanical aptitude by encouraging her to use hammer, nails, construction-type toys, etc.

Do find out about the types of prevocational training and occupational education that are available to your child. The more informed you are, the better able you are to rein-force skills and interests.

The role of Vocational Evaluations in Job Placement

When special children reach age 21 they face the same decisions other youngsters must make. Some go on to colleges with programs for students with learning handicaps; others choose specialized training to learn a trade or marketable skill. For those who enter the workplace directly vocational evaluations play an important part in determining the appropriate alternative-day training programs, sheltered workshops, supported work sites and competitive jobs.

Most states have agencies responsible for the vocational aspects of a child's training, often while the child is still in school. When the special child becomes eligible for vocational services, a psychologist specifically trained in vocational testing will do a three-pronged assessment in the areas of intelligence, aptitude and preference. The results provide valuable information for the vocational counselor, teacher and others in charge of finding the most appropriate work placement.

Intelligence. Using individually-administered intelligence tests the psychologist will assess the client's job or educational potential and areas of strength and weakness. These are the same tests used in school; the results are interpreted differently for someone entering the work force.

Even though the student is leaving school or graduating, his basic reading, spelling and computational skills are still of interest to the psychologist making the recommendations. Without these skills the prospective employee is likely to have difficulty with jobs that require reading and writing. The psychologist may suggest remediation in weak areas.

The psychologist also will administer a number of personality tests and inventories as part of the development of a vocational plan. The answers to questions posed by the assessments are important predictors for success in the workplace. How much stress is the individual able to withstand? Does she accept supervision and direction? Is he chronically depressed or anxious? How secure is she? Will he be able to develop realistic vocational goals? Does she prefer working with others or by herself?

Aptitude. Various physical skills, manual dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination, for example, are areas that can be evaluated through aptitude tests that often require special equipment and facilities.

Preference. Finally, the psychologist will want to assess the special person's vocational preferences using a variety of scales - both verbal and non-verbal - developed to give the psychologist an idea of the kind of job or career the client wishes to pursue. Tests might indicate broad areas such as health service or food service. Other tests will narrow the field to a particular occupational preference: nurse, cook, cosmetologist, salesperson, for example.

With all of this data, the psychologist is able to develop a plan and offer suggestions on implementing it. Psychologists who perform vocational assessments should be aware of the local job market and training opportunities since recommendations must be based on realistic, attainable possibilities.

It is important to remember that the psychologist works closely with teachers, parents, vocational counselors and other professionals. Together they can help the special individual choose the most appropriate employment.

Reprinted with permission from Special Parent/Special Child, a bi-monthly newsletter published by Lindell Press, Inc. that was designed to promote effective family functioning between parent and special child. Bylined articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher's viewpoint.

Authored by Linda Murphy, MS. and Suzanne Della Corte, M.S.