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There is mounting evidence that a formal process for supports in the transition from youth to adult, and access to person-centred care play a critical role in improving life outcomes for persons with disabilities (PwDs). This research reveals that, during the K-12+ school years in Manitoba, gaps and inconsistent transition practices persist, resulting in inadequate support.
“The Transition to Adulthood for Young Adults with Disabilities in Manitoba: A “Winding Up-Hill Road”” finds that not all PwDs are adequately prepared for the transition to adult life, and often face systemic barriers as they attempt to access the support and services they require, such as discriminatory attitudes and policies, complex service navigation, rigid eligibility criteria, inadequate resources, service decline, and limited choices. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated barriers to transition supports even further.
The study used an anonymous online survey with 440 respondents, and forty semi-structured qualitative interviews of four participant groups including: Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) between the ages of 18 and 27 years, caregivers of PwDs within the same age range, educators at the secondary and post-secondary levels, and service providers who support the transition to adulthood.
This issue has been documented previously, as far back as 1994. This report confirms that inadequate supports for PwD transitioning from youth to adulthood have persisted for almost 30 years in Manitoba with little improvement.
The report includes substantive recommendations targeted at school divisions and provincial government departments. The report released today is a research summary of a comprehensive report by the same title, found at this link: https://my.visme.co/view/jwgr9rg1-transition-to-adulthood#s1. Transition to Adulthood for Young Adults w Disabilities in Manitoba
Grant: Community-Driven Solutions to Poverty: Challenges and Possibilities - 2020-2027
Category: Featured, Social Inclusion