Planning for adulthood started early for me, long before Aliyah reached her teenage years. I realized quickly that her adulthood was going to look very different from other kids, and if I wanted her to have the best possible future, I needed to understand transition IEPs, DORS, and the services that support young adults with disabilities.In this episode, I’m sharing my own journey. The emotional moments, the unexpected roadblocks, the misinformation that almost kept Aliyah from qualifying for programs, and the “trust but verify” lesson I wish every parent knew. I talk about the day I realized not every beautiful program was meant for her, why I pushed to start transition planning earlier than the school suggested, and how Aliyah’s internship surprised me in the best way.🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode: ✨ What a transition IEP really means and why you shouldn’t wait to learn about it ✨ Why starting early prevents isolation, regression, and the painful gap year after graduation ✨ What DORS is, who qualifies, and how it supports our kids in building real job skills ✨ Why you should never assume your child is “not eligible” for services ✨ How my expectations for Aliyah changed when I saw her thriving at work ✨ Action steps you can take TODAY to strengthen your child’s transition planIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure about what adulthood will look like for your child, I hope my story helps you feel more prepared, more confident, and less alone.🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together. 🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.govEpisode 16 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmeliaSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3dApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep📲 Let’s Connect!Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/Website: https://www.flordeamelia.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starting-with-iepFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartingWithIEPInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flordeamelia_ebs/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/flordeameliahoffman/For content collaborations, email:

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