Page 23 - FamilyGuidetoTransitionServices-English

Reasons Parents Might Seek Guardianship

 Medical and health concerns, including seeking care and following medical advice
 Financial and legal (decision-making) concerns, including signing of contracts
 Educational concerns, including advocating to obtain services

 Self-care and safety concerns, including matters of sex/sexuality
 Program and placement matters, including accessing vocational/adult services and
living arrangements
 Mistaken belief that it is required in order to be eligible for services from New
Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities
 Fear of the young adult’s lack of decision-making capacity
 Misinformation that they “must” get guardianship
 Fear of what will happen when parents are no longer around

Reasons Parents Might Want to Avoid Guardianship

 To not make a public declaration of incompetence

 To limit how involved the courts are in their lives
 To discourage people from dealing only with the guardian and ignoring
the individual
 To promote independence, dignity, and freedom of choice
 Guardianship is difficult to modify or terminate
 Attorneys, hearings, and evaluations are expensive

Children with special needs should have as

much input as they can based on their capacity.
Parents must begin at an early age to help their
child—regardless of their disability or special

healthcare needs—engage in decision-making
about their own care and prepare them to make
independent decisions as they become adults.

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