Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Karen Rabren, PhD, 2084 Haley Center, Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. Tel.: +1 334 844 2082/334 844 5935; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Family involvement has been identified as an evidence-based transition practice in both special education and vocational rehabilitation (VR); however, from a VR perspective, less is known about how to engage parents in their children’s transition to adult roles and responsibilities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine parents of children with disabilities’ perceived issues in transition and obtain their input for improvement. METHODS: A Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) design was used to analyze multiple case studies collected from three focus groups of parents of students with disabilities in one southeastern state. Data analysis explored parental experiences with transition services to help identify family concerns. RESULTS: The data yielded six domains of parental concerns: (a) transition preparation, (b) integration, (c) adult services, (d) parent support, (e) advocacy, and (f) professionals’ roles. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study provides vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors and other helping professionals, who work with families and secondary students with disabilities in transition, information related to how to engage parents as collaborator in transition in order to improve the post-school outcomes of students with disabilities. Recommendations for VR counseling practitioners who work with parents and students with disabilities are included.
Keywords: Parents, families, transition, vocational rehabilitation, students with disabilities
