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Parents/ their roles supporting interns after PS

JoAnn Hurst Posts: 7 12/8/2019	JoAnn Hurst Posts: 7 Hi all! We have experienced several challenges with parents and the interns after they transition into the workforce. It's understandable that parents are advocates but we are having challenges with parents understanding boundaries with employers and allowing their children (the interns) to advocate for themselves. We have experienced the following: Parents/Guardians (P/G') setting up meetings with work managers and giving them strategies to work with the interns in spite of the fact that we have job coaches and agencies fulfilling this need P/G's calling managers saying their son/daughter is late, sick and doesn't want to come to work even though the son/daughter is capable of doing this themselves P/G's asking for info on their son/daughter from the manager even though they do not have guardianship P/G's going to work sites, watching their son/daughter and then discussing with the manager their perspectives of the setting. The list goes on but I think you all get the idea We were thinking about creating a flow chart to share with parents. This chart would direct them to appropriate interactions and what the P/G's roles are after Project SEARCH completion. It seems like we spend so much time preparing the interns and we also need to start preparing the parents. Any feedback, information or articles you can share would be greatly appreciated! Jo Ann
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Guest 1/24/2020	Guest Hi JoAnn, It sounds like you have some very involved parents! Something that I have found beneficial with our parents is that I set very clear expectations for them from the first prospective intern orientation through the first days of school. I make sure to make it clear and remind them that Project SEARCH is treated like a business and the students are treated as adults. Some things I have done that have been successful. Collecting any and all copies of Guardianship / Power of Attorney paperwork at the beginning of the year. Stating at the Intern orientation and putting in the intern handbook ( which both parents and interns sign and is kept on file) that interns are treated as adults as they will be in the work setting and primary communication is through the intern, unless they have a legal guardian. * I keep signed forms from parents stating they understood the classroom policies, so that in the event during the year they are not holding their end of the bargain and over stepping, I can show them what they agreed too. * Reiterating to the parents that business don't except call ins / meetings with parents and it will be up to the interns. * I personally don't accept parents calling in for their students when they are absent, it must come from the student or I count it as unexcused. Mostly I try to simulate an actual work place boundaries as much as I can in the room thought the year to develop those habits for not only the students but the parents. As far as once they are employed there isn't much I can do if a business is taking calls and allowing the parent in.
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Cheryl Vail Posts: 2 8/5/2022	Cheryl Vail Posts: 2 Hi A few of my sites have the parents sign an " agreement" on signing day. stating they will support independence etc.. maybe something like that will help Cheryl Vail wrote: ]Hi all! We have experienced several challenges with parents and the interns after they transition into the workforce. It's understandable that parents are advocates but we are having challenges with parents understanding boundaries with employers and allowing their children (the interns) to advocate for themselves. We have experienced the following: Parents/Guardians (P/G') setting up meetings with work managers and giving them strategies to work with the interns in spite of the fact that we have job coaches and agencies fulfilling this need P/G's calling managers saying their son/daughter is late, sick and doesn't want to come to work even though the son/daughter is capable of doing this themselves P/G's asking for info on their son/daughter from the manager even though they do not have guardianship P/G's going to work sites, watching their son/daughter and then discussing with the manager their perspectives of the setting. The list goes on but I think you all get the idea We were thinking about creating a flow chart to share with parents. This chart would direct them to appropriate interactions and what the P/G's roles are after Project SEARCH completion. It seems like we spend so much time preparing the interns and we also need to start preparing the parents. Any feedback, information or articles you can share would be greatly appreciated! Jo Ann
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Posts: 8/8/2022	Posts: Cheryl, would you be willing to share your parent agreement documents for others to use as a template? Thank you!
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