Resources for Planning for Your Child with Special Needs Future

Parents who have special needs children spend their lives working diligently to provide for their children(s) future. When the parents pass away, this work does not end. Children with special needs will still need to eat, have a place to live, receive medical care, etc. These resources provide families with special needs children with information to help them plan for these future needs.

Special Needs Planning or Life Care Planning Resources
This resources was developed by the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation. This PDF provides a listing of companies that offer families special needs planning services. This listing includes companies that offers such services as assisting parents of special needs children with obtaining coverage for medical equipment, newsletters that provide special needs planning information, lawyers who are experienced in working with special needs, and financial advisers trained to work with special needs families.

The Special Needs Planning Guide: How to Prepare for Every Stage in Your Child's Life
John W. Nadworny and Cynthia R. Haddad created this paperback to help families with special needs children plan for their future. This planning guide aids families in working through such issues as financial planning. Amazon.com describes this book as, "This book is a general guide for helping families plan for two generations (i.e., the financial planning needs of the primary caregiver and the person with disabilities). For some readers, it will relieve their anxieties about planning, and for others it will raise their awareness about the need to plan. Since every family's specific situation is unique, the book is not intended to provide a specific formula for success. However, it bridges the gap between the ultimate vision a family has for their child and the financial realities of making these dreams come true. "

The Special Needs Network
The Special Needs Network specializes in providing information for people with special needs. The Special Needs network was not developed by an industry outsider who is just gathering resources for a website. The Special Needs Network describes its origins as, "Mary Anne Ehlert, President of The Special Needs Network, is the sibling of a sister with cerebral palsy. She has been inspired and dedicated to working in the disability field as a result of her life experiences. Mary Anne, a financial professional, grew up in a household which revolved around her sister Marcia, who had cerebral palsy, and understands the many challenges her parents faced with caring for Marcia."

The Special Needs Network offers families with special needs valuable resources and information. The Special Needs Network's offerings include links to education seminars that cover topics like money management, and the 8 step process for special needs planning, articles developed by families with special needs children and industry experts, and an explanation of the 10 steps to special needs planning for families of individuals with disabilities.

The Center for Special Needs Planning
The Center for Special Needs Planning is a group of lawyers who specialize in working with families with special needs children. The Center for Special Needs Planning answers common questions that families with special needs have including; Where will special needs children live?, What about SSI and other benefits?, What is a Special Needs Trust?, What is a Letter of Guidance?, and When Should I Start to Plan?

Special Needs Future Planning.com
Special Needs Future Planning.com is a website dedicated to aiding families with special needs children plan for their childrens' future. Special Needs Future Planning.com was developed by the law offices of Brian Rubin & Associates. Special Needs Future Planning.com is different from the Resources discussed so far.

Unlike the other resources that we have discussed, Special Needs Future Planning.com does not describe steps to plan for special needs children or webcasts about special needs planning. Special Needs Future Planning.com's information is much more specific. Special Needs Future Planning.com's resources answers legal questions as if you were sitting in a personal legal consultation. Special Needs Future Planning.com answers such questions as, a personal letter from a lawyer addressing parents concerns, a letter pertaining to sibling's concerns, schedule of lectures held by the law offices, guidance for future care providers, and child support after age 18.

This list is by no means meant to be extensive. Families that have children with special needs face challenges everyday. These challenges include planning for the future of their special needs children. This list is meant to save these families time by providing links to information about planning their children(s) future.

References
The Special Needs Planning Guide: How to Prepare for Every Stage in Your Child's Life. Amazon.com. April 2007. retrieved on November 20, 2007 from http://www.amazon.com/Special-Needs-Planning-Guide-Prepare/dp/1557668027
Resources. The Special Needs Network. n.d. Retrieved on November 21, 2009 from http://www.tsnn.org/resources/index.html
Who Will Care for My Loved Ones With Special Needs After I Am Gone?. Center for Special Needs Planning. n.d. Retrieved on November 21, 2009 from http://www.thecenterforspecialneedsplanning.com/
Special Needs Future Planning.com. The Law Offices of Brian Rubin & Associates. n.d. Retrieved on November 21, 2009 from http://www.snfp.net/sys-tmpl/door/
Special Needs Planning or Life Care Planning Resources. Dana and Christopher Reeves Foundation Paralysis Resource Center. n.d. Retrieved on November 21, 2009 from http://www.christopherreeve.org/atf/cf/%7B3d83418f-b967-4c18-8ada-adc2e5355071%7D/Special%20Needs%20or%20Life%20Care%20Planning%206-09.PDF