Special Needs child. Old enough to drop out of school. Not mature enough to live on their own, What do you do?

SSG Paul Lanciault I have worked with many special needs children and each one is unique, as are their needs. There are organizations for specific conditions and there ‘used’ to be day programs in NC. Contacting a National organization might be assist in locating services. I do know companies receive federal funding fir hiring special needs employees and ‘reasonable accommodation’ is a Federal mandate in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992. Good luck with your efforts and try not to become discouraged.
Nancy

That hits very close to home for me, my oldest son has Asperger's and dropped out at 18 very short of a diploma. He will be 23 this month and we are still working towards getting him to enter a GED bootcamp or Job Corps. Many people question why do we keep letting him stay in our home, his only other option would be some type of halfway house arrangement and we're afraid that he would end up picking up more bad habits than the ones we attempt to instill in him at home.

Maybe you can key in on his interests and find an organization willing to mentor him... Music, sports, art. I've witnessed many young adults through Special Olympics become independent, self confident and self sufficient. I'm not saying that this is his only option, but if he feels excited about the future, maybe he will stay the course and surprise you with his progress. Best of luck to you, your son and your family.