Become a Coach - Make a Difference
Find out how hereA New Career in the Helping Professions
Is it time for a change in your life?
With the tremendous increase in the numbers of children being diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities, there is a need for more people in the helping professions. If it is time for something new in your life, consider becoming a certified Special Needs Life Quality Coach™.
Life Quality Coaches work individually with parents and others who have a special needs family member as well as with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Coaches assess the needs and dreams of the families they support. They help parents discover what is keeping them, and their children, from leading a happy, high quality life.
Once the hopes and desires of the family are determined, coaches design goals and action plans so that ideas become realities. Coaches partner with the people they serve, becoming an extra set of eyes, ears, and helping hands. They are also a resource for families regarding services, supports, interventions, and entitlements.
TERI’s International Association for Life Quality (IALQ) has developed a new career path based on research into the gaps in the service system for families of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Families have told us what they need and we have responded by designing a new system of support—the Special Needs Life Quality Coach.
How do Life Quality Coaches spend their time?
How a Coach assists a family varies greatly from one person to the next based on the personal goals of the family and the individual with a disability. Here are a few examples:
- Conducting life quality assessments in a child or adult’s educational, vocational, or residential setting
- Assisting with vocational training
- Facilitating social opportunities
- Finding resources for families
- Developing circles of support for families
- Providing long-term advocacy based on a Life Quality Plan
- Assisting children or adults in accessing therapy
More specific examples are:
- Andrew attends community college classes with Ethan, who has mild autism, until Ethan adjusts to life after high school. He is also helping Ethan find a part time job and join the Sierra Club so Ethan can meet new people with similar interests.
- The Riveras have hired Alison, a Special Needs Life Quality Coach, to do a monthly life quality assessment for their son, Carlos, who lives in a group home. The Riveras are busy during the week and often only able to see Carlos on the weekends, so they want an extra pair of eyes—a partner—to help them make sure that Carlos’ life quality plan is being carried out by the group home staff.
- Teresa is a life coach for Samuel, a 10-year-old with profound and multiple developmental disabilities. Teresa is helping Samuel’s family put together a microboard, a support circle that has made a long term commitment to making sure that Samuel has a happy, high quality life should something happen to his mother, who has some major health problems.
It is easy to see that a Coach works on behalf of a family based on the needs that have been identified. A Coach designs their own activities and schedule. Coaches can either approach this new career path as a part time endeavor or make it a full time career.
How much do Coaches earn?
Special Needs Life Quality Coaches set their own fees for services provided to a family based on their education and experience. Those with more limited education and experience typically charge $25-50 per hour. Coaches with college or advanced degrees and experience can receive up to $100 per hour for their services. What is earned is based on the needs in the community in which the coach resides and their level of expertise. The Special Needs Life Quality Coach certification program prepares individuals to be a significant resource to the families they serve and presents all the guidelines necessary to set up a successful private practice.
Download our complete brochure about Speical Needs Life Coaching HERE
