Contributed by Bebe Limeback,
Transition Worker
As a TPAS Transition Worker, Bebe Limeback says she’s never bored. It’s hardly surprising to hear when you learn how many directions her job stretches her in. She is responsible for supporting the children, caregivers, teachers and schools through the transition when a child with autism is ready to leave the IBI program to move on to school. And while this might make it sound like she does it all, in her opinion, the secret to doing her job well is that she doesn’t.
“I encourage parents to do their own legwork,” she says. “Our TPAS service is short-term. Once they leave the IBI program, they get one more year of transition. After that, the parent is on their own to navigate the different systems out there.” And those systems can be tricky!
According to Bebe, rules within the school system aren’t always consistent, and the lingo used in meetings can be intimidating to parents, especially if English isn’t their first language. Parents and caregivers need to know their rights and gain confidence in themselves in order to become their child’s best advocate.
Aside from teaching parents how to navigate the school system, Bebe also connects them with community support—whether it’s finding resources to help with toileting, connecting them with other parents, helping them to find respite care, or even tracking down a specialized dentist.
“I get to help these kids who society gives up on,” she says. And, according to Bebe, the long-term impact of empowering parents is even more satisfying. “When parents come back and let me know that they did it themselves, I know I made a difference.”
