Families FORWARD

A New Program to Plan for Adult Life!

The transition to adult life can be challenging for families of teens and young adults (youth) on the autism spectrum. Parents and youth often feel unsure about the best way to prepare for adult life. We have developed the Families FORWARD program (Focusing on Relationships, Well-being, and Responsibility aheaD) to provide families with information about the transition to adult life, skills to help work through this transition, and guidance on working toward your family’s individual goals for the future.

Who can participate:

• Family Members: Parent and their youth on the autism spectrum (age 16 to 21 years).
• Families currently living in Massachusetts.
• Parents fluent in English.

If your family chooses to participate, here is what we will ask you to do:

Details about the Families FORWARD Program:

What:

• Participate in 6 Families FORWARD program sessions.
• Complete a survey before and after participating in Families FORWARD.
• Tell us what you think about the program:
  • After each session through a short feedback form.
  • At the end of the program through a brief interview. 

When:

• The program is approximately 3 months total.
• Each session is scheduled once every 2 weeks.
• Each program session is 60 to 75 minutes long in total; for youth, each session will be about 30 minutes.
• At a time that works best for you, including evenings or weekends.

Who Leads It:

• A coach with experience working with youth on the autism spectrum and/or their families.

Compensation:

• Families can receive up to $110 for their completion of the surveys at the beginning and the end of the program.
• (There is no cost to participate!)

Families FORWARD Program Overview

If you are interested in learning more about the Families FORWARD Study, please contact us:

Email: forward@bu.edu

Phone (text): 617-468-8094