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DiscussionAutism & the difficulty of getting & doing a job
Autism (ASD) | Last Active: Jul 31, 2021 | Replies (60)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "@gingerw thank you for the information. I will contact the organizations for further help. You are..."
I'm going to weigh in here because, like Teresa suggests, you or his Dad or sisters need to get guardianship or he will continue to get into financial scrapes.
My grand-nephew has Asperger's, and presents in much the way as your son, until you spend some time with him. We firmly believe (though my brother disagrees) that his Mom is on the spectrum as well, as we see many of the same self-defeating behaviors in her. My brother & sister-in-law raised their grandson from age 3, got adult guardianship when he was 19, and he now lives in a group home (his 4th) that suits him well - with 2 other young men like himself as well as 2 who are more severely affected and don't interact much.
Every month or two, he states he is going to court to get emancipated so he can "get his own place." They tell him "Fine, but you must do it completely on your own to show you are ready. By the way, the judge is going to ask you to demonstrate that you can care for yourself and an apartment, handle finances, and keep a job." After a few days, he gives up.
Another nephew, age 36, is not as greatly affected, and has a terrible time keeping a job, but has a great skill (toolmaker) and a Dad with connections in the trade, so he manages with help, to live in his own home. They know he will always need support, so have his brother "waiting in the wings" to take over when they are no longer able.
Like your son, these guys both get serial obsessions with various interests and can become very knowledgeable in a very limited subject and very much fun - until there's a problem. I think back on many of the PhD's I worked with in my career, especially those with VERY narrow fields of interest and limited ability to interact with the world. I wonder how many of them were actually "on the spectrum."
It sounds like you are doing everything you can to support him - thank you!
Sue
Hello @avmcbellar,
I agree with @gingerw in that you have done a remarkable job being supportive of your son. It sounds like he has been a blessing to you as much as you are to him.
I feel a little concerned that he has, as you said, "signed contracts", etc. Do you currently have guardianship/conservatorship paperwork in place with the local courts? This can be a protective measure to keep him from being part of such contracts/problems. If you don't have such court paperwork in place you might contact an attorney in the area and see what you can do.
Is your son reasonably happy now in his low-income housing and with his life in general?