THE PRE-18 TRANSITION TOOLKIT™

Who This Toolkit Is For

This toolkit is for families of neurodivergent teens (roughly ages 14–18) who:

• Are starting to hear phrases like “age of majority,” “guardianship,” or “decision-making capacity”

• Want to support their teen into adulthood without automatically removing rights

• Are unsure what schools, doctors, or systems will expect after 18

• Feel pressure to “decide everything now” without enough information

• Want practical guidance, language, and planning tools (not legal jargon)

This is not about forcing independence.

It’s about building support structures while preserving autonomy.

What This Toolkit Helps You Do

The Pre-18 Transition Toolkit™ helps you:

• Understand what actually changes at 18 and what doesn’t

• Prepare for adult decision-making gradually, not in crisis

• Explore alternatives to guardianship before it’s presented as inevitable

• Support your teen’s voice, preferences, and participation in decisions

• Walk into transition meetings informed, grounded, and confident

• Reduce fear for you and your teen

What’s Inside the Toolkit

1. What Happens at 18 (Plain Language Overview)

A clear, calm explanation of:

• What “age of majority” means

• What rights automatically transfer at 18

• What schools, medical providers, and systems can — and cannot — do

• Common myths families are told (and why they’re misleading)

No scare tactics. No legal overload.

2. Capacity Is Not All-or-Nothing

This section reframes a critical misunderstanding:

• Decision-making is task-specific, not global

• Needing support does not equal incapacity

• ND teens often make excellent decisions with scaffolding

Includes:

• Examples of supported decision-making in real life

• Prompts to identify where your teen already shows competence

• Language to counter “they can’t decide for themselves” narratives

3. Preparing Before 18

Step-by-step guidance to:

• Build decision-making skills over time

• Practice consent, choice, and communication safely

• Introduce support roles without removing agency

• Reduce pressure on the 18th birthday itself

This is where families change the trajectory.

4. Guardianship Alternatives

5. Scripts & Language (For Real Conversations)

Copy-and-paste scripts for:

• School transition meetings

• Conversations with attorneys

• Medical access discussions

• Extended family who are worried or pushy

• Talking with your teen about adulthood and rights

Includes:

• Short versions

• Longer explanatory versions

• Low-energy versions for hard days

What This Toolkit Is Not

• Not legal advice

• Not a substitute for an attorney

• Not a judgment of families who chose guardianship

It is a decision-support system designed to protect dignity, reduce fear, and center your teen’s humanity.

Why This Toolkit Exists

Too many families reach 18 already panicked not because their teen isn’t capable, but because no one explained the landscape ahead of time.

The Pre-18 Transition Toolkit™ exists to:

• Normalize early, gradual preparation

• Preserve rights whenever possible

• Support ND teens without erasing them

• Give families language before systems start steering decisions

Preparation is not overreaction.
It’s protection.