Safe and Secure

The authors of Safe and Secure: Six Steps to Creating a Good Life for People with Disabilities went to great lengths to make sure that parents are fully informed of the options and many steps involved in planning for the future of a loved one with disabilities. The passion and dedication contained between the covers of this book come through without question. I found Safe and Secure to be a welcome, enlightening addition to my library of resources on special needs future planning. The use of easy-to-understand language made this a pleasant read. Readers will find common sense explanations to some very intense topics. Most chapters are followed by useful worksheets which walk readers through the concepts presented in each section. While a minor portion of the book is geared toward those who reside in British Columbia, the remaining portions of the book contain information that is useful to anyone who is faced with the task of planning for the future of a loved one. I would recommend this book to anyone who is beginning to embark upon the future planning process.

This easy-to-read guidebook is the precursor to a resource that has been very useful in our family. Before there was A Good Life for You and Your Relative with a Disability, there was Safe and Secure. The next best thing to sitting down over a cup of coffee with Al Etmanski and Vickie Cammack is to get both Safe and Secure and A Good Life. These people-and these resources-exude a gentle understanding and confidence about the issues families face when trying to sort out the challenges of raising a family member with a disability. As the parent of a 32-year-old man with Down syndrome, I'm always on the lookout for good, practical, sensible resources that can guide us as we create a full, interesting life for Jim. What we want for our sons and daughters doesn't have to depend on the whims of social services and funding programs; it depends on families regaining control. We don't have to be flung here and there by funding (or lack of it), or by social service professionals who come and go. There comes a different point for every family when they feel confident and comfortable, as much as possible, about the future for their family member. Sometimes things are beyond our control, yet there are steps we can take to lay the foundation for a safe and secure life. We can move a long way toward feeling safe and secure as parents and family members if we put together the pieces for our children who need support to create interesting, fulfilling lives. This book helps us think about and organize those pieces.