Date(s) of Profile:____________________

Compiled by:____Mike Callahan_______

Revised 9/00___________

Vocational/Personal Profile Form

Section 1: This information connects the participant to their family and existing community.

1. Identification Information

a. Name: Andrew

b. Date of birth: June 4, 1971

c. Social Security #: 888-88-8888

d. Address: unknown

e. Phone: unknown

f. Marital status: Single

g. Current occupation and life status: (This gives the reason for completing a profile)
Andrew is currently a student at the local BOCES School for students with disabilities. He is nearing graduation and he has never had any employment experiences or vocational programming in his school curriculum. His parents want him to have job before he graduates from high school. They also want him to transfer to regular high school to complete his schooling.

2. Residential/Domestic Information

a. Family (Parent/guardian, spouse, children, siblings):
Andrew lives at home with his mother and father. He has two sisters, both of whom are away at college in other states.

b. Extended family:
Andrew lives at home with his mother and father. He has two sisters, both of whom are away at college in other states.

c. Names, ages, relationships and employment of persons living in same home/residence:

1.      Mary                                               Age:   46     Relation:   Mother            Employment:

2.       Jim                                                 Age:    46    Relation:    Father             Employment:

d. Residential history:
Andrew has lived with his family in his current house for twelve years. Prior to that, he lived in a suburb of New York City.

e. Family support available:
Both of Andrew's parents are willing to provide whatever initial supports he needs in order to get and hold a job. This support includes calling on potential employers, providing transportation and even paying for a job trainer for a short period of time. Mr. and Mrs. have played an integral part of Andrew's schooling and they regularly advocate for quality services.

f. Description of typical routines: (attach on separate sheet)
7:00AM Wake up with assistance from mother

7:15AM Bathe, dress, and prepare for school (with partial assistance from mother)

7:45AM Eat breakfast

8:15AM Leave for school (parents transport)

8:30AM Begin school day at BOCES School (traditional special curriculum)

3:30PM Return home on special bus

4:00PM Physical therapy session with in-home therapist

5:00PM YMCA for swimming (usually with parent/uncle)

6:00PM Return home and prepare for dinner

6:30PM Dinner with parents

7:15PM Homework

8:00PM Watch television or play video games

9:30PM Bedtime

g. Friends and social group(s):
Andrew is very close to his parents and his sisters. He does not maintain frequent contact with fellow students from his BOCES classes. His parents encourage and assist him to participate in regular community activities but his closest relationships are with family and relatives.

h. Description of neighborhood:
Andrew lives in an upper middle class neighborhood in Amber Grove, a suburban community on Long Island in New York. The houses in the neighborhood are from ten to fifteen years old. The lot sizes are large and the streets give the impression of being rural. There are no sidewalks and the nearest services are five to ten minutes away by automobile.

i. Location of neighborhood in community:
Pleasant Drive is approximately three miles from the commercial center of Amber Grove. The neighborhood is also near to several other small Long Island communities.

j. Services near home:
The commercial center of Amber Grove has at least one of every essential community service: shopping, library, professional services, governmental offices, schools, parks and recreational sites and even a small mall. It is necessary, however, to drive to this area since sidewalks and public transportation are not available.

k. Transportation availability:
There is no public transportation in Amber Grove. The school district provides a bus for BOCES students. Andrew's mother does not work and she has a mini-van which has been modified to accommodate Andrew's wheelchair. She is willing to transport Andrew, initially, for any important reason.

(The next two subsections are completed when planning a specific service, such as employment or leisure activities. School personnel will utilize both the school community and the student’s living community.)

l. General availability of employment sites or recreation opportunities near home:
As indicated in Item #j, there are ample types of employment in Amber Grove and in neighboring communities. A detailed inventory of specific employment sites will be compiled before the Profile Meeting.

m. Specific availability of employment or recreation opportunities near home: (attach on separate sheet)
A detailed inventory will be developed prior to the Profile Meeting. This inventory will be conducted by automobile by following main traffic arteries away from Andrew's home.

Section II: The next section is to be completed in descriptive language to assist in identifying ideal conditions, contributions, and preferences of the participant. Description does not include summary statements, such as “likes music”. Description does include the following: What is the activity, performance of the activity, interest in the activity, supports that make the activity work best for the participant. Also includes any connections to the person.

3. Educational Information (This area is completed from the person’s perspective of their educational experiences.)

a. History and general performance (from school records, interview data, observations):
Andrew has attended segregated special education schools during his entire student life. His parents have recently initiated efforts to have him enrolled in a regular high school near his home. Andrew was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was a toddler. His parents sought help from the local school district when he was four years old. They enrolled him in pre-school program for kids with disabilities. Andrew remained in the same school when he became school age. His school's records indicate that he was cooperative and pleasant and his IEPs reflected a traditional, deficit-reducing, curriculum. When Andrew reached high school age, he transferred to the local BOCES. Even though he has consistently made good grades on his report cards, his parents question the effectiveness of his curriculum. Andrew can read 10 – 15 familiar sight words, he can print his name, he can count and identify numbers up to ten and he has mastered a number of nonfunctional skills listed on his IEPs.

b. Vocational programming/performance:
Andrew has received no structured vocational programming as a part of his school program. He has been required to perform routine chores in school and at home. He cheerfully completes his chores on time and with little prodding.

c. Community functioning programming/performance:
Andrew's school program has not included a community functioning domain up to this time. The extent of community programming involved occasional field trips to points of interest in the local area. His parents, however, have always tried to get Andrew involved in his community. He belongs to the local YMCA, a scout troop and a computer users group. He also is active in a national group called Canine Companions, an organization which promotes the use of dogs to assist persons with physical disabilities. Andrew has a Canine Companion, named Mark, which provides him with assistance in picking up and carrying items, helping with balance, pulling his wheelchair and numerous other tasks.

d. Recreation/leisure programming/performance:
Andrew regularly swims at the local YMCA, he uses the Amber Grove library and he attends scout meetings. The BOCES encourages participation in Special Olympics and Andrew has competed since he was eight years old. He is sometimes reluctant to attend other handicapped-only recreational events sponsored through his school. His IEP identifies several school-related recreational skills mostly involving board games and physical development tasks.

4. Work Experience Information (This area should start at home and include any experiences from school or other sites.)

a. Formal chores at home: (Expected responsibilities)
Andrew does basic chores in his room. He folds and puts away his clothes after they are washed. He also puts away his electronic games and other recreational items.

b. Informal work performed at home: (Things the person is not expected to do)
At this point, Andrew is not required to perform any formal chores at homes. His parents have considered including home chores on his next IEP.

c. Informal jobs performed for others:
Andrew has not performed any work for others except for his uncle John will occasionally involve Andrew in helping him with his hobby, woodworking. Andrew has helped clean the shop with a ShopVac as well as helping to assemble certain items.

d. Sheltered employment or structured work experiences:
None

e. Paid work: (Include self employment activities such as lawn mowing, helping others)
Except for his weekly allowance of $4.00 per week, Andrew has not performed work for pay.

5. *Life Activities and Experiences (Consider the following categories of Life Activities when planning for community involvement: recreation/fitness, entertainment, hobbies, community participation/responsibility, relationships, and logistics for living)

a. Individualized/informal life activities performed at home:

 

 

 

b. Structured/group life activities performed at home:

 

 

 

c. Individualized/informal life activities performed in the community:

 

 

 

d. Structured/group live activities performed in the community:

 

 

 

e. Current specific activities which are regularly participated in and which are important to the person:

 

 

 

f. Past specific activities which were of significant importance to the person:

 

 

 

g. List specific events and activities that the person looks forward to each year. (Include holidays, traditions, vacations and other such activities.)

6. Description of Present Levels of Performance (This is the area that the profile developer completes based upon their experiences in the community and the home with the participant.)

a. Domestic skills
Andrew participates while being dressed. He is able to snap and button when they are not too small. He is able to bathe himself using a grab bar to assist in getting into and out of the tub. He can brush his teeth, comb his hair and he shaves with a battery powered razor. Andrew is not required to make his bed but he is expected to keep his electronic games, tapes and other recreational items picked up and stored properly. He can do this with help from his dog, Mark. Andrew does not prepare meals but he can independently feed himself, except for cutting meat.

b. Community functioning skills
With transportation assistance, Andrew is able to access effectively most community environments. He depends a great deal on his dog for tasks which involve reaching and carrying. He accompanies his parents on most of their outings not related to business. Because of his physical disability and the lack of sidewalks in his neighborhood, Andrew does not range too far from home on his own. Most of the shopkeepers in Amber Grove know and speak to Andrew when he is in town.

c. Recreation/leisure skills
Andrew enjoys swimming, computer/electronic games, watching videos and TV, and anything to do with cars. He is able to swim without assistance across the pool at the YMCA. He can start and operate his dad's computer to play games and he can operate his VCR and television.

d. Academic skills (Reading, Math, Time, Money)
Andrew can read 10 – 15 familiar words in his environment. Reading and math test indicate that he currently tests at the 1.5 –2.0 grade level. He is aware of the importance of money and he can recognize several smaller bills and all coins. He is not able to count money, however. He knows to wait for change from a clerk. Andrew can recognize the time on his digital watch but he cannot tell time on a clock with hands.

e. Motor/mobility skills
Andrew has cerebral palsy which affects his mobility and his ability to walk. On certain occasions he uses hand crutches with forearm braces for stability, while at other times he uses a wheelchair for mobility. He walks very slowly yet confidently with crutches. He prefers to use his wheelchair, but he has difficulty efficiently pushing and maneuvering due to physical involvement in his hands and arms. His chair is a state-of-the-art, lightweight model which is easily folded and carried.

f. Sensory skills
Andrew can see, hear and he has full use of all other sensory areas.

g. Communication skills
Andrew is able to communicate effectively in complete sentences. His cerebral palsy affects his enunciation and the speed at which he speaks. He is able, however, to communicate in a manner which is understandable to anyone who takes care to listen closely.

h. Social interaction skills
Andrew is an extremely likable and cooperative young man. He is typically in a good humor and he smiles often. Most of his academic reports cite his pleasant behavior as one of his most outstanding competencies. Andrew is a bit shy around strangers, possibly because of his fear that others might not understand him. Most of his recreation and leisure is performed alone.

i. Physical/health related skills and information
Andrew enjoys excellent health and he is rarely sick, even with colds. His cerebral palsy affects his ability to move his arms and manipulate small objects, though not in a significant manner. His movements are controlled but slow. He is able to reach out in front of his body and grasp or pick up objects which are light. His finger and hand control is slow and sometimes a bit shaky, but he is accurate when given the chance to work slowly. He complains of getting cold when others are comfortable and he doesn't care much for very cold weather.

j. Vocational skills
Specific vocational skills have not been determined at this time due to the lack of opportunity. However, his disposition, his enthusiasm, and his willingness to stick to a task will be appreciated by employers.

 

Section III: Summary Statements
(Profile sections 1 – 6 should be completed prior to completing this section. The summary is validated by descriptions of the participant in the previous section.)

7. Learning and performance characteristics

a. Environmental conditions applicant likes best
Andrew enjoys working inside in clean conditions. He likes the out-of-doors during warm weather, but he says that he would not want to work outside. He also prefers to work sitting in his wheelchair rather than standing or sitting in a regular chair.

b. Instructional strategies which work best
Andrew's parents feel that he needs the opportunity to independently perform tasks in order to learn. They cite his ability to use the home computer, VCR, TV, and electronic games as proof. His teachers feel that repetition of small steps of tasks is necessary. Regardless of the task, instruction must establish acquisition before focusing on speed. Andrew doesn't seem to benefit from written information but he responds well to visual cues.

c. Amount of support typically required to learn and participate.
At this point in his life, Andrew needs a structured, planned approach to instruction. A trainer or teacher must be prepared to reassess teaching strategies and to keep data on teaching sessions. Andrew can probably learn many social and non-specific tasks by observing others but complex tasks require a systematic approach.

8. Preferences (This area should be completed for the area you are planning; recreation, work)

a. Type of work the applicant wants to do
He has expressed interest in “computer work”, office work and anything that has to do with cars.

b. Type of work the parent/guardian feels is appropriate
Andrew's parents agree with his choices in that they stress inside work, possibly in an office. They don't feel that food service and janitorial jobs would be appropriate. They seem particularly interested in any kind of employment which would involve computers.

c. What the applicant most enjoys doing
This is a difficult question to answer at this point, since Andrew has not worked very much. The best information comes from his preference and from his parents' perspectives.

d. What does the application find reinforcing
He enjoys the approval of others, especially adults. He likes to be able to choose his own tasks. He loves most electronic games and automobile related games, magazines, and posters. Auto racing shows are his favorite TV choices.

e. Observations of the kinds of work applicant likes to do best
Andrew's parents and teachers agree that his preferences are consistent with their observations. His teachers also indicate that he will work on complex puzzles for as long as they will allow him to do so.

f. Observations of social situations applicant likes best
Andrew is most comfortable with people he knows well. He tends to remove himself from groups, especially from groups of persons with disabilities. He likes situation best that involve one or two other persons with whom he has a relationship.

9. Connections

a. Potential employers in family
Andrew's dad owns a small designing and construction firm. He works out of his home and he feels that Andrew might do better with others. There are several aunts and uncles in the area. Of these, John is the most likely candidate for providing a job. John is very close to Andrew and he also owns a dry cleaning shop in a nearby community.

b. Potential employers among friends
Andrew's mother, Mary, is active in social and volunteer circles in Amber Grove. She knows the head librarian at the local library, the personnel director at the hospital and numerous other potential employers. Jim, his dad, has many connections in the construction industry and in the related business. He has said that he would be willing to become actively involved in developing jobs for Andrew.

c. Potential employment sites in neighborhood
The nearest potential employment sites are in the commercial center of Amber Grove. This area is not far by car, but it is not any closer to Andrew's home than two or three other small communities in the area.

d. Business/employer contacts leads
Andrew's mother and father are both well connected in their community and they are both willing to make contacts on his behalf. Jim's business contacts may be useful except that many of the jobs in the construction industry are outside. The Xs indicate that their relatives will also help to make contacts with potential employers.

Section IV: Summary in relation to the area planning

The section below takes the summary information listed in the previous section and relates it to work and/or community experiences.

10. Flexibility/Accommodations Which May Be Required in the Workplace and Community

a. Accessibility assistance, rehab technology, personal care.
Potential employment sites for Andrew will need to be wheelchair accessible. He will also likely benefit from rehab technology services to make his work station efficient. He needs some help with toileting and eating but he should not require a full time personal care attendant on the job. Possibly the greatest accommodation will be Mark, his Canine Companion. Both Andrew and his parents have made it clear that any job site must accept the dog.

b. Habits, idiosyncrasies, routines
Andrew doesn't have any unusual behaviors which would require accommodation by an employer, except for the use of his dog.

c. Physical/ health restrictions
The most critical concern in this area involves the limitations which Andrew experiences in mobility, standing, lifting, stooping, reaching and climbing. A job station would either need to be modified to minimize such actions or a job which does not require these actions would need to be developed. Andrew's tendency to be colder than others in a given setting would also need to be considered.

d. Behavioral challenges
Andrew's easy temperament and friendly attitude present few if any behavioral challenges. He will balk at work he perceives to be to difficult or rapid paced. He also might require motivation to keep working when he gets tired or frustrated.

e. Degree and type of negotiation required
Negotiation is likely to be required in several areas:

1) acceptance of the companion dog;
2) the need for rehabilitation technology and
3) the likelihood that Andrew's productivity will be significantly below typical expectation for a long time. Job developers must recognize and answer these potential concerns before calling on employers.

11. Other Important Information

It is probably significant that Andrew's parents are deeply involved in his educational and, in the near future, his vocational experiences. If they are successful in arranging for regular school placement for Andrew, they also want to revamp his IEP to mandate vocational experiences and to help insure that he will have a job when he graduates.