Plan for special needs child's life without you

Chartered financial adviser Rhiannon Gogh shares her toolkit to help parents of disabled and special needs children start thinking of their futures now

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I have two sons - one aged 16 and the other 14 and autistic; his name is Tristan. When he was a toddler my doctor husband and I knew very little about autism, and thought our little boy - who didn’t talk, point, look at us or turn his head when someone said his name - was simply a slow developer and would catch up.

Thankfully, a children's early intervention team saw the signs and after Tristan was diagnosed at 36 months he got the help he needed quite quickly.

Fast forward 11 years to our pre-verbal, joyous and cheeky young son. We have had years to learn about his autism. I'm also now a chartered financial adviser specialising in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) financial planning.

I help parents like me who want to make sure our children are safe and provided for when we're gone. When I found out I'd need to arrange a new will and trust, I went to see a solicitor, assuming they'd know exactly what I'd need.

I wasn't ready for the solicitor's questions and I hadn't taken the time to think through what I truly wanted for my son. As a result, I ended up with something that didn't suit our family and had to start again.

To avoid the same situation, think through the following before embarking on your own financial planning journey...

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE?

Try using the 'LEADS' method, below, to help create something to work towards.

My hope for Tristan is he moves into a home we'll buy for him, and that we arrange a live-in carer.

We'll live around the corner, and see him from time to time, doing food shopping for him, or having the occasional lunch or dinner together. I'd like his carer to have a car to take him out and about. I have the house in mind, and we are saving for it.

Living How do you see the way your young person would live? Is it independently, in residential care or in your home? What kind of lifestyle do they like?