Functional skills are the skills necessary for daily living and establishing quality of life as successful and independent adults.

They may include the following skills:

• Community access
• Community involvement
• Daily living
• Independent living
• Literacy
• Personal finance
• Self-determination.
• Social skills
• Transition to adulthood
• Transportation
• Vocational education

Children with special needs often struggle to learn functional skills and can benefit from specific instruction in skills such as:

• Communication – using words, gestures, or pictures to express wants and needs, including how to say “NO”
• Financial skills - counting and spending money, budgeting
• Literacy - reading and writing
• Safety – knowing what to do in an accident, or in case of a fire, or when encountering a stranger
• Self-care – toileting, bathing, and other health and hygiene issues
• Self-determination - choosing personal preferences, solving personal problems, setting goals, and regulating emotions and behaviors
• Social skills - managing relationships and social interactions
• Vocational skills – work skills needed to gain and sustain employment

While all of these functional skills are important, families and teachers may need to select skills that are meaningful to the individual, distinguishing between skills that are necessary and skills that are helpful. It is certainly helpful for a child to learn how to read, but if he or she can’t read, it is still necessary to teach the child to recognize community signs like “Exit” or “Rest Room.”

Did you know?

According to the Center for Autism Research, some skills can be taught with 80% mastery and still be functional. Brushing teeth to 80% mastery may be appropriate since the child brushes at least twice per day. There are several safe opportunities to master the skill. However, safety skills should be taught to 100 per cent mastery due to associated risks. Where the skills cannot be mastered 100 per cent, adaptations will be needed. For example, a nonverbal child could carry a laminated identification card with medical information in case of emergency.