Why We Should Keep Asking the Question
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
It’s a question many of us have been asked since childhood.
For some, the answer came easily. For others, it changed a hundred times. And for many young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), it may feel like a real tough question.
So, should we stop asking it? I don’t think we should. In fact, I believe we should ask it more.
A Question That Says, “I Believe in You”
At its heart, this isn’t really a question about careers. It’s a question about possibility.
When we ask a young person what they would like to be, we’re communicating something powerful:
“I believe you have a future.”
“I believe you have choices.”
“I believe you have something valuable to offer the world.”
Those are messages every young person deserves to hear.
High aspirations matter. They always have.
The World Is Changing
Not so long ago, the opportunities available to many people with disabilities were limited. Expectations were often low, and too many young people were excluded from education, employment and community life.
Thankfully, that picture is changing.
Across education, employers and communities, there is growing recognition that people with SEND have skills, talents and strengths that workplaces need.
Inclusive employers are creating opportunities. Supported employment services are helping people into meaningful work. Schools and colleges are placing greater emphasis on preparing for adulthood rather than simply completing education.
There is still much to do, but the direction of travel is positive.
That makes asking about the future more important than ever.
The Transition Can Feel Daunting
Leaving education is a significant transition for every young person. It brings excitement, uncertainty and endless possibilities. For young people with SEND (and their families), that uncertainty can feel even greater.
The world of work can seem unfamiliar. There are new routines, new environments, new expectations and often a fear of the unknown.
That isn’t a reason to avoid conversations about employment. It’s a reason to have more of them.
Every conversation helps to demystify adulthood. Every workplace visit makes employment feel more achievable. Every positive role model helps a young person imagine themselves in work.
The future becomes less frightening when it becomes more familiar.
Questions Open Doors
Rather than expecting a young person to have all the answers, we can use questions to help them explore.
What do you enjoy?
What are you naturally good at?
When do you feel most confident?
What environments help you thrive?
What would you like to try?
Who inspires you?
These conversations aren’t about deciding a lifelong career at fourteen. They’re about helping young people discover themselves.
Preparing for Adulthood Is About More Than Getting a Job
The supported employment sector has long recognised that successful employment starts with seeing the person before the job.
That’s why good transition planning focuses on strengths, interests, aspirations and the right support.
It’s about genuine partnership with families.
It’s about promoting choice and control.
It’s about full inclusion in community life.
It’s about recognising every person’s social value and ensuring opportunities are available to everyone – not just those who fit traditional expectations.
These principles sit at the heart of good supported employment practice and remind us that employment is not simply an outcome. It’s part of building a meaningful adult life.
Let’s Keep Raising Expectations
The question isn’t whether we should ask young people what they want to be. The question is whether we are giving them enough opportunities to discover the answer.
Let’s continue asking.
Let’s introduce young people to different careers.
Let’s connect them with employers.
Let’s provide meaningful work experience.
Let’s celebrate strengths instead of focusing on limitations.
Let’s ensure every young person has genuine choice and control over their future.
Most importantly, let’s never allow low expectations to become the biggest barrier they face.
Final Thoughts
When we ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, we’re not asking for a perfect answer.
We’re opening a conversation.
A conversation that says:
“Your future matters.”
“You belong in your community.”
“You have something to contribute.”
“There is a place for you.”
At Future Ready SEND, that’s the future we believe in – a future where every young person is empowered to explore opportunities, discover their strengths and move into adulthood with confidence, choice and hope.
Because preparing for adulthood isn’t about predicting the future.
It’s about helping young people believe they have one.
