Mary Ann Hughes

Navigating a Divorce for Special Needs Families

Divorce is never easy, and when there is a child with special needs involved, it can be even more challenging.

Families need support and information to navigate the complexities of special needs divorces to reach the best possible outcome with as little time, money, and stress invested as possible.

Mary Ann Hughes is the proud mother of two sons on the opposite ends of the autism spectrum. After her divorce journey, where she successfully advocated for her children’s needs, Mary Ann started Special Family Transitions to support families with children with disabilities as a valued Special Needs divorce coach and consultant.

On this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Mary Ann joins Katherine to discuss the special considerations for co-parenting, long-term care, and child support arrangements that do not affect the special needs child’s eligibility for public benefits.

Listen in as Mary Ann shares how she supported her children through the social stories she created for them during her divorce and what she thinks is the most critical thing to consider in a special needs divorce. Plus, why focusing on the end goal of the divorce will create the best-case scenario for your special needs child for the long term.

Topics Covered

How to be sure you meet the needs of the special needs child while you are divorcing

Mary Ann’s best piece of advice for special needs parents that are in the process of a divorce

How to plan to keep the child from losing their government services, benefits, and SSI

Why it’s essential to think about a long-term parenting strategy during the divorce

What is a special needs trust and what are the pros and cons

Why having a team of experts is essential in securing the future for your child with special needs

How to focus on the end goal in the divorce to secure the best-case scenario for your special needs child

How Mary Ann helps her client give their special needs child the best life possible post-divorce

Connect with Mary Ann Hughes

Special Family Transitions

Special Family Transitions on Instagram

Special Family Transitions on Facebook

Connect with Katherine Miller 

The Center for Understanding in Conflict 

Miller Law Group 

Katherine on LinkedIn 

The New Yorker’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce by Katherine Miller 

Email  katherine@miller-law.com 

Call (914) 862-7487

Resources

Special Family Transitions on YouTube

LoneStar LEND SLP: Self Care To Support Neurodiverse Children in Divorce on YouTube

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