Transitions and Autism
Transitions may be about moving from:
- Current school to new school
- Home to school
- Playground to classroom
- Current activity to next activity
- Any other change of place/activity
- Why are transitions often difficult for children with autism?
Ability to manage transition is affected by differences in 4 key areas:
Flexible thinking: children with autism find it difficult to problem solve, make choices and plan, sequence and organise their thoughts. This makes it difficult to predict what may happen in a new situation and leads to feelings of anxiety. They may also find it very hard to start and stop activities due to intense single channelled focus on items of interest.
- Communication: children with autism may not understand what has been said or not be given enough time to process information. Furthermore, they may not be able to ask questions to seek information or to express their opinions/emotions. This results in transitions feeling even more unpredictable.
- Sensory processing: children with autism can be easily overwhelmed by sensory stimuli in a new environment and thus can be resistant to transitions.
- Social Interaction: a child with autism may find the social rules and expectations of a new situation difficult to understand and consequently may not know how to respond or behave in a new situation
A good transition can make the difference between a successful, productive learning experience and not being able to reach full potential.
Supporting Transitions
Transitions Between Activities:
Providing structure and visual supports are vital to ensure predictability and
understanding.
Useful resources include:
- Visual timetable
- Now and next timetable
- Workstation
- Start and finishes boxes
- Environmental signage - Used to label individual areas and teach children that symbols on their timetable relate to individual areas
- Choose board
- ‘I am working for…’ board
- Steps to success
- Visual cue cards
Transition from Early Years Setting to Primary School
Planning for the transition to primary school should begin no later than after the Easter holidays
Transition meetings to plan for the transition should include Parents, SENCO, Teacher, 1:1
support/keyworker, outside agencies involved– STARS, SLT, OT.
At the transition meeting find out what happens during:
- Start and end of day from - Day 1
- Lunch
- Playtime
- Toileting
Share child specific information:
- Likes/dislikes
- Communication
- Interaction
- Rigidities
- Sensory issues
- Strategies used
- IEP
- IBP (Individual Behaviour Plan)
- Risk Assessment
- Pupil Profile
- Extra information/reports from SLT and STARS
New staff to carry out observations of child and shadow current support staff.
Observations should be in current setting at different times of the day and during different activities
Visits to New School
Most children with autism do not benefit from a long transition period.
The number of visits required will vary from child to child. Some children will benefit from visiting the school before the summer holidays and at different times of day. Others may respond better to a staggered start in the first week(s) of school. Occasionally, children cope best when there are no transition visits prior to starting school.
New staff to provide a ‘My New Class’ booklet:
- Photos of class as the child will see it
- Photos inside and outside
- Photos of staff
- Give to parents to take home. Parents to show booklet near end of holidays
- This is where I will eat lunch
- This is my new playground
- This is the toilet
- If the child does visit the new setting then the photos could include the child
- Photos of the child’s favourite activities and toys in new class
Everything must be in place before the child arrives:
- Visual timetable/Environmental signage
- Visual instructions/Cue cards
- PECS
- Workstation
- Quiet low arousal area for Intensive Interaction
Transition from Class to Class
The process should begin as soon as possible in the summer term - as soon as next
year’s arrangements have been finalised. The pupil needs to be familiar with new room and staff and vice-versa:
- Familiarise with new classroom and staff
- Any new members of staff should have the opportunity to observe existing systems and strategies in operation.
- All staff should access training to acquire a basic knowledge of autism and related issues, e.g. through the AET Tier 1 Autism Awareness training offered by STARS
- It is recommended that support staff should not spend more than two years with a particular child to prevent over-dependency and rigidity about working with others
- Often support is best shared between two, or sometimes more, members of staff
Suggested Transition Process:
- Informal contact with new staff and new classroom/cloakroom/toilets/playground etc.
- Social Story about the move including what will stay the same and anything that will change, e.g. different playtimes/ lunchtimes or other routines that maybe different.
- Make a ‘My New Class’ booklet with photographs about the move which can be taken home over the summer holiday. If able, the child should be involved in making booklet
- Update and then share the pupil passport and sensory profile with all new staff
- Pupil to spend time in new class at different parts of day experiencing different activities
- If child is able to, carry out Talking Mat about new class to address any worries
Transition to High School:
In Year 5:
- Update pupil passport with parents, staff and child (if able) outlining strengths and needs
- Staff & parents to write questions to ask potential high schools, to compare how different schools can meet needs. Parents to meet with high school SENCos and share passport
- If the child has an EHCP, high school transition issues should be identified at Year 5 review
- School staff to keep records of support the child needs and what will happen if support is not in place. (See 'The really useful ASD Transition Pack' for how to keep transition records)
- School & parents to consider the preparation the child needs and formulate transition plan
- If appropriate, teach child about their diagnosis and, when child is secure in their
- understanding, teach child's peers about the strengths and needs of children with autism
In Year 6:
- The high school should be identified by beginning of March. Receiving school and the primary school SENCo's and Lead Practitioners to meet to exchange information
- Program of visits arranged for the child, some with parents and some with a familiar member of staff from the primary school. Aim to see/do:
- High school when students are not there
- find out location of form room/place of safety/toilets/canteen and take photos
- High school during school hours –possibly SEN area or library
- Meet support staff/form tutor/SENCo/Head of Year/mentor
- 'Ambassador' visits and then feedback to Year 6 peers
- Attend summer transition week if possible
- Food menus and prices
- Provide copy of high school planner to see sample timetable and learn how to use planner. Also give map of school grounds and copy of school rules (unless this will cause anxiety)
- Child to work through STARS Y6/7 transition book with support as necessary
- High school to update autism awareness training for ALL staff, e.g. AET Tier 1 Autism Awareness training offered by STARS. Also, ensure a Lead Practitioner is in place who other staff can refer to for information and support
- High school to ensure ALL staff have immediate access to child's passport/profile and are aware of reasonable adjustments in place for the child, including adaptations to school discipline or homework policies where necessary. Staff to be briefed on the vulnerability of autistic students to bullying and to be able to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents
- High school to implement individualised timetable which is likely to include mentoring available from the first day, sessions with older 'buddies', friendship/social skills group, special interest clubs at break/lunch, homework club, earlier/later start/finish times to avoid crowds
- High school support staff to be given time to collaborate with teachers on differentiation
- High school to arrange formal/informal structures for regular communication with parents
Useful Websites/Documents:
- School age transitions: http://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/teachers/breakingbarriers/transition.aspx
- Autism Education Trust’s Transition Toolkit:
http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources/transition%20toolkit.aspx - Transition Information Network:
http://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/transition-information-network - Books for Transitions:
The Really Useful ASD Transition Pack
by Jan Newport - Farewell and Welcome:
A Neat Finish and a Good Start
by Ann Cossavella and Charmaine Hobbs