Understanding the Transition Process for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Primary to Secondary School Transition

[Athena]

Quote:

 

"Many of the parents that we meet through the Social Communication Disorders Clinic at Great Ormond Street hospital raise concerns that they have about how well their child is going to cope with moving from primary to secondary school.

 

Up until now there has been no formal research carried out on this area and as such there are no formal support stuctures in place. Many schools have to work on a 'trial and error' basis to put transitions packages into place.

 

We have received a grant from the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity©, to enable us to run a research project to formally look at the difficulties and stresses that occur when a child moves to secondary school. Through examining these difficulties and understanding current school practices wish to create our own standardised support package that primary and secondary schools can use to help them to put in appropriate support for the transition. "

 

Here is the link for more information GOSH research study into school transition

[call me jaded]

Will pass this on to various networks.

[Athena]

Thanks Jaded!

 

DD is only in Year 1, but I am already worrying about secondary schools.....

[Enid]

Dont blame you, my transition, or at least my sons, was disastarous to say the least, caused 18 months of trauma that we are just now recovering from. Enid

[smiley1590]

i remember due to lack of education systems understanding and knowledge of this personal experience of transition period of moving from school to college and all through as been very hard to cope deal with and challenge in 'my world' yet teachers struggle to understand the importance of becoming familiar with this topic i found very stressful,anxious,upset time major depressive spells despairing isolation confusion lost child with nowhere and no one who knows nothing ... left me in dark had to make it up as go along i been very poorly managing how going to pull through to be OK just my parents reassuring me hold on in there be strong with their encouragement support and guidance and did do it! only just even now i look back even now and think how could i??? i'd meltdown break down in my heart cry in pain literally my world smashed in two everything changing and this hard enough to struggle and cope with when an autistic person going through 'hellish nightmare' this aswell adds more strain pressure to the load to carry! make anyone snap let alone 'us' trying this all alone! as scared open up fully of how 'we' feel and what 'we' really feel?! bout time 'we' spoke up made it clear to everyone out there how this spiral into a range emotions feelings 'we' know how to handle alone bringing further anger ,frustrations etc to our ever changing complicated world and situations! that's why better training ,awareness and information is needed of how 'we' are affected 'deeply and without our families deciation to help 'us' be reached and guided 'we' simply 'fall apart' in BIG way! so teachers need to improve that hole,gap it need filling more!

 

hope havn't offended any teachers out there work with ASD/SEN kids!!! SORRY IF HAVE!

XKLX

[smiley1590]

this situation needs to be explored,explained of consequences around it! with parents and pupils need broken down in personalised stages /chucks that their individual needs can cope with on level they benefit yet improve upon! as slow but effective at their own pace but working on two teamed approach parents and staff (teachers,SENCO's ,LSA's) more literature needs to be spread to give wider guidance on how this can made possible with 'right tools' not rushed into time taken! yet focus of what aim is still ahead but yet still 'damage' the child in any way too! e.g. MH probs (depression,stress,anxiety,break down etc) more books,leaflets, websites ??? make this as 'calm free' as possible in 'their onw world' to not push and shove in this process as settling down is alot to ask straight away especially when alot to take in all at once and can be daunting for NT'S! think of how it is for 'us' how must make 'us' think and feel times by 1000000..... then you've got 'real' answers to the questions that looking for! just remember that! easy to say must be getting over this stage by now! for 'us' add more time scale on! and also emotional/mental affects there could possibly be yet i know can predict this exact! by roughly! maybe do practice run of what new routines you asking of them get used to? the new setting?? new people?? try organise and prepare as much as can do! structure is cruical too!

[bid]

Too late for us, alas, but much needed.

 

Bid

[LittleRae]

Hi. I'm outside the UK. We had a ten-week course, where kids with ASD, ADHD, etc met for 2 hours once a week. This happened about 3-4 months before going to secondary.

 

Each session had a theme and broke down what they could expect into manageable bite-sizes. They discussed moving classes, different teachers, different subjects, how to use a locker, how to make friends, what to say when meeting someone, etc.

 

It made a huge difference to my lad and his transition was very smooth.

Edited July 28, 2009 by LittleRae

[Janey]

Thanks for pointing me in that direction Athena, I've just contacted them as I have a child due to make the transition in 2010 and as we have middle schools in my area he will have to go through this twice. Even my NT daughter found it difficult both times.

 

Janey

[bikemad]

I think im too far away in S.Wales but will def contact them cos my lad goes up in 2010.

[Janey]

Well I got a reply from Great Ormond Street and apparently their study is only being carried out in and around London despite them asking for people who live only a few hours away. Leicester is 55mins on the train so hardly what I would consider too far. I was hoping that their research would have benefitted the entire country with their differing educational systems and various communities.

 

Janey