Tackling Transitions

Aline-Wendy Dunlop

Autism Network Scotland Learning Event

June 11th 2013

Transitions are important

• Time of accelerated change• Potential for learning• Can affect individuals in the

longer term• Transitions occur throughout life

Two perspectivesTransitions Position Statement Opportunities

Aspirations

Expectations

Entitlement

Agenda for Change document – Improving Transitions for Young People with Additional Support Need

Personalisation

Independence

Choice

Control

Transitions across the day

Dealing with change

Competence

Autism Network Scotland Transitions Survey

A survey consulting individuals with ASD, parents/carers and family members as well as practitioners on matters related to transitions for people on the spectrum.

The survey was completed by 380 respondents out of whom 10% were people on the spectrum, 46% were parents/carers, 33% were practitioners working in the field of autism, 2% were family members and 10% were respondents from neither of the above categories.

Transitions of most interest to respondents were - 31% : home to school/work transition, 30% : child to adult services transition, 27% : transitions from primary school to secondary school and secondary

school to further/higher education 24% stated that the transition from education to employment was important.

Main survey topics

Points of transition Transition planning What’s working well What’s not working well Access to services and information Areas of interest Autism Network Scotland events - virtual, face-to-face Disseminating information

A systems approach

Leisure

Relationships

Employment

Personal experience

The most difficult time of transition for me was going from school to work. It wasn’t really the workplace that I found difficult, but the continuing difficulties with friendships and the expectations of me in these friendships. This was often due to my lack of assertiveness skills, self belief and lack of compromise on the part of my friends. I had a few friends between those from school and people from college, but all of them seemed to enjoy being real ‘party animals’ and I didn’t realise there were other people my age out there who weren’t like this. In my transition years I had come to believe that there was something very wrong with me.…….

Linking knowledge of autism to transitionsIt is likely that autism will present the individual with some challenges in these areas

Interpreting the thoughts, feelings and expectations of new people

Understanding or establishing new routines

Planning and organisation

Sensory processing

This may lead to high levels of anxiety and lead to unexpected responses

Fear

Inappropriate reactions due to lack of social understanding and of what behaviour is expected

Attempts to keep the environment the same or negative responses to the transition interfering with existing structures

Non compliance

Behaviour that others find challenging

Linking knowledge of autism to transitions

Type of transition From one setting to another

Different areas in the setting, new places

Home to school, work, day centre, leisure activities

Different or new personnel

Home issues (new house, family member, loss, holidays)

Through a life stage

(Section 2.9; Scottish Autism Toolbox, 2009)

Coping Where they have to be

Who might be there

What they will/should be doing

What behaviour is expected

How much they have to do

How they will know they are finished

What they will be doing next

(Division TEACCH, 2006)

What is your experience of transitions?

You cannot run my race of life, only I can

Give me hope and I will pursue

Give me tools and I will build

Give me equality and fairness and I will persevere

What do you currently aim to do?

Opportunity or threat?

Services being ready and adjusting to individuals

Building transitions capacity professionally and institutionally

Opportunities

Aspirations

Expectations

Entitlement

Readiness

Adjustment

Narrowing Gaps

Bridging gaps

Smoothing transitions

Increasing continuity and coherence of experience

Equip children, young people and adults to cope with change

Making a good start

Transitions are a way of life and lifelong