@A2Education

Transition

Supporting Children with

Autism to Return to School

After Covid 19

Communication and Autism Team

2020

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Aims • To consider the needs of pupils with Autism in relation to

Transition

• To raise awareness and reflect on current practice and

strategies

• To consider how strategies can be further developed and used

to support this critical transition

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Presentation Structure

• PowerPoint A: Planning ahead ready for settings re-

opening and general planning for Pupils with Autism.

• PowerPoint B: Planning for Return of Specific Pupils

• PowerPoint C: Specific ASC Needs in the setting on

Return

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Context• The Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown has affected us

all. Not least in terms of our mental health - leading to increased levels of anxiety and stress.

• And now it's time for another big change - the return to nursery/school.

• What can we do to make this as easy as possible for your children, families and practitioners?

• But it won't be anything like what children are used to...

• So it's important we get the next few weeks right -and set them (and us) up for success.

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Action Plan• How and when will you contact parents? • When do you start the transition for the children?• Will the children all come in together?• Where will they be?• What will the they do?• How will you support the child and the family in this

process?• Who needs to be involved?• Which children are ready to come back? RAG Rate

your Pupils (See PowerPoint 2)

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Why should we consider impacts?

What should we consider?

Ask the important questions

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Transitions are difficult for individuals with autism:

The four key areas of difference

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Challenges• Sensory Processing

• Interacting

• Communication

• Processing Information

• Cognition and Learning

• Emotional

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Children are likely to have challenges with transition as a result of:

• Separation anxiety• Managing a change to an expected routine • Re-establishing expectations –behaviour and learning• What they left might not be what they return to.• Recalling relevant information • Making choice’s • Managing their emotions aroused

by the situation.

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There are many transitions that will happen now that have not happened for some time

Leaving the house on a regular and daily basisMore than one setting transition a day: Home to nursery/nursery to homeLearning in a space with increased numbers of peopleRe-establishing routinesTransitioning from one room to another Being in an unfamiliar environment if starting a new setting they have not visited.

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General Strategic Transition Plans

• Autism specific training for staff

• Would some children/ families benefit from a staggered start – a slow start would

enable the building of resilience in the long term

• Identify a safe place for children to go to for calming or for learning breaks

• Focus on re-building of relationships and establishing routines

• How will you get information out/in from parents who have no internet access?

• Plan to prepare the pupil and family

• Assess where a child is at in terms of returning with parents

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General strategic Transition Plans (Cont)

• Plan to prepare the child and family. Encourage parents to attend CAT

Return to School training

• Consider the processes we would have implemented for information

exchanges with previous settings and parents, visits to the school or home

visits to meet the children. We need to consider how much of this can be

moved online and how much needs to be moved to September.

• Plan for difficulties arising from new travel restrictions

• Plan for those children whose parents do not allow an immediate return.

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CAT Support• CAT/Staff meeting with receiving Primary staff remotely where

the return is in September

• Encourage parents to use CAT Return to School training

PowerPoints

• Ask your CAT worker for resources and help gaining Pupil and

Parent Voice

• Contact your CAT worker and discuss transitions for children

with particularly complex needs

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What do the EY national autism

standards recommend?Learning and Development Standard 4

Your setting effectively communicates key transitional information on

pupils with autism to all relevant adults including parents/carer, and

ensures that this information is given to pupils in the most appropriate way

and at the right time .

(standards 4 - A Unique Child. 1, 3 - Positive Relationships, 1 - Learning and

Development and 2 - Enabling Environments are also relevant)

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What does the competency

framework recommend?

Learning and Development – Competency 4

• You carefully prepare children with autism for

transitions (e.g. between activities, groups, areas

and settings).

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Useful resources for transitions can be

found in…Broderick, K. and Mason-Williams, T. (Eds.) (2005) Transition toolkit, Kidderminster, BILD.

SEN and Disability in the EY: A Toolkit (Section 10)

Finding a School Guide (AET)

SWASS (Section 9; Wiltshire LA)

Kirklees Council: Kirklees guidance for transitions in the Early Years

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Websites• www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk Autism Education Trust

• www.thegraycenter.org (Social Stories and comic strip

conversations)

• www.afterfouautism.com

• www.seainclusion.co.uk/post/the-many-problems-of-returning-to-

school

• https://www.schudio.tv/courses/preparing-autistic-send-

children-for-going-back-to-school

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