Transforming Transitions
Moving school or leaving school?
Worried about what happens next?
We can help you plan.
Starting school, moving between schools, and leaving school can sometimes be daunting experiences. They can be particularly difficult if a child or young person has additional support needs. Transitions need careful planning to make sure the child or young person gets all the support they need. Often in practice, very little time is allocated to plan transitions and many parents have said that they feel their involvement can be minimal and their contribution can be undervalued. Young people have said that often they feel that the focus is on making them fit into the provision that is available rather than considering their own individual needs and aspirations.
How can Transforming Transitions help?
Transforming Transitions can provide independent, trained facilitators, who will help the child or young person and those closest to them, to plan for the next stage in their life, in a way that puts the views, hopes and aspirations of the child or young person first. This process is called person centred planning.
Person centred planning starts with the individual child or young person and encourages everyone involved to think about what this person wants in their life.
Person centred planning aims to answer the question: "What would it take for this child or young person to have an interesting, fulfilling life, where they can get to know people who will become their friends, and are able to make their contribution in their community?"
A group planning session is held with the child or young person, together with all the people who are important in that child or young person’s life at the time.
The session is held in a relaxed environment and is led by two independent facilitators, who guide the process, making a visual graphic recording of what is discussed. This allows everyone involved directly with the child or young person to concentrate on their own role in the child or young person’s life at that time.
Person centred planning can significantly enhance existing school-based transition procedures, and enables young people with additional needs or disabilities to have more control over the decisions that are made that affect their lives.
For more about person-centred planning look at the 'more about person-centred planning' page. You might also like to download our introductory leaflet (which mostly contains the same information as on this page).
For more about who can apply and getting in touch, look at the 'get in touch' page.
Transforming Transitions is jointly funded by Equity in Education and The Big Lottery.
