10 Tips For Supporting Transitions with an EHCP
Embarking on the educational journey with a child who has an EHCP often involves navigating a complex landscape of transitions. Whether it's moving schools, transitioning between educational phases, or adapting to changes in support services. This article, written by Alison Halliwell, SEND assessment team member, discusses the important factors to consider while managing transitions within an EHCP.
1. Include your child in decision making
Encourage your child to regularly make decisions, even if such decisions are from limited options.
2. Let them be heard
Encourage your child to voice their opinions and express their needs, hopes and aspirations, not just in meetings, but in everyday life.
3. Encourage independence
Encourage independence in your child by giving them opportunities to take responsibility e.g. by completing chores at home. This will help to build their self-esteem and develop skills that ensure they are self-reliant in the future.
4. Work closely with the team around your child
Build a relationship with those who work with your child, or will be working with them in the future, to support them through transitions. Share information about the new setting with your child, including photographs of staff from the new setting where possible.
5. Involve your child in transition meetings
If your child has struggled to attend a transition meeting, it doesn’t mean that they will struggle to attend one in the future, so keep involving them. It’s better if your child attends for even a short while than not at all!
6. Inform others of your child's needs
Let staff know what works for your child e.g. if they require familiar objects to self-regulate.
7. Keep your child informed
Ensure your child knows how their basic needs will be met when they move to a new setting - where are the toilets? Where will they have lunch? Who can they go to if they need help?
8. Explore their interests
Give plenty of time to explore and enquire about what opportunities are available Post 16. Instead of thinking about traditional ‘jobs’, that may no longer exist, explore the interests and aptitudes of your child and encourage the development of these.
9. Keep an open mind
Keep an open mind about work opportunities and roles. There are often a variety of roles within any particular industry/area of employment.
10. Believe in their abilities and unique skills
Maintaining the expectation that your child can, and will, make progress and achieve is important. Your belief in them is vital.
EHCP Advice & Support
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