<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec><h3>Background:</h3><p>The transition to primary school is often a complex and uncertain time for autistic children and their families. Understanding how best to develop school readiness and support transition to primary school for autistic children is essential. School readiness and transition planning are influenced by a range of personal and contextual factors, and it is important to understand the perspectives of the various stakeholders involved in the transition process.</p></sec><sec><h3>Methods:</h3><p>A qualitative exploration employing focus groups and interviews was undertaken with early intervention (EI) staff (n = 45) and parents (n = 18) across Australia to understand their perspectives on school readiness and the transition to primary school.</p></sec><sec><h3>Results:</h3><p>Thematic analysis identified four emerging themes facilitating transition including: 1) building the child; 2) building the parents; 3) building the receiving school; and, 4) connecting the system.</p></sec><sec><h3>Conclusion:</h3><p>Findings highlight the need to consider school readiness and transition planning from a holistic perspective, ensuring clear, collaborative and ongoing communication between parents, teachers and EI staff, using a strength-based approach, and individualizing transition planning.</p></sec></abstract>

Background:The transition to primary school is often a complex and uncertain time for autistic children and their families. Understanding how best to develop school readiness and support transition to primary school for autistic children is essential. School readiness and transition planning are influenced by a range of personal and contextual factors, and it is important to understand the perspectives of the various stakeholders involved in the transition process.Methods:A qualitative exploration employing focus groups and interviews was undertaken with early intervention (EI) staff (n = 45) and parents (n = 18) across Australia to understand their perspectives on school readiness and the transition to primary school.Results:Thematic analysis identified four emerging themes facilitating transition including: 1) building the child; 2) building the parents; 3) building the receiving school; and, 4) connecting the system.Conclusion:Findings highlight the need to consider school readiness and transition planning from a holistic perspective, ensuring clear, collaborative and ongoing communication between parents, teachers and EI staff, using a strength-based approach, and individualizing transition planning.

“The big wide world of school”: Supporting children on the autism spectrum to successfully transition to primary school: Perspectives from parents and early intervention professionals

Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Background:The transition to primary school is often a complex and uncertain time for autistic children and their families. Understanding how best to develop...

“The big wide world of school”: Supporting children on the autism spectrum to successfully transition to primary school: Perspectives from parents and early intervention professionals

Publié en ligne: 11 août 2020

Pages: 91 - 100

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2020-009

Mots clés
School transition, school readiness, school preparation, inclusion

© 2020 Nigel Chen et al., published by sciendo.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

FIGURE 1.

“The big wide world of school”: Supporting children on the autism spectrum to successfully transition to primary school: Perspectives from parents and early intervention professionals

Publié en ligne: 11 août 2020

Pages: 91 - 100

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2020-009

Mots clésSchool transition, school readiness, school preparation, inclusion

© 2020 Nigel Chen et al., published by sciendo.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

FIGURE 1.

Mots clés
School transition, school readiness, school preparation, inclusion