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Monday 1st September 2014 ‘Supporting Carers Every Step of the Way’ Transition www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions • Transitions? • transition tranˈzɪʃ(ə)n,trɑːn-,-ˈsɪʃ-/ noun plural noun: transitions • the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another. "students in transition from one programme to another" • synonyms: Change, move, passage, transformation, conversion, adaption, adjustment, alteration, changeover. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions Into Nursery Through School Puberty Secondary School on Starting/Leaving work Moving house/leaving home Bereavement Retirement Vertical and Horizontal transitions (Kagan 1991) www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions • Transitions? • Vertical and Horizontal transitions (Kagan 1991) • Vertical Transitions • Transitions across lifespan e.g. through school, college, into work, retirement • 2. Horizontal Transitions • Transitions involved in everyday life (micro- transitions) • They are two processes that occur simultaneoulsy but can also conflict with the other. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions Transitions can be a challenging time for everyone, whether we have positive expectations and look forward to making a change, or don’t perhaps feeling worried, nervous or even frightened. It is not always the major transitions that have the most impact on people on the autistic spectrum and these micro transitions need to be considered and planned for where possible. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism Network Scotland Transition Survey Member of Scottish Transitions Forum Transitions Roadshows • Survey sent out via email link and link posted on website • 498 people opened the email invitation sent out and 206 took the survey (41.37%). • 211 people accessed the survey through other means – from our website or via a Twitter link to the survey • Total of 417 respondents www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Transition Survey Who responded? www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Barriers to successful transition www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

What will help? www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Signposting to Transition resources

Helping people with autism manage their transitions “Much has been written about transitions out of school, into work, through life stages and into growing older. Here we offer points from our discussion specifically on transitions into adult life” An Ordinary Life • Key Chapter - Transitions into adult life • Approaches, preparation, family support.

Helping people with autism manage their transitions • Autism is a developmental delay - this means it takes us longer, emotionally speaking, to be ready for the next step in life. For many people on the spectrum, as with me, when they think about the major transitions in life - starting primary school, starting secondary school, starting university, leaving home, getting a graduate job, becoming qualified in that job - they say they weren’t ready for any of these major steps when they happened. This is definitely one area in which realisation and recognition of being on the autism spectrum has been advantageous in terms of providing an explanation for difference and difficulty.

Many thanks. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.uk www.facebook.com/AutismNetworkScotland Twitter: @Autism_Network jayne.porter@strath.ac.uk 0141 444 8144

Autism and Transitions Horizontal Transitions Everyone is involved in a range of transitions across a typical day. Such transitions can be considered Micro Transitions and include: moving from one task to another from one area to another from inside to outside Preparing someone on the autistic spectrum for a micro transition can vary widely. For example; a trusted adult taking five minutes to explain why there has been change to the day, going to the community hall early to rehearse where you will sit before the hall is too busy, or creating a social story for an upcoming event. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions It can be very difficult for some people with autism to imagine what might happen next and may result in unusual behaviours or responses. As the concept of time is often difficult for individuals on the autistic spectrum, they can benefit from explicit visual cues or prompts to help them gauge the progress of the day and to manage their time. Examples of this can range from giving a verbal reminder or countdown, incorporating a time timer into a task or using the clock. It is important to regularly consider how transitions through the day impact the individual with autism. Balancing the development of predictable and consistent transitions, whilst encouraging the person not to become too rigid in routines, is important. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Autism and Transitions Vertical Transitions Vertical transitions or “macro” transitions typically occur across the lifespan and therefore much less frequently and involve situations that are likely to be long lasting and significant in terms of an individual’s life experience of the individual . Because of challenges in processing the environment, and preference for predictability, transitions can promote high levels of anxiety in people with autism. The most important factor is to consider the situation from the perspective of the individual, taking account of their strengths, difficulties and past experiences. www.autismnetworkscotland.org.ukTwitter: @Autism_Network

Personalisation in Transition “If you have worked with one person with autism, you have worked with one person with autism.”

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