We know that school transitions can be difficult for most children, but even more so for autistic children, who may need some extra support at back-to-school time, especially if they are new to the school system.
Here are some tips to support transitions to school for your child:
- Consider your child’s unique strengths and interests - use a strengths-based approach that is individual to your child. For example, if your child is strong in a particular subject or interest area, using this area of interest in learning or activity opportunities.
- It’s a team effort. Collaboration and coordination between key stakeholders (your child’s early intervention team, your family, school, and others) is essential.
- Talk about it. Something that can help many children is preparing them by talking about upcoming events and experiences, and raising them more than once ahead of the new event or experience.
- Set up routines. Think about morning and afternoon routines, and what steps or activities your child will need to do to get ready to go to school.
To discover more tips for successful school transitions, read CliniKids Speech Pathology Clinical Lead Aria May’s blog.
Our clinicians can provide support to teachers and EAs by coming to do school visits, and can provide individualised strategies to your child’s educators to support your child in the school environment. Speak to your clinician about this support option for your child.