A Parent’s Perspective on
Transition
Services/Processes for Children with
Special Health Care Needs and Family
Members
Download
Report
Transcript A Parent’s Perspective on
Transition
Services/Processes for Children with
Special Health Care Needs and Family
Members
A Parent’s Perspective on
Transition
Services/Processes for Children with
Special Health Care Needs and Family
Members
What are Transitions?
A “Transition” is any time a student moves from one
placement into another.
From Birth to 3 into Pre-School
From Pre-School into Kindergarten
From Kindergarten into Elementary School
From Elementary School into Middle School
From Middle School into High School
From High School into College or Post Secondary
Education
From College/Post Secondary Education into Adult
Living
Birth to Three
Focuses on the family and how they
interact with the child
Services primarily in the child’s home
Services focus on training the parents
on how/what to do with the child
Individual Family Support Plan (IFSP)
In the natural environment and
individualized
Encourages playtime for development
Family Concerns Moving from Birth-3
into Pre-School
Pre-school more focused on the child and not
on the family
Going outside of the home to “school”
Receiving quality services
Receiving enough services
Trusting the staff
Letting go of the routine and control they are
accustomed
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Service coordinator contacts all appropriate
“potential” receiving agencies that family wants
invited to a face-to-face transition planning meeting,
including one or more of the following:
School system
Early Head Start/Head Start
Child care, private schools and other community
settings
Other agencies for support needed by family
Begin talking about the transition way before it is to
occur.
Conduct transition planning with parent. Add plan to
the IFSP
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Continued
Provide packet of information on the child to
potential receiving agencies with parental
consent.
Provide training for parents regarding
transition process and future service options.
Involve interagency partners in this training.
Conduct 90 day face-to-face meeting with all
appropriate receiving programs to discuss:
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Continued
Updating of transition plan by interagency
partners with family to address:
Activities which will prepare the child and family
for the transition and
Strategies for sharing information among sending
and receiving agencies.
Develop an IEP to meet the child’s needs
Child’s program options from 3rd birth date
through remainder of school year
Pre-School/Head Start
Less focused on the family, more on the child
Move from an IFSP (at age 3) to an
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Moving into a creative curriculum
Attending school with other children (both
students with and without disabilities)
Focused play to learn new skills
Group interactions
Transitioning into KindergartenFamily Concerns
Kindergarten not so focused on the family
Parents fear how their child will interact with
other children
Not as much individualized attention to the
family-focused on the child
Moving from home into school
Parents will begin to see the developmental
differences between their child and others.
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Provide parents with information on programs and/or
services including enrollment requirements and
registration
Provide transition related training to prepare staff
To follow appropriate procedures and
To support children and families in the transition
process
Provide training for parents regarding transition
process and future options. Include interagency
partners in the training.
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Continued
Plan activities to prepare child for the next
step.
Arrange visits to the new classroom for
children, families and staff from the sending
program.
Coordinate with other agencies to transfer
relevant records to next placement
Release demographic information/screening
evaluation to the new class
Kindergarten/Head Start
Beginning to move from “play” to more
academic activities.
Activities that will enable the student to read
and write.
Vocabulary building activities.
Listening activities.
Beginning to see more structured activities
that require the student to be still and pay
attention.
More student focused.
Transitioning from Kindergarten/Head
Start-Family Concerns
More focus on the child and much less on the family.
Noticeable gaps are beginning in achievement and
development.
IEP becoming more focused on academic skills.
More demands are being placed on the child in the
classroom
Going to the bathroom independently
Sitting still and listening
Writing and reading activities
Will he/she be able to keep up?!
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Begin talking about “Elementary School” early in the
school year.
Discuss the change in structure with the student and
the parents.
Encourage parents to increase their participation in
“homework” with the child in the evenings
Have a set time for home work
If the child has no homework, have them practice
reading or writing
Develop a positive attitude toward school
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Continued
Invite a first grade teacher to the child’s end of year
IEP so he/she can explain the expectations to the
parents
Have a first grade teacher come to the classroom
and explain the expectations to the students
Let the students spend some time in the first grade
classroom the last week of school
Have a back to school night for parents and students
before school begins to meet the teachers and learn
expectations
Elementary School
Very student focused with little family
involvement
Higher expectations
Socially
Academically
Behaviorally
More interaction with a variety of ages
of children
Greater demands on the student
Family Concerns about Elementary
School
The achievement gap widens
Will my child be able to keep up with his/her peers?
Will I be informed if my child falls behind?
Will my child fit in with the other students?
Will my child be able to remember the rules?
Who will help me if there is a problem?
Will my child receive the services he/she needs?
What about all of the tests the students are required
to take?
What about the bus ride???
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Each year have a “move up” day where the students
and the parents can meet the new teachers
Begin planning for the progression early in the school
year
Keep the lines of communication open between the
school and parents
Encourage parent involvement in the school
Parent volunteers
Read in the classroom
Tutor students
Playground duty
Lunchroom duty
Middle School
Very student focused
Greater academic expectations
Greater social expectations
A different teacher for each class
Begin thinking about “real life”
Focus on becoming more independent
Requiring more independent assignments
Begin making presentations to the class
Parents Transition Concerns for
Middle School
Social Issues
Smoking
Drinking
Dating
Level of Support from teachers
Level of Communication between school and home
Opportunities for the parent to participate in school
activities
Extracurricular Activities
Keeping up with school work
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Begin discussions of Middle School expectations well
in advance
Have a “Move Up” activity for both parents and
students
Both can go through the student’s schedule
Both can meet the teachers
Both can attend meetings and have their concerns
addressed
Hold 5th grade IEP meetings at the Middle School
Keep lines of communication open between school
and home
High School
Focused on Student Responsibilities
Motivation
Initiation
Study Skills
High Expectations
Very academically focused
Rigorous curriculum
Focused on test scores
Encourages independent thinking
Focused on Adult Life
Encouraging participation in vocational activities
Age 16 transition planning on the IEP
Parents Transition Concerns for High
School
Keeping up with the curriculum
Credits needed to graduate
Scoring well on tests:
ACT
SAT
Vocational-End of Course Exams
WESTEST
Social Issues
Peer influences
Alcohol/drugs
Dating
Driving
Having skills to do well upon graduation
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Meetings for parents and students to discuss:
Credits needed for graduation
Scheduling
Curriculum
Testing procedures
Expectations
Peer influences and social issues
Code of Conduct
Progress reports
Encourage parents to contact their student’s
counselor if/when they have questions or concerns
Encourage continued communication between school
and home
Post Secondary Education/Activities
Instruction
College Level
Vocational School
Vocational Rehabilitation
Trade School
Related Services
Community Experiences
Development of Employment
Other post-secondary adult living objectives
Acquisition of daily living skills
Functional vocational evaluation
Community College
Business College
Vocational Rehabilitation
Parents Concerns for Post Secondary
Education/Activities
Where will this occur?
Can my young adult live independently?
Will they be able to succeed in their chosen
activity?
Who will assist them if necessary?
How can we receive financial assistance?
What happens if they do not succeed?
What accommodations or modifications can
be made for them in the workplace?
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Begin planning early!
Involve ALL of the necessary players
Vocational Rehabilitation/Vocational School
School Counselors
Teachers
Community Agencies
Social Security
Housing
Adult Services
How Can WE Make This Transition
Easier on ALL Concerned?
Continued
Develop a plan where everyone knows their
responsibilities
Encourage the parents and student to visit
the next placement
Have questions ready to ask
General Questions
Questions specific to student’s needs
Questions specific to parent’s needs
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO REVISE THE
PLAN!!!!
Parent-Educator Resource Centers
(PERCs)
At any time in any of the transitions if you need:
Training
Information
Support
A friendly ear
Contact your local PERC
38 across the state
Staffed with a parent of a student with a
disability and an educator
RESOURCES
WV Early Childhood Training Connections and
Resources:
http://www.wvearlychildhood.org/links.asp
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center:
http://www.peatc.org/
National Center of Secondary Transition:
http://ncset.org/
Job Accommodation Network:
http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/
Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST):
https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps12/best/benefits/
RESOURCES
Continued
National Dissemination Center for Children
with Disabilities: http://www.nichcy.org/
Parent Education Resources:
http://www.parent-education.com/
West Virginia Disability Resources:
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/comm/westv
irginia.html
ConXtions: www.wvabe.org
PACER Center: http://www.pacer.org/
THANK YOU!!
Betsy Peterson, Parent Coordinator
Office of Special Education
Building 6, Room 304
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305
304-558-2696
1-800-642-8541
[email protected]