Supporting Your Child with Autism to Transition to School

Part 3: Helping Your Child Prepare for the Transition to School

Welcome to the final post in our three part series on supporting your child with autism in the transition to school. In this post, we’ll be sharing Lisa Rabie’s tips for helping your child prepare for the next step. It can help to know what you can do to make the process a little easier for yourself and for your child!

 If your child is ready to transition to school, there are some simple activities that you can do to help make the change as stress free as possible: 

• Take your child to visit the new school, and explore where your child will have lunch, where the toilets are, and other important information that will ensure he or she is more comfortable in the setting.
• Organise your child’s school uniform and bag early and encourage your child to dress in it and get used to this new routine.
• Make everyday things an exploration of language – ask the child questions, listen carefully to their answers, and encourage the child to ask ‘why’?
• Make sure your child has crayons and pencils and a supply of paper to draw and write on, and always praise their efforts. Engaging in fine motor activities on a daily basis encourages finger strength for holding writing implements, and develops concentration.
• Encourage your child to mix with other children in different supervised activities so they learn to socialise with their peers, take turns and share their toys and books.
• Prepare information in advance for your child’s teacher, including some of the challenges your child might encounter, what their triggers might be, how to support him or her if they experience a problem and importantly, what they can do, what their strengths are, and what motivates and encourages them.

 The more independence your child has within these areas, the more confidently they’ll be to cope with everyday tasks and activities. Even if your child isn’t quite at the school stage yet, you can still be engaging in some of the activities outlined above. It’s never too late to start working on independence.

 Importantly, remember that it’s okay for your child to be upset! And don’t be stressed about this – your child needs time to adjust to new people, routines, and settings.

 If you’d like more information about the transition from AEIOU to school, be sure to talk to your local centre manager or teacher, or download a free booklet prepared by AEIOU Foundation, in conjunction with Autism Queensland and the Queensland Government at http://education.qld.gov.au/asd-online-resource-kit/transition/transition_booklet.html

 This has been our final post in our ‘Supporting Your Child with Autism to Transition to School’ series. You can also read Part 1: How do you know if your child is ready? and Part 2: Choosing a School.

 In the coming weeks, we’ll also bring you advice to help you support your child throughout their education, and you’ll be able to hear from family’s about their own experiences, too.