Easing the Transition for Children with Additional Needs
While most children can find the start of school challenging, these milestones can be even bigger for children with additional needs.
As we know preparation is the key to supporting your child’s transition to primary school. Making contact with the primary school well in advance of the new school year is advisable. Guidelines from the NCSE (National Council for Special education) emphasise the importance of early planning and timely sharing of information between parents and schools or settings and between schools and other settings. This is important to allow sufficient time for extra resources to be allocated by the school in terms of SNA support, additional teaching resources and or sensory equipment
What do I need to do?
- make contact with the primary school well in advance of the new school year
- share information about your child with their new school
- ask your child’s current setting to share information with their new school
- plan early – allow enough time for extra resources to be allocated by the school. For example like SNA support, additional teaching resources and or sensory equipment.
The NCSE (National Council for Special Education) has a number of downloadable resources that you may find useful:
- Information Booklet for Parents of Children with Special Educational Needs
- Choosing a School: A Guide For Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs
Tony the Turtle
Tony is a little Turtle who sees and feels things differently, the books give an insight into Tony’s world, while offering helpful tips and useful strategies to parents and teachers. These strategies help to overcome difficulties in everyday situations, that can be stressful for both parent and child.
The books also give a better understanding to siblings and peers on how its ok to be different, showing simple yet effective ways to interact and communicate with each other, so everyone is included.
Autism Support for Louth & Meath
Autism Support Louth & Meath is a parent led support group for families of both children and adults affected by Autism. Autism Support Louth & Meath run monthly support group meetings, weekly youth clubs, training courses, provide information and advocacy, lobby locally and nationally on autism and disability issues and provide a network of parents and families who can support and help each other. For more information on supports and services in the local area please visit www.autismsupportlouth.com
S.N.A.P – Special Needs Active Parents
This support group was set up in 2004 by parents to help create collaborative strategies for improving services and opportunities for children with additional needs.
For more information on supports, services and on how to get involved visit www.snapireland.net
As I Am
As I Am’ aims to provide a one-stop-shop for the Autism community in Ireland. From providing the public and those with the condition a portal of information about Autism, to providing a platform for people affected by Autism to share their stories and views, to providing a strong voice for the concerns of the community. As I Am is a not for profit charitable organisation. For more information on the supports and resources available to ease the transition into big school you can follow the link below:
https://asiam.ie/what-resources-are-available-to-support-families-on-transitions-in-school/
Preparing for Big School
Off We Go Publishing was set up by Limerick native Avril Webster in 2006.
Avril is a mother of three and she created the Off We Go series of books to help her son Stephen manage everyday activities.
The books are used in lots of different ways; as social storybooks, as a preparation before an outing and as visual prompt to explain what comes next in a particular activity. The Off We Go book series are available to purchase from Outside The Box Learning Resources.
