Specialist Support Teams ASC Team Supporting Enhanced Transition KS2 to KS3 Ana Stokes – Autism, Social Communication Specialist Teacher

Positive and trusting relationships with adults are at the core of any successful intervention

Start Preparing in Yr5 Promote Independent skills Enhance Social Communication Support Emotional regulation Create Self-awareness

Resources Staff Peers Strategies Books / Programmes

Promote Independent skills They need to know: What they have to do Why (relevance) Steps within activity What’s happening next That adults / peers can be a source of information When to ask for help? (4Bs)

Support Social Communication How to ask for help Encourage comment Respond to questions Initiate communication Participation (active/passive) Facilitate / encourage peer interaction

Social skills Holistic approach Prioritise Motivate Adapt Practice in naturalistic settings Maximum of 4 per academic year ‘I Can’ Book: Helps recognise own strengths and develop self-concept

Supporting Emotional Regulation (Functional Social Competence – Audit) Basic Foundational Skills Ability to communicate wants and needs Asks for help Ability to ask for break Participates in calming activities Accepts endings/transitions Ability to wait for short periods of time

Supporting Emotional Regulation (Functional Social Competence – Audit) Emergent Understanding Attends to group activities Accepts help from adults to aid regulation Communicates anger, frustration or disapproval via verbal / visual means Able to identify state of arousal and feelings Accepts unexpected changes Initiates use of tools / supports to regulate self

Supporting Emotional Regulation (Functional Social Competence – Audit) Functional Confidence Accepts authority from adults and peers Handles being corrected by others Self advocates in adverse situations Refuses requests of others appropriately Proactively clears hurdles to maintain expected regulated state Ability to tolerate new demands

Supporting Emotional Regulation Step 1 The child / young person is encouraged to see that adults / peers are responsive to their needs and a source of emotional support when needed.

Supporting Emotional Regulation Step 2 How to sooth/cope by themselves: Access to sensory supports Sensory break / quiet place Visual choices of coping strategies

Offering emotional support Increasing stages to offering emotional support: • Support can be offered directly by an adult • A choice can be offered • The young person can be prompted to request support • The young person requests support himself. Possible reluctance to accept support

Visual choices of coping strategies Explore different coping strategies for different levels of stress Explore how the young person thinks adults and peers can support him emotionally.

PFA If the young person has an PFA, the Annual PFA Review in Yr5 is crucial

Evaluate strategies and Plan for Yr6 End of Yr5 Evaluate strategies and Plan for Yr6

Year 6 (from beginning) Update Social Skills - revise Continue with: Independent skills Emotional Regulation support Social Communication ‘I Can’ Book

YR6 (After SATS) Start ‘The Big Book About Me’ Chapters 1 to 6 Helps to create self-awareness Fosters self-understanding Programme can be individualised

Obtain from Secondary setting: Yr7 Timetable – Teach how to read a Yr7 timetable A Planner – Teach how to use a planner Obtain a map of the school

Start to complete the Arfur Moe’s Transition Workbook

Encourage the young person to write questions about the secondary setting Learn how to organise the day (matching game) Learn about life in Secondary school

Organisational skills: matching game

YR6 (end of May/early June) School to arrange a transition meeting Invite parents Invite a secondary school representative Prepare a very thorough PCP /Profile

About PCP Profile… Voice of the young person: Who and What is important to me How best to support me What I am good at What we like and admire about him

At the transition meeting Arrange extra visits to secondary school (Young person to explore important areas and meet significant people) Arrange taster sessions Incorporate useful aspects of the Secondary setting’s own transition package

To be discussed at the transition meeting : Daily arrangements Travel arrangements Safe place Summer school Homework club Lunchtime /after school clubs of interest Find answers to the young person’s questions (young person can attend at the end)

Yr6 PFA Combine IPFA/PFA Review with Transition. All reviews to take place no later than 31st May Electronic copy to: benjamin.blake@wirral.gcsx.gov.uk

Review documentation Progress made towards current outcomes Updated outcomes Costed provision map (i.e. breakdown of costs for current interventions / support