Transition process

Changes in peoples lives can often be a source of anxiety and worry, and few changes are as big as moving home. At Homes Caring for Autism we believe that enabling someone to make a good start in a new placement is of the utmost importance and can have lasting benefits for that individual.

The first stage in the transition process is a meeting involving people who know the individual well and have their best interests in mind. The people involved in each meeting will vary from individual to individual but is likely to include parents, social workers, teachers, support workers, medical professionals and other specialists. The meeting will normally be led by a transitions worker and/or home manager from Homes Caring for Autism and is aimed at determining the best course for each individual’s transition to take. Such a transition meeting is important for us to gain a consensus opinion on what is important to and for the individual and tailor a transition plan to best suit their needs.

Following the Transition meeting, Homes Caring for Autism will prepare an accessible information pack about the new service for the individual and their current staff team to look at. This may include staff photographs, pictures of the placement, surrounding area and activities as well as a visual timetable of the transition plan.

Typically, the transition plan will involve members of a small core team of Homes Caring for Autism staff visiting the individual several times a weeks and working with them alongside their current support team. This allows us to gain valuable information on how best to work with an individual and also allows that individual to get to know their new support team and begin to build good working relationships.

We will also begin the process of preparing person-specific training for the whole staff team including compiling Behavioural Support Team information such as Communication Profiles and Time Intensity Models. These tools provide clear concise information about the individual’s preferred communication style and level of ability in the first instance and detailed guidance on identifying the behaviours.

In the latter stages of the transition, we would hope to support the individual to visit the new placement and participate in activities during each visit. If appropriate, these visits should also offer the opportunity for the individual to be involved in preparing their room; shopping for furniture, curtains and bed clothes, for example. Ultimately, we aim to support the individual to make the move to their new home as positive an experience as possible.