JCPSLP November 2017

Supporting social, emotional and mental health and well-being: Roles of speech-language pathologists

Supporting children with social- communication and learning disabilities and their parents during the transition to school David Trembath and Elizabeth Starr

Transition to school is often a stressful event for families of children with social- communication and learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to the explore the views and experiences of parents whose children attended an innovative pre-prep program, with the view to identifying strategies that may support other children, parents, and teachers during the transition to school. We conducted a series of 3 focus groups with total of 10 parents at the commencement and completion of the pre-prep program. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes – It’s the foundation, Seems grown up, and Eased us and the kids into school – emerged to account for the participants’ views and experiences, indicating positive outcomes arose from the multifaceted approach that included information and support for parents, along with a strong focus on developing children’s school readiness skills. T he transition of children to school can be a stressful event for any family (Early, Pianta, Taylor, & Cox, 2001; Forest, Horner, Lewis-Palmer, & Todd, 2004; La Paro, Kraft-Sayre, & Pianta, 2003). However, for families of children with special needs (including social- communication and learning disabilities) the process can be particularly difficult and requires a well-thought-out and executed plan (Chadwick & Kemp, 2000). The stressors for caregivers (herein referred to as parents but acknowledging the range of people who may take on this role) and children may include (a) the many “unknowns” such as the nature of the physical environment, the attitudes of school personnel towards the child, and the support that will be provided; (b) navigating the shift from one education sector to another including any differences in funding arrangements and support; (c) communicating with a new set of educators, professionals, and multidisciplinary teams (Osborne, McHugh, Saunders, & Reed, 2008); (d) differences in goal-setting practices, curriculum, and teaching strategies; and (e) the feeling of personal responsibility to ensure an appropriate educational program for their children (Seligman

& Darling, 2007). Accordingly, there is a well-established need for community relevant strategies aimed at supporting parents and their children during the transition to school.

KEYWORDS PARENTS SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT TRANSITION TO SCHOOL THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PEER- REVIEWED

Common approaches to supporting transition

One common approach to supporting parents during the transition is to provide them with information, strategies, and advice aimed at facilitating the process. Fortunately, speech pathologists, other allied health professionals, and educators now have access to a range of resources that are fit for this purpose. In Australia, for example, such resources are commonly provided by education departments (e.g., Victoria State Government, n.d.), industry bodies, (e.g., Early Childhood Intervention Australia, n.d.), and service providers (e.g., Autism Spectrum Australia, 2013). An alternative approach to supporting transition is to focus on helping children develop school readiness skills, many of which fall squarely in the scope of speech pathology practice, including the ability to work independently and follow directions (Rule, Fiechtl, & Innocenti, 1990), self-regulation skills (McIntyre, Blacher, & Baker, 2006), communication, and social interaction skills (Janus, Lefort, Cameron, & Kopechanski, 2007). However, there is now a broad body of research literature demonstrating that approaches to supporting children and families must be multifaceted (e.g., information and advice for parents, communication with new teachers, developing children’s school readiness skills), involve all relevant stakeholders, and be provided over a substantial time period leading into, during, and following the children’s commencement at school. Following a recent review of the research literature, Marsh and Eapan (2017), recommended a set of principles that should inform efforts to support children and parents during the transition. The focus of the review was on children on the autism spectrum, but the recommendations were drawn from the broader literature and are likely relevant to children with a range of learning profiles and needs. The authors recommended that transition programs include (a) active, early, and ongoing collaboration between a range of stakeholders; (b) establishment of positive and respectful relationships between the children, parents, and educators; (c) actively preparing the child for the transition; (d) assessment of children’s school readiness; (e) implementation and regular evaluation of individualised transition plans; (f) developing skills in the child that facilitate learning; and (g) utilisation of dedicated funding

David Trembath (top) and Elizabeth Starr

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JCPSLP Volume 19, Number 3 2017

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au