Supporting Transitions for Children

Transition is a changing passage from one form, state, style, or place to another.

Life is a movable feast, one which involves ongoing changes and transitions. Many children are now preparing to move to a new class, or for some a new school in September, so transitions are particularly important right now.

When we think of childhood transitions often we think of major life events. In the setting I work in, for many children walking up the corridor from the classroom to the Play Therapy Room is a transition that presents a number of difficulties. There are many transitions that children and young people need to manage on a daily basis. Thankfully for most, transitions are taken in their stride. For some, walking up the corridor, or changing lessons, can be as scary as starting a new school or a new job. The thought processes that are activated can be similar for most transitions.

• What is going to happen?
• What is expected of me?
• Will I fit in and get it right?
•  I don't what to do........?
• Will I not see that person or have this experience again?
• Will I get hurt?  (this can be particularly apparent for traumatised children) 

There are a number of important things that we can do to help children manage transitions:

• Offer clear knowledge of where they are going and what is expected of them.
• The child needs to develop a sense of safety in the new/different environment.
• The child needs to have or build trusting relationships.
• The need to recognise and learn to regulate their emotions.

 Practical Strategies to Aid Transition 

 Transition to Primary School

• Home visit from teacher or support staff to start building relationships.
• Staggered intake with a few children starting every few days.  The new children to arrive 10 minutes earlier that the other children so they are walking into a quiet space with individual attention from teaching staff.  This will help to create a safe secure base.
• Buddy schemes or friendship bus stops

  Transition to Secondary School

• Cluster visits throughout Year 6, culminating in a Transition day for Year 6 to the new school.
• Year 7s start a day before the other years.
• The Form Teacher stays with the form until the end of Year 11
• Map and orientation activities to increase the young person's knowledge of the school.

Playful Activities to Build Trust
 and to help Emotional Regulation

Below are just some activities that can help emotional regulation and interactions between adult, child and groups.

• Peep behind the curtain- one child stands at one end of the space and the other children stand the opposite end of the space.  The child standing by themselves then turns their back to the others and after saying go, turns round every so often to catch the others moving.  The others then have to make their way to up to the child, without being seen moving.  If the child spots a child moving they can either go back to the beginning or they can be out. 

• Rolling balls between you and the child, encouraging the child to copy the speed you roll the ball. 

• Mirror Mirror - working pairs, one child starts moving and the other child pretends they are a mirror and mirrors the first child's actions.  Encourage slow actions and then increase the speed and then slow it down again.

What is coming up?

Conference season is upon us and at Jogo we are very busy preparing to keynote speak or present workshops to a number of organisations. In June we will be presenting 'Trauma in the Playroom' at the British Association of Play Therapists conference and in July, Healing Inner Hurt for the Northamptonshire County Council's Adoption Family Day. Later in the year we will be Key note speakers presenting Supporting Parents to Make Change, at the Wellingborough Education Partnership Annual conference.  We also have a range of exciting trainings coming up.  Due to popular demand we will be re-running Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Children's Behaviour and Wellbeing again in July, so hope to see you there.