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| Transitioning disabled kids
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Helping disabled kids make a successful transition to big school
As we approach the end of the year many early childhood education and care services make school readiness a more explicit focus of the program. Popular initiatives include days where kids can wear a school uniform to their services and school days, where children have the opportunity to practice the more structured activities they participate in in their first year at 'big school'.
To help children with disabilities make a more successful transition to life in primary school the NSW chapter of Early Childhood Intervention Australia has developed a new online resource to provide advice and information to families, early childhood services, schools and the wider community on the special needs of children with disabilities.
The resource has been designed to acknowledge the fact that starting 'big school' is an important milestone in any child and family's life and but that for families of children with disabilities, transition to school requires additional thought, time, planning and support to make the process as smooth and positive as possible.
The website also says that it is the connections and collaboration between family, community, services and schools which underpin successful transition to school for young children with disabilities.
According to the website ECEC providers play an important role in helping children make a successful and positive transition to big school through:
- developing trusting relationships with children and their families over a number of years, often during the critical early childhood period when families are adapting and adjusting to their child's disability
- having strong knowledge and experience of child development and the types of skills and behaviours which impact on children's functioning and independence
- observing and relating to young children in a group context and supporting children to develop their social interaction skills, practicing self-help skills and learn to regulate emotions and behaviour
The new resource offers plenty of useful and easy to read information for early childhood education and care services supporting disabled children make the transition including:
- Recommended practice and the transition to school
- Useful practices and potential barriers in the transition to school
- National Quality Standards, Early Years Learning Framework and transition to school
- ECEC professional's role in transition to school
- Transition to school processes for children with a disability
- Working with families
- Working with schools
- Support and resources
- Self-reflection questions
For more information and to access the service click here. |
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