Prevention of absenteeism and school failure in students with ASD: Improving the transition from primary to secondary school

A family and child centred process is a methodology that facilitates the development of support services. The family and the children are the centre and the fulcrum of the support. The whole process is developed around their needs, strengths, expectations, rights, wishes and dreams.

The family-centred transition process helps the family and the child to create new connections and opportunities to their lives. 

It is important to recognize and value the experience and knowledge of the family and to incorporate family’ strategies into the transition process. The family must be considered as one of the main agents in the educational process, to make choices, setting goals and making decisions to reach these goals. Thus, the family must have an active participation in the development of an individual plan for the student.

An essential aspect of this model is the family feeling that they can have control over the events of the student´s life.

Family-centred model has been linked with improved parent and child outcomes, yet its implementation can be challenging to family, professional, organizational, systemic factors and policies.

For the elaboration of the family-centred transition plan it is essential to:

• know and analyse the students' expectations, perceptions and feelings about the transition;

• meet expectations, procedures and concerns of parents / guardians regarding the students' transitions;

• characterize the representations of teachers from the primary and secondary schools about their role and the role of the “other” (student and family) in the transition process; collect data that support the recognition of the different roles and lead to the construction of pathways marked by sequentially and articulation, aiming at enriching experiences and educational success.