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

Taking advantage of the support networks in the community is crucial for improving the quality of life of students and their families and fosters their real inclusion in the society.

People who are important and involved in the transition process are often referred to as the Circle of Support.

The school, the family, and all professionals involved must join forces with the networks of natural support in order to create conditions for the family and the child to live truly included in the different contexts of the school and in the community.

The needs, specificities, goals, preferences and dreams of the family and of the student will determine the type of individualized and “tailored” support networks for each one.

The extended family, friends and neighbours can be key parts of informal support networks. The best way to build this support network is to help them to learn about autism and understand the needs of the autistic children. This is especially important in the early days after diagnosis.

The people in the support network need to understand what autism means for the child and family. It takes time to understand. Extended family and friends will probably respond in various ways to the child’s autism diagnosis and behaviour. Some might be ready to support the child and the family straight away. Others might take a bit longer to understand how they can help.

The extended family support can reduce strain on parents and give autistic children extra love and nurturing.

There is a greater likelihood of effective support if the parents establish a close and reliable relationship with the support network.

Different networks of communication are very important to the process:

• between parents and schools;

• between the primary and secondary schools;

• within each school;

• between secondary schools and outside agencies.

A significant breakdown between the communication networks is enough for the transition to be unsuccessful.

Support should be provided, at first, by the social network: parents, family, friends, and neighbours. However, network of specialised support must become active to complement this support whenever it is needed.