School's out: pathways for young people with intellectual disabilities from out-of-area residential schools or colleges.
Parents say the move from residential school works only when teams keep kids tied to home life and share clear plans early.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Heslop et al. (2007) talked with parents whose adult children had left out-of-area residential schools. They asked what helped or hurt the move back home.
The team held long interviews. They looked for common themes across families.
What they found
Parents said four things made the switch smoother: staying connected to home while at school, staff who acted early, clear facts about services, and a written plan.
When any piece was missing, families felt lost and the young adult lost support.
How this fits with other research
McGeown et al. (2013) later asked the same question but added ethnicity. They found South-Asian carers hit extra walls, like leaflets only in English. Both studies agree: information arrives too late.
Newman (1993) surveyed carers before this paper. Back then, parents already griped about poor service links. The 2007 study keeps the same worry but shows why links break: no early plan.
Tassé et al. (2013) looked at costs of out-of-area placements for adults. They found cheaper price tags away from home, yet lower quality. P et al. give the parent view: low quality feels like no plan and no connection.
Why it matters
If you write a transition plan, start in year 9, not year 11. Build in home visits, local agency meet-ups, and plain-language handouts. One page with next-step contacts beats a thick folder parents cannot read.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research, and official guidance, has suggested that planning for the transition between children's and adults' services is failing young people with intellectual disabilities and their families in the UK. Youngsters placed away from home in residential schools or colleges are likely to be at even greater risk of poor transition planning and outcomes, yet there is little understanding of what factors parents consider contribute to a smoother transition and what a satisfactory outcome would be. METHOD: The parents of 15 young people from five areas of the UK were interviewed about what they thought contributed to a satisfactory pathway for their son or daughter from an out-of-area residential school or college on to the next phase of their life. RESULTS: Parents identified four main process issues: being well-connected with other parents or with key professionals; being proactive; having sufficient information; and good forward planning. Most considered a good outcome to be if the young person was happy, fulfilled and stimulated. CONCLUSIONS: Parents were clear about what they thought helped, and there was little disagreement between their views. While some of these factors have been previously identified regarding the transition of disabled youngsters, they raise some unique issues for families with a youngster educated in an out-of-area residential school or college.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2007 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00901.x