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NAIT: Returning to school information sharing guidance Introduction As a result of COVID-19 we have all experienced changes to our day to day routines. Staff, parents/ carers and children and young people have had their own unique experience of how they have spent time at home, school or in other settings. We will all think about, process, remember and communicate about our emotions and experiences differently. We may also have differences in how well we can imagine and predict what to expect, or in how well we adapt to disrupted expectations. For autistic children and young people, adaptations to the transition planning for all children may need to take account of their current individual communication stage and preferences. Individual ability to adapt to change currently may also be affected by recent experiences. When we return to school and work, it will probably be different from the last time we were there, including:

The Physical Environment (e.g. the way school looks and how we use materials and move around)

The Social Environment (e.g. relationships with people we already know but haven’t seen for a while, new people, people in the class, new social rules and expectations, new ways these are communicated)

Motivation (e.g. the things we currently like and don’t like and the things we are allowed to do or not to help us enjoy the day, experience success and have fun)

Daily Routines (e.g. mealtimes, playtime, lining up, going to and from school, washing and self-care, different school activities, assembly or PE)

Social Routines (e.g. games and interactions we have with others, how we do leisure activities with others)

Even once we go back, these might change again. Change can be difficult, especially when there are so many changes all at once. We can support change by using this information sharing approach to:

Share information between the child or young person, their parents/ carers and school staff

Listen to parents and sharing information in an accessible way

Seek views of children and young people in a developmentally appropriate way, including alternatives to talking

Key messages for returning to school We recommend that the following key messages for returning to school for all autistic children and young people or those with related needs. Further guidance about each of these can be found at www.thirdspace.scot/NAIT

Ensure adjustments are anticipatory

Listen to parents

Provide predictability

Use visual supports

Provide a Safe Space

Plan for movement breaks

Seek to understand distressed behaviour

Additionally at the secondary stage

Have two Key Adults

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Using the returning to school information sharing documents You can use these ‘returning to school information sharing’ documents to support individualised planning and to inform local Getting it right planning processes. School staff can contact families to ask about their experiences and listen to their views. They may wish to send the forms to be returned, or to ask the questions in another way (e.g. on the phone).

Returning to school information sharing There are two ‘forms’ you can use to collect information:

1. Returning to school information sharing: Parent/ carer views form 2. Returning to school information sharing: Child/ young person’s views form

(for individuals who are communicate using sentences in conversations and are aged 8 or over) For children who are 7 years or under, or who do not use complex language, we suggest ‘draw a picture of you learning at home’ and if appropriate chat to the child about it. Most information will be expected to come from parents and carers rather than directly from the child. These forms are organised in the following sections:

The child/ young person’s experience of ‘lockdown’ This is the time when schools were closed to most children and young people. As well as preparing the child for what’s to come after lockdown, we can draw from what’s happening now and what will they be leaving behind in this transition. There will have been positive and negative experiences for everyone. Through sharing this information, we can use a strength based approach for planning. This allows us to:

think about what worked well and what’s been different

know what’s been missing and what a typical day has looked like, so we are aware of what will change when we move from that routine back to the new school routine.

As well as sensory differences between school and home, there might have been changes around the child. There are some questions to help young people and parents think about the kinds of things they might share, where they can just tick which comments apply. There is also an open question, to allow other information to be shared.

How does the child/ young person and parent/carer feel about the return to school? Sometimes the things an individual is worried about are very different to the things school staff think they will be worried about. This may also be something you revisit in several occasions at the pace of the child/ young person or family. In answering this, it is important that we match our expectations of the response to the young person’s usual ability to talk about and express emotions and mixed feelings. ‘I don’t know’ is a perfectly acceptable response! This should be an entirely optional activity that the child/ young person can choose to engage with or not. This skill should only be expected where the individual has previously been able to talk about their feelings, abstract ideas and about future events they have not experienced.

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Some autistic learners may find it hard to answer this question because they find it hard to imagine something that has not happened, or they might find it hard to identify the range of feelings they have. They might not see the point of telling you this information. Parents and carers may pick up signs that tell us about how the young person feels. For some, sorting things I ‘like’ and ‘don’t like’ might help make this more concrete. Use visual supports where possible, such as photos or symbols (e.g. I like eating lunch in a quiet places, I don’t like sitting on a hard chair all day).

What would you like to know/ do before you go back? This is a hard question too and requires children and young people to imagine what they might need to know about. If you are helping them to fill it in, try not to answer questions that come up in the moment. Tell them you will write the questions down. The adults will go away and think about it and will answer what we can. There might be some questions we can’t answer yet but it is still helpful for us to know your questions. For example, if the child says, ‘How many people will be in my class? – the adult writes this down but does not answer it. Too much information could overload the child.

Ensure adjustments are anticipatory Use the information gathered through this process to inform individual child planning which anticipates support needed rather than only reacting when things go wrong.

Listen to parents/ carers The parent/ carer form will provide an additional perspective and additional insight into the family context and individual needs and preferences.

Provide predictability Predictability helps to reduce anxiety. Disrupted expectations increase anxiety. By completing these documents, staff are likely to gain a better understanding of the child/ young person and family’s current expectations and will help to avoid disrupted expectations. By understanding current concerns and creating the right environment the return to school will feel more predictable.

Use visual supports Use the information gathered together with previous knowledge of visual supports the child/ young persons is familiar with. It is recommended that all autistic learners and those with related needs have an individual visual timetable appropriate to their developmental stage. This will be particularly important at a time of transition. If they have never used a visual timetable, teaching them to do so may be an early priority. Even for those who previously used visual supports, they may need this to be retaught. We cannot assume skills will transfer to a new context.

Provide a Safe Space Use the information gathered together with previous knowledge of Safe Spaces the child/ young persons is likely to use. It is recommended that all autistic learners and those with related needs have an individual Safe Space, which takes account of their individual preferences. If they have never used a safe space, teaching them to do so may be an early priority.

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Even for those who previously used a Safe Space in school, they may need this to be retaught. We cannot assume skills will transfer to a new context.

Plan for movement breaks Use the information gathered together with previous knowledge of movement breaks that have been successful for the child/ young persons. It is recommended that all autistic learners and those with related needs have planned movement breaks appropriate to their individual needs. This supports individuals to feel calm, well regulated and to focus attention. It will be particularly important at a time of transition. Some children and young people will not have been sitting on a chair for a prolonged period and they may have become unaccustomed to the sensory demands of the school environment. They may have found new ways of enjoying movement, which could be adapted to be part of their school day.

Seek to understand distressed behaviour Some distressed behaviour in the child/ young person might be expected and there also may be some unexpected distress, even when everyone has done their best to prepare and plan. Having a good, up to date knowledge of the individual’s recent and current day to day experiences could help in understanding and supporting children and young people. The signs they show that they are becoming distressed may have changed and some who previously used ‘regulation’ strategies in school, may need to relearn these. The child/ young person and their parents/carers may be able to share useful ideas and strategies for avoiding or responding to distress. There may be sources of stress outside the context where they show the distress and it is important to communicate between school and home to better understand this.

Two Key Adults For learners at the secondary stage, it is recommended that there are two Key Adults in the school, that the young person or family can approach when they need to. The information gathered from the child/ young person or parent/carer might inform the planning around this support. For example, will they be able to leave class and access help and do they need any additional resources or support to ensure they remember who the people are and how to contact them. The information might help with agreeing a planned communication system.

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Returning to school information sharing: Parent/ carer views form

Using the ‘Returning to school information sharing: Parent/ carer views form’

Do ask for assistance to complete the form if you would like

Please answer questions you wish to and leave blank any that don’t apply or where you do not wish to

answer

Please only share information you are comfortable to share with the school staff. There may be highly

personal or confidential information you or your child/ young person do not wish to share in the form and

that’s ok.

Please return completed forms to:

This form can be used alongside

1. Guidance from school about how the form can be used to support information sharing and the Getting it

right planning process

2. The ‘Returning to school information sharing: Child/ Young person’s views’ form

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Returning to school information sharing : Parent/ carer views

Parent/ Carer name(s)

Your child/ young person’s name

Your child/ young person’s age

Your child/ young person’s school year

Date(s) this form was filled in

1. My child/ young person’s experience of ‘lockdown’ (This is the time when most schools were shut because of Covid-19) Tick the ones that are true for your child:

Attended a Hub School Did school work at home most days Did school work at home on some days Did activities at home, suggested by school staff Found it hard to focus and concentrate on school work at home Found it easier to focus and concentrate on school work at home Worked hard at the subjects they enjoyed Did other activities at home with family members Did other activities at home on their own Spent a lot of time on screens (e.g. Xbox/ Playstation/ computer/ iPad or watched TV/ YouTube)

Went outside (e.g. walking, cycling, in the garden) Did a lot of art, drawing or making things Did more things to help at home (e.g. cooking, baking, cleaning, tidying) Was more active and could move around more Was less active and I could chill more It was quieter at home than at school Had a good routine and knew what was happening each day Did more things they liked Felt more worried/ anxious/ stressed than usual Felt less worried/ anxious/ stressed than usual Missed their friends/ teacher/ other people Communicated with their friends by phone or online Missed their school routine Liked their new routine Found it hard to sleep Slept better Didn’t like that they couldn’t do their usual activities Didn’t understand the work the school sent What else would you like to tell us about your child/ young person’s experience? (things they liked, didn’t like or good or difficult things that happened)

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2. How does your child/ young person feel about going back to school? Things they are looking forward to: Things they are not looking forward to: Things they like about going back: Things they don’t like about going back: What else would you like to tell us about how they feel?

3. How do you feel about your child/ young person going back to school? Things I am looking forward to: Things I am not looking forward to: What else would you like to tell us about how you feel?

4. What would you and your child/young person like to know or do before returning to school?

Tell us here what questions you have or what information you would like to have (e.g. you might want to know about the people in your class, your classroom, lunchtimes, break time)

5. The following are Key Messages for schools planning the return for learners. If you have comments under each, please write them. If you do not then please leave blank.

Ensure adjustments are anticipatory Between now and returning to school, do you have any ideas about what would be helpful preparation for your child?

Listen to parents It is helpful for the school staff and family to have a mutually agreed communication system. This includes the expected mode of communication and frequency. Do you have a preferred way of communicating about the return to school (e.g. email, phone)? Do you know who from school you can contact to discuss transition planning? Do you have any other comments to support communication between home and school?

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Provide predictability Is there anything you think would help to make the return to school more predictable for your child? (e.g. walking around the school to see how it has changed before going back, seeing photos of the new classroom and teacher, knowing where they will eat lunch)

Use visual supports Does your child use visual supports at home? (e.g. a timetable, calendar, picture sequence, choice board)

Are there any visual supports you think would be helpful for returning to school, either at home or at school?

Provide a Safe Space

Does your child have a Safe Space at home where they can go when they feel they need to be calm?

What do they like when they need to feel calmer (e.g. an enclosed quiet space, beanbag, darkness, going

under a cloth or light blanket)

Plan for movement breaks

How regularly has your child been ‘moving around’ while at home?

What types of movement do they enjoy most (e.g. running, walking, carrying heavy things, throwing things,

watching things move, jumping, touching certain things)?

How often do they like to have a ‘movement break’ between activities where they are more still?

Seek to understand distressed behaviour

Through planning and shared communication, we wish to reduce or avoid your child or young person

experiencing distress. Sometimes people deal with distress by seeking help from other people. At other

times, people respond to distress through taking actions themselves. It would be helpful to hear about your

child or young person’s experiences at home.

1. If there have been times during lockdown when your child is less settled, worried, upset or distressed,

how have they communicated this and how has it affected them?

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2. Have you as a family found successful ways of avoiding this happening?

3. Have you any information to share that might help lessen the risk of distress happening in school?

4. Can you describe the conditions under which your child was most calm and happy?

5. After your child becomes distressed at home, are you aware of particular things that help them to feel

calmer and to stay calm?

Please add any further comments below:

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Returning to school information sharing: Child/ Young person’s views form

Using the ‘Returning to school information sharing: Child/ Young person’s views form’

Who is it for?

This form is for children or young people 8 years and over, who are able to communicate through

conversations, reflect on past experiences and imagine future experiences

Filling it in is entirely optional

Who fills it in?

The child/ young person can fill it in themselves or with another person

Do ask for help to complete the form if you would like

How do I fill it in?

Please answer questions you wish to

You can leave blank any that don’t apply or where you do not wish to answer

You can say ‘I don’t know’ to any questions

Please only share information you are comfortable to share with the school staff. There may be personal

or confidential information you do not wish to share in the form and that’s ok

Take your time – you don’t have to do it all at once

Please return completed forms to:

This form can be used alongside

3. Guidance from school about how the form can be used to support information sharing and the Getting it

right planning process

4. The ‘Returning to school information sharing: Parent/ Carers views’ form

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Returning to school information sharing : Child/young person’s views

Your name

Your age

School year

Date(s) this form was filled in

My experience of ‘lockdown’ (This is the time when most schools were shut because of Covid-19)

Tick the ones that are true for you:

I attended a hub school

I did school work at home most days

I did school work at home on some days

I did activities at home, suggested by school staff

I found it hard to focus and concentrate on school work at home

I found it easier to focus and concentrate on school work at home

I worked hard at the subjects I enjoyed

I did other activities at home with my family

I did other activities at home on my own

I spent a lot of time on screens (e.g. Xbox/ Playstation/ computer/ iPad or watched TV/ YouTube)

I went outside (e.g. walking, cycling, in the garden)

I did a lot of art, drawing or making things

I did more things to help at home (e.g. cooking, baking, cleaning, tidying)

I was more active and I could move around more

I was less active and I could chill more

It was quieter than at school

I had a good routine and knew what was happening each day

I did more things I liked

I felt more worried/ anxious/ stressed than usual

I felt less worried/ anxious/ stressed than usual

I missed my friends/ my teacher/ other people

I communicated with my friends on the phone or online

I missed my school routine

I liked my new routine

I found it hard to sleep

I slept better

I didn’t like that I couldn’t do my usual activities

I didn’t understand the work the school sent

What else would you like to tell us about your experience? (things you liked, didn’t like or good or difficult things that happened)

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How do you feel about going back to school?

Things I am looking forward to:

Things I am not looking forward to:

Things I like about going back:

Things I don’t like about going back:

What else would you like to tell us about how you feel? (e.g. strong feelings, mixed feelings or where your feeling depends on certain things, like ‘I want to go back, as long as I know where I’ll have lunch’)

What would you like to know/ do before you return to school?

Tell us here what questions you have or what information you would like to have (e.g. you might want to know about the people in your class, your classroom, lunchtimes, break time)

Any further comments

Do you have anything else to add that you would like to share with the school staff about things that have happened recently or about going back to school?