Transitions

At Futures we recognise that any young person who has experienced trauma, or who has high anxiety, or who is neurodivergent may be particularly sensitive to change. For adopted or looked after young people they may have been faced with multiple changes in their environments; some at very short notice. When a young person’s stress-response system is compromised by these persistent experiences of fear and uncertainty this can lead to a young person withdrawing and exhibiting avoidant behaviours as their anxieties around transitions increase.

Transitioning into Futures

At Futures we place huge importance on helping the young person settle upon arrival to the provision in the morning based on the needs of the individual young person. For example:

• Gentle transition into the provision with increased time to full time depending on the needs of the young person.
• On a needs basis we can provide a home visit with a key adult if the student requires.
• A familiar and consistent key adult meets the young person and acts as a “secure base”.
• To support with managing the various transitions within the provision day, a daily timetable will be communicated to the young person to help instil structure and predictability.

Transitions between activities in the provision day

Where some students may have been prevented from finishing something they enjoyed or lacked control over the beginning and ending of activities these changes leave young people hypervigilant to transitions in the provision. All staff provide adaptive teaching and learning methods to support this.