Tool 1: Best Practices in Transition Planning

Best practices are programs, initiatives or activities which are considered
leading edge, or exceptional models for others to follow. Many research
studies have been undertaken to identify the best practices in transition
planning. A summary of that information is provided below.

Person-Centred/Person Directed

Involving the child with developmental disabilities in the planning
process in ways consistent with their abilities is an important key to its
success. When the person is engaged in the process and is making choices
about their future, the likelihood of positive outcomes is enhanced.
Having the young person take a leadership role is also a good opportunity
for them to enhance their self-advocacy or self-determination skills. This
is a much needed skill for making the transition to adult life.

The plan focuses on strengths and abilities rather than disabilities and
identifies appropriate activities that are responsive to the child’s needs for
pputting the plan in action. Typically, a person-centred plan should
include the following steps:

• Share background information about the individual.
• Pulling together an energetic team to develop a comprehensive
  personal profile of the individual.
• Identifying a clear, unrestricted vision of success which guides
  the rest of the process. This vision involves the person’s talents
  and dreams, and includes new roles he or she can fill in society.
• Developing the plan.

Include Others

It is important to include parents and/or other family members in transition
planning. Evidence shows that this involvement increases the success of
transition planning. Typically, the parents and family know the child
best and are most able to identify the child’s strengths in putting together
the transition plan. The child’s best advocate is a parent who will likely
have the greatest insight into what their child wants to accomplish.
Parents can also share their child’s dream and help them put it into
action through a transition plan.

It is also important to involve other individuals in the development of
the transition plan. While parents have invaluable insight to their
child’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, and dreams, they may not have a
completely unbiased view of what their child is capable of accomplishing.
Other individuals to consider in forming a transition team could include:
friends, teachers, social workers, current and future community service
providers, post-secondary representatives, employers and/or members of
community business organizations, etc. These individuals can make
invaluable contributions to the transition planning process by helping to
build a network of supports and services that will be needed to make the
transition to adult life.

Identify a Coordinator

A coordinator for the transition planning process should be someone that
the family is comfortable dealing with and could be any member of the
transition planning team. This role could be assigned to a parent or
other family member, or it may be a teacher or other school official if the
plan is being coordinated through the school system.

Typically, the coordinator plays an important role in tying together the
many transition activities that may be happening concurrently; for example,
transition activities in the school system, coordination with the service
system and activities at home and in the community. The coordinator
would play a key administration role by scheduling meetings and recording
minutes of meetings, tracking activities identified for action and following
up on implementation of activities. The coordinator would also be
responsible for writing up the transition plan and ensuring that review
and updating occurs on a regular and timely basis.

Monitor and Update

One of the most important concepts in developing a transition plan is
the need to have the plan reflect the preferences and interests of the
child. It is the responsibility of the transition team and more specifically
the coordinator, to monitor, review and update the plan regularly to
ensure that the interests of the child are central to the process.

These plan “check-ups” should be used to review and update progress on
identified actions, record achievements, identify new tasks or actions to
be taken, and review the goals to ensure they are still consistent with the
child’s interests and preferences. The transition plan is a document that
should be updated and reviewed even beyond the transition itself.

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