Bridging the Gap: Making the transition from paediatric to adult services

Session

9.04

Practice Report

• • Lindsay Lambert (Keycomm)

Funding / Sponsorship:

Project was funded by Right To Speak, Scottish Government, and The Barnett Trust for Nursing(2015)

Summary

To provide an overview of the Keycomm Transition project where we created a pathway to support AAC users moving from paediatric to adult services. We aimed to maintain and develop the young people’s communication skills and those of their families and key support staff. We aimed to promote multidisciplinary work between young people, families and peadiatric and adult staff in order to streamline the transition process.

Method/Activities/Techniques

The project started in 2013. Each target group of young people are identified in their final 6 months of school. We liaise with the school staff, the paediatric SLT and other people who know the young person well, through observation and discussion in the home and school environments. Links are made with the receiving placement and families, training needs identified and joint training carried out prior to the young person’s start date.

Results/Findings

The number of young people who continue to use their AAC system regularly in their post school placement has increased. Collaboration between therapy services and adult, social care staff has increased.

Conclusions

Through on site training we aim to continue to raise the skill level within the adult care sector. We also hope to engage a group of service users to help us to create a ‘training package’ that they can use to help train new staff themselves.

Level of Session

General

Age Group

Adolescent

Interest

Secondary school
Transitions