The nature of collaboration in transition planning for autistic students moving into further education and training from the perspectives of post-primary teachers in Ireland
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The growing prevalence of autistic students transitioning to post-primary schools in Ireland is placing a central emphasis on the importance of early transition planning and interagency collaboration. This article explores the nature of collaboration in transition planning for autistic students moving into Further Education and Training and seeks to capture the perspectives of post-primary educators on the nature of this collaboration and its efficacy drawing on the insights of autism class teachers, Special Educational Needs coordinators and guidance counsellors in post-primary settings. The main findings indicate that transition planning for this group of students occurs at an informal level. While Ireland lacks a formal transitioning process, there are many examples of informal processes which occur organically within schools. The informal nature of transition planning reveals an absence of student involvement in their own post-secondary pathways. The study reveals that the characteristics often associated with autism such as poor social and life skills combined with concerns around provisions within the FET sector to support those needs impact student progression routes. Echoing previous Irish research, the findings recommend the implementation of a formalized transitional framework which compels ongoing interagency collaboration and accords with international best practice in the field of inclusive education.
Source: Irish Educational Studies
Authors: Marcella Carolan, Órla M. Slattery
Institutions: University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College
Language: English
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4410840733