The Handbook of Transitions brings together in one book some of the key passages on change and transitions from Louise Michelle Bombèrs best loved writing, updated for todays demands and uncertainties. So that when you are thinking about transitions a child or young person may be facing, or if you have recognised that a child or young person you know is generally struggling with transitions at the moment, youll readily find thoughts and ideas to help you. Themes include the need for a deep sense of felt safety, through access to consistent, reliable, empathic adults, and a safe base: structure, issues such as power, choice and control, timing, transitional objects and rituals, interruptions, moving school, handling exclusions, and much more. Youll also find thoughts around what these pupils need from the adults around them to support them to navigate transitions.
Andrea Perrys introduction and additional annotation around Louises writing highlights the significance of her often prescient thinking and suggestions in the light of social change over the last decade or so, which have created additional challenges for our already vulnerable children and young people. Indeed, current government policy focuses strongly on the transition from primary to secondary schooling emphasizing the need to manage that change empathetically and retain inclusion in mainstream education.
For nearly 20 years, Louise Michelle Bombèr has consistently provided informed, thoughtful and inspiring writing full of innovative, practice-evidenced and practical ideas for educators, parents and carers who face challenges in schools. In her many books she has written about transitions in school from many angles, drawing on biology, neuroscience, attachment aware, trauma responsive approaches and her extensive frontline experience of working with children and young people.
The capacity we develop as children to cope with transitions lays the foundation for our ability to cope with change and transition in the future. Some children and young people in our schools today find transitions extremely difficult, whether that involves coming into school each morning, or even coming into school at all. In school there are transitions throughout the day, different subjects, different people, different styles of learning, different kit needed - together with the huge transition from primary to secondary. This transition may be of particular concern to families where a child needs specialist provision (SEND), and is not sure what support will be available to them at the next school.
A number of children and young people struggle with shift from one focus to another: or with being organised, with managing uncertainty and unstructured time, with managing large groups rather than small numbers - so many things to navigate. If children are already experiencing difficulties because of relational trauma and losses, and/or because of the many intersectional challenges facing families today, transitions in school can create dysregulation and enormous stress. Louise encourages staff to be proactive in supporting them to manage transitions, enabling them to feel safe, empowered and able to make the most of everything school offers, as well as creating a healthy template for their futures.
This book provides practical, evidence-based help, and hope.
