Preparation and planning for the transition to adulthood has implications to life outcomes for all students; positive or negative. Autistic students however, experience notable discrimination and experience poorer life outcomes, compared to neurotypical peers and people with any other disability. These negative outcomes relate to education, accommodation, job acquisition, mental and physical health. Women are also less likely to be diagnosis as autistic which impacts self-awareness and support/accommodations.
This project has two key aims;
(1)To investigate the roles of transition services in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) for autistic students in preparation for adulthood. Teachers play a critical role in supporting students to prepare and plan for the transition to adulthood. Teacher and autism support service knowledge, involvement and support they provide to autistic students and their families will be critically reviewed.
(2) To examine student and familial expectations/experiences of transition planning/implementation prior, during and post transition from school to adulthood. The trajectory of wellbeing outcomes for students and families (e.g., mental, and physical health, relationships, finance, accommodation, education, and work), with focus on gender outcome differences, will be mapped longitudinally.