Transitions can be tough for anyone because, let’s face it, change is hard, especially when it interrupts your routine and forces you out of your comfort zone.
But for children in care, who rely on their routine to feel safe and secure, transitions can often feel more uncomfortable, confusing and overwhelming. When a foster child is also autistic, they are even more vulnerable to the challenges change brings.
As the foster carer of an autistic child, they’ll need your support to guide them through transitions – from the intense emotions they evoke to adapting to the new normal.
In this blog, you’ll learn why autistic children can find change difficult, the types of transitions they may experience while in your care, and strategies to help them.
Why children with autism struggle with transitions
Autistic children can often see the world as a scary and confusing place because their brains are wired to process sensory information differently. This means they rely on predictable routines and repetition to make sense of their surroundings and to feel safe.
For example, they may prefer to eat the same meals at the same time every day, always complete tasks in the same order, and have a need to know precisely when and what happens next.
When things deviate from an autistic child’s familiar schedule, or unplanned changes happen, it might cause a great deal of stress and anxiety, which can trigger big emotions or self-soothing ‘stimming’ activities to calm themselves, such as hand flapping or pacing.
As a result, children on the autism spectrum can find transitions difficult, regardless of whether they’re big or small, permanent or temporary. While neurotypical children might find moving from one task to another easy, or going on holiday exciting, autistic children may need more support to help them manage these changes.
Transitions a child may experience
One of the most significant transitions a foster child will experience is moving into care, but change doesn’t stop there – it happens throughout childhood, and could include things like:
- Moving to another foster home.
- Moving house with their foster family.
- Welcoming another child into the home.
- Experiencing the death of a loved one.
- Starting secondary school or moving to a new school.
- Sitting their exams.
- Leaving care.
Autistic children might not just struggle with the big things that happen in life; they may also find the little changes that occur throughout the year and during the day, distressing. This could be switching from one classroom to another, changing activities or contending with sudden changes, like a school snow day. It could also be taking a break from the structured school routine during the holidays, or taking a trip to an unfamiliar place.
The good news is that with some planning and creativity, you can help autistic children who struggle with transitions to feel safe and secure when change comes.
How to help a child who struggles with transitions
Stick closely to their usual routine
When transitions happen, your foster child’s routine is likely to change to some extent. But one of the best ways you can help them continue to feel safe and secure is to keep some elements of their routine the same.
For example, during the school holidays, sticking to the same wake-up time, bedtime, and mealtimes will provide an element of structure and familiarity to their day. And if you offer interim foster care and your foster child is transitioning to another home, passing on as much information about the child’s routine to their next foster carers will help them as they begin to settle into their new foster home.
Eliminate the element of surprise
Not knowing what an environment is going to look like, who’s going to be there and what’s going to happen and when, can turn a well-meaning day trip you’ve planned for fun, into something of a nightmare for autistic children.
That’s where tools like AccessAble come in handy. Just type in the postcode or name of the place you’re visiting, and you’ll find a guide which includes photos and useful information for people with SENDs. You can use this information to walk your foster child through the day, from the car park to entering the place of interest, toilets and places to eat.
You could also create an itinerary that breaks down the day into manageable chunks and shows them exactly what will happen and when. This removes the element of surprise that many children on the autism spectrum find difficult, allowing them to have fun on the day without the anxiety of the unknown.
Use visuals and props
Many autistic children are visual learners, which means they find it easier to process information through pictures, videos and diagrams, rather than through verbal instructions alone.
When a transition changes your foster child’s schedule, you can help them process the change, remember their new routine, and reduce anxiety by creating a visual schedule that shows them a step-by-step of their day in pictures and displaying it in their bedroom.
If your foster child struggles to transition between tasks, you can also use props such as sand timers and alarms on your phone to help them recognise when it’s time to move on to the next task.
Preparation
Planning well ahead is the key to helping autistic foster children through transitions.
For example, if you’re moving house, your foster child may need to visit your new home a few times, practice the journey from the new home to school, spend time in the new community, and plan the décor of their new room before moving in. So you’ll need to plan far in advance to ensure you can fit all of these steps in before moving day.
Part of the planning process for any transition is also making sure your foster child has a little ready-to-use emergency kit of things that make them feel better when they’re overwhelmed and dysregulated. This could be their favourite fidget toy, noise-cancelling headphones, or a special blanket that brings them comfort.
Preparation doesn’t just help your foster child, it helps you too. When you know that you have planned well, you’ll have the confidence to guide your foster child through the transition because you’ll be prepared for whatever it brings.
Trial and error
Autistic children are all unique, which means what might work for one child may not work for another and vice versa, so don’t get disheartened if you implement a strategy and it doesn’t go to plan.
It will take some time, trial and error to find approaches that work for you and your foster child, until eventually you’ll have some in your back pocket, ready to use.
We’re here to support you
At FCA Scotland, we understand the challenges autistic foster children face, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. From our fostering allowance and perks to our wrap-around support and extensive training, you’ll have everything you need to transform the lives of vulnerable children in Scotland.
Whether you provide solo foster care or foster as part of a couple, we’ll be here for you.
To learn more about fostering with FCA Scotland, call us today on 0141 646 4805 or submit your details via our online form, and we’ll call you.
