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Date
01 June 2023
Link
inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/preparing-students-to-leave-school/involve-parents-and-whanau

​​Involve parents and whānau

Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Support effective transitions’

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Main influences

Main influences

Consider the influence and impact of family and friends.

For most students, families were their single most useful source of career information. More than 80 percent said that talking with their family about their future options was either “very useful” or “useful”.

Talking with their friends was their next most useful source of career information.

Cathy Wylie, Edith Hodgen, Rosemary Hipkins and Karen Vaughan

Source: On the edge of adulthood: Summary of key findings from the competent learners @ 16 project. NZCER (2009) (opens in a new tab/window)

Source:
On the edge of adulthood: Summary of key findings from the competent learners @ 16 project. NZCER (2009)
https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ECE/2567/9231

How parents can help

How parents can help

Parents and caregivers are the single biggest influence on a young person’s career decisions.

Encourage parents and caregivers to:

  • build dreams with their child
  • have career and future-orientated conversations early on
  • discuss and explore career options
  • support their young people to develop a CV
  • support work experiences within the types of jobs that interest their teenager
  • support their teenager with learning life and work skills at home.

Source: Careers New Zealand (opens in a new tab/window)

Use e-portfolios to collaborate

Use e-portfolios to collaborate

John Robinson HoD Learning Support, Onslow College, describes how an online portfolio enables aspirations to be shared easily.

Video hosted on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/100662366

Source: Ministry of Education, inclusive education videos (NZ) (opens in a new tab/window)

Closed Captions

Source:
Ministry of Education, inclusive education videos (NZ)
https://vimeo.com/album/2950799

Understand whānau needs and aspirations

Understand whānau needs and aspirations

Develop a shared understanding of the student’s aspirations, based on their hopes and ambitions and their cultural contexts and responsibilities.

  • Listen to the aspirations of parents and whānau.
  • Provide the family or whānau with information that will help them to create a positive vision of their child’s future.
  • Acknowledge that the family or whānau may have their own support needs and alert them to support agencies and information.
  • Discuss the student's and family’s past experiences with schooling and the implications of these for growing positive relationships.
  • Discuss how to support increased independence as the student moves into adulthood.

Source: National transition guidelines for specialist educators, schools, and parents: Guidelines for transitioning students with special needs from school to adult life (opens in a new tab/window)

Information-sharing strategies

Information-sharing strategies

Provide multiple opportunities for parents and whānau to build their understanding of what transition from school involves.

  • Provide a contact person for each family so that they can discuss concerns and ask questions.
  • Invite parents to transition information hui.
  • Invite parents to events where their young person is being recognised for an achievement.
  • Invite parents to listen to talks by past students who are doing well in tertiary study or employment.
  • Keep parents and whānau informed of expos they can attend with their teenager.
  • Introduce parents and whānau to the careers staff.
  • Provide parents and whānau with timely communication about practical ways they can support their young person.

Useful resources

Useful resources

Services and support in special education for children at school

Services and support in special education for children at school

Read time: 36 min

This booklet for parents of young people with special needs explains the planning and support required to facilitate a smooth transition from secondary school.

Download PDF

Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Support effective transitions”:

Return to the guide “Preparing students to leave school”

11515 [Leaving-school3.JPG]

Leaving school

How to use this site

Guide to Index of the guide: Leaving school

Strategies for action:

Key resources:

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