Navigating Transitions: Creating Inclusive, Confident Change
Your child is starting kindy next month. You've filled out the enrolment forms, bought the lunchbox, and organised the uniform. But there's a knot in your stomach that won't go away.
Will they understand your child's communication needs? Will the staff know how to support them during meltdowns? Will your child feel safe, or will this be another place where they don't quite fit?
Transitions — moving from one environment, stage, or system to another — are challenging for all children. But for children with disability, transitions can bring additional layers of complexity, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Here's what you need to know: with the right preparation, advocacy, and support, transitions can become opportunities for growth, confidence, and belonging.
What Are Childhood Transitions?
A transition is any period of change where a child adjusts to new expectations, people, or places.
Transitions are both developmental (changes in abilities or skills) and situational (changes in context or environment).
They might include:
Developmental transitions: Gaining independence, trying new skills, reaching milestones.
Educational transitions: Moving from home to early learning, from kindy to primary school, from primary to secondary school, or from school to post-school options.
Social transitions: Joining new activities, forming friend groups, navigating peer relationships.
Health and care transitions: Changing therapy teams or clinics, transitioning from paediatric to adult healthcare, adjusting support plans.
Life stage transitions: Learning self-care, starting work, moving toward independence.
Each transition is a chance to strengthen your child's identity, skills, and confidence—but only if the right supports are in place.
Why Transitions Matter
Transitions aren't just logistical events. They're developmental milestones that shape how children see themselves and their place in the world.
Supporting key childhood transitions for children with disability is crucial for their lifelong development. Positive early experiences—especially during transitions—build a foundation of security, confidence, and belonging.
Foundation for Future Learning
Transitions teach children how to navigate change, adapt to new routines, and build relationships in unfamiliar settings. These are skills they'll use throughout their lives.
Sense of Belonging
Strong relationships and supportive environments help children feel secure and connected. When transitions are handled well, children learn that new places can be safe, welcoming, and inclusive.
Development of Capabilities
Transitions provide opportunities for children to build and apply skills in self-care, social interaction, communication, and understanding new expectations.
Effective transition support involves collaborative partnerships between families, educators, and allied health professionals to create personalised, responsive, and accessible environments that prioritise the child's strengths, interests, and perspectives.
At the RippleAbility Carer Respite Pilot, Aoife Gray from Hannah's House (RippleAbility's complex care service delivery partner) walked families through the practical, legal, and emotional aspects of navigating transitions. What follows builds on those insights.
Understanding the Barriers
Before we talk about solutions, let's name the barriers. Families navigating transitions often face:
Access and Inclusion Gaps
Not all early learning centres or schools are physically, socially, or emotionally accessible. Ramps, accessible toilets, sensory-friendly spaces, and inclusive curricula aren't standard—they're often fought for.
Health and Disability Needs Not Addressed
Without proper planning, children's medical, sensory, or behavioural needs can be overlooked or misunderstood. This isn't just inconvenient—it can be unsafe.
Staff Training and Competency
Many educators and support staff lack specialised training in disability, complex medical needs, or trauma-informed care. This isn't always their fault—it's a systemic issue—but it affects your child's experience.
Communication Challenges
When there's no clear point of contact, no regular review meetings, and no process for sharing updates from therapists or specialists, critical information falls through the cracks.
Funding Complexity
Navigating Child Care Subsidy (CCS), the Inclusion Support Program (ISP), NDIS funding, and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) is overwhelming. And if you don't know what's available, you can't access it.
These barriers are real. But they're not insurmountable.
Your Legal Rights: Access and Inclusion
Here's something every parent needs to know: Inclusion is not optional. It's the law.
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)
Under the DDA, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of a disability. This includes ensuring that children with disabilities have equal access to education and care services.
Early childhood centres and schools must make reasonable adjustments to accommodate children with disabilities—unless doing so would impose unjustifiable hardship (a high legal threshold that centres must prove, not just claim).
Reasonable adjustments might include:
Modifying the physical environment (ramps, accessible furniture)
Providing additional staffing or support
Adjusting routines or expectations
Using visual supports, communication aids, or sensory tools
National Quality Standard (NQS)
In Australia, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are guided by the National Quality Standard (NQS), which includes specific standards and elements focused on inclusion.
ECEC services are assessed on how well they support all children—including children with disability—to participate fully and meaningfully.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
All children have the right to education, care, and participation, regardless of ability. Inclusion isn't a favour—it's a fundamental right.
Inclusion allows children with disabilities to form friendships, practice social interactions, learn from peers, and develop a sense of belonging and confidence.
When a service says, "We can't support your child," the question isn't whether your child belongs. The question is whether the service is meeting its legal obligations.
Start Planning Early
Smooth transitions take time and teamwork. Begin the conversation months before the change. Here's how:
Visit the New Environment Together
Take your child to visit the centre or school multiple times before they start. Let them explore the space, meet teachers, and get familiar with the layout. Familiarity reduces anxiety.
Meet Teachers and Support Staff Early
Arrange meetings with key staff before your child starts. Share information about your child's communication methods, sensory needs, medical requirements, and what helps them feel safe.
Share Written Summaries or Profiles
Provide a one-page profile that summarises:
Your child's strengths and interests
Communication style (verbal, AAC, gestures, behaviour cues)
Sensory preferences (what helps, what overwhelms)
Medical or safety needs
What calms them, what upsets them
Create Visual Stories or Social Stories
Use photos or drawings to show your child what to expect: "This is your new classroom. This is your teacher. This is where we hang your bag."
Visual preparation helps children with disability process change and reduces fear of the unknown.
Plan Short Visits or Gradual Starts
Where possible, arrange short trial visits before the official start date. Gradual exposure builds confidence and allows staff to adjust supports as needed.
Building Inclusive Environments
Inclusive environments are physically accessible, socially welcoming, and emotionally safe.
Look for settings that:
Offer flexible routines and sensory-friendly spaces. Rigid schedules and overwhelming sensory environments set children up to fail.
Represent diversity in books, toys, and displays. Children need to see themselves reflected in the world around them.
Encourage peer understanding and kindness. Inclusion isn't just about the child with disability—it's about creating a culture where all children learn empathy, respect, and collaboration.
Use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. UDL means designing curricula, activities, and environments that work for the widest range of learners from the start—not as an afterthought.
Advocating During Change
Transitions work best when everyone shares the same goal: your child's wellbeing.
You can support that by:
1. Communicating Clearly
Provide written summaries or profiles. Don't rely on verbal handovers alone—details get lost. Put it in writing.
2. Collaborating Early
Build relationships with teachers, therapists, and support staff before issues arise. When trust exists, problem-solving is easier.
3. Being Assertive, Not Adversarial
You're part of the team, not the enemy. Approach conversations with the assumption that staff want to help—but may need guidance, resources, or training to do so effectively.
If you encounter resistance, calmly refer back to legal obligations (DDA, NQS) and ask, "What reasonable adjustments can we explore together?"
4. Following Up
Revisit plans once the transition begins. What's working? What's not? Adjust as needed. Transitions aren't one-and-done—they're ongoing processes.
Key Questions to Ask
When evaluating a new environment, ask:
Environment and Accessibility
Is the centre physically accessible for my child? (ramps, wide paths, accessible toilets)
Is equipment and medication safely stored and accessible when needed?
Are there sensory-friendly or quiet spaces if required?
Health and Disability Support
Do staff know about my child's health conditions or disability?
Is there an Individual Health Care Plan in place?
Is there an Individual Learning and Support Plan (ILSP) tailored to my child's developmental and inclusion goals?
Has the centre completed risk assessments for my child's activities?
Do staff know how to administer emergency medication if required?
Staff Training and Competency
Are staff trained in First Aid, CPR, and emergency response?
Do staff have specialised training for my child's needs (e.g., epilepsy, tube feeding, behaviour support)?
Can my support worker or registered nurse attend the setting with my child if needed?
Communication
Is there a clear point of contact for health or disability matters?
Am I able to share updates from doctors, therapists, or specialists?
Are regular planning or review meetings scheduled?
Know the Supports Available
Several government programs and funding streams exist to support inclusion during transitions:
NDIS Early Childhood Approach
Helps coordinate therapy and inclusion supports for young children with developmental delays or disability.
Inclusion Support Program (ISP)
Assists early learning services to make reasonable adjustments, including additional staffing, training, or resources.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)
Offset childcare costs. ACCS provides extra support for families experiencing hardship or with a child at risk.
School Education Act and Disability Standards for Education
Ensure that schools make reasonable adjustments and provide inclusive education.
NDIS Funding
May include funding for allied health services (speech, OT, physio), inclusion support in ECEC or school, specialist equipment, or therapy aids.
Note: We'll be publishing a detailed guide to navigating ECA (soon to be Thriving Kids…) and school transition funding soon.
A Note on Family Wellbeing
Transitions aren't just stressful for children—they're stressful for families.
You might be juggling:
Time off work for orientation visits and meetings
Anxiety about whether your child will be safe or included
Exhaustion from coordinating assessments, reports, and funding applications
Grief or frustration if previous transitions didn't go well
This is all valid. Transitions are big. And you don't have to do them alone.
Lean on your support network: therapists, support coordinators, other parents, advocacy organisations like RippleAbility. Ask for help. You're not expected to be an expert in education law, funding policy, and inclusion frameworks on top of being a parent.
Reflection Prompt
Before you move forward, take a moment to reflect:
"What change is coming up for our family, and what can we do today to make it easier?"
Consider who needs to know, what supports will help, and how you can prepare your child emotionally. Small steps now make a big difference later.
Download the Tools
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Explore More: Visit RippleAbility Guides & Stories for more resources to help you navigate your disability journey with confidence.
From the RippleAbility Team
Transitions can feel overwhelming. There are so many moving parts, so many unknowns, and so much riding on getting it right.
But here's what we know: when families are informed, supported, and empowered to advocate, transitions become manageable. And when systems do their part—when centres and schools honour their legal obligations and prioritise inclusion—children thrive.
You know your child best. You know what they need to feel safe, valued, and included. Trust that knowledge. And don't be afraid to speak up when systems fall short.
Inclusion isn't a favour. It's a right. And your child deserves to belong.
This resource provides general guidance only. Every child is unique—please seek professional advice that fits your family's specific needs.
