What is transition?

James enjoys a rock session at jacksplace

Transition is a process that has become increasingly important at Naomi House since the opening of jacksplace in 2009. Many young people with complex problems and disabilities are now living longer into adulthood, therefore it has become essential for jacksplace to be able to offer them expert support, care and fun in an adult environment.

You can find out more about Transition by visiting the ACT website.

The transition process involves a young person moving from paediatric to adult services. This means instead of having one paediatric consultant they may now have several different consultants for different problems. As a result their care packages from the NHS become a lot more complex. Here at Naomi House transition means that a child will move from visiting Naomi House to staying at jacksplace for respite care and other services.

Transition, at Naomi House, begins when a child and their family start to discuss and plan for these changes. This usually occurs between the ages of 14-16 and is completed around the time they are 18.

Each individual case is different; some may find the transition to adult life easy, where as others may find it more difficult. It can also be hard for families to adjust to the transition for several reasons. For example they may struggle to come to terms with the fact that their child is becoming an adult or that their child may wish to become more independent. They may also be worried about staying somewhere new, because Naomi House has become so familiar.

The team at jacksplace are now working towards indentifying the main issues a young person and their family may experience during transition and working out, with each family, the best way to approach their individual situation. With this knowledge new ideas are being adopted to help make the transition from Naomi House to jacksplace as comfortable as possible for all who are involved. Bonnie is an example of a young person who has made transition from Naomi House to jacksplace. Click here to read her story.

One of the key ways of doing this is by offering taster weekends which allow a young person to come in and experience jacksplace first hand. During these weekends they have the opportunity to speak to other young people who may be staying with us and also attend workshops where they can play games and demonstrate their feelings through role plays. jacksplace also offers support in a variety of other ways including parent support groups. These enable parents to access information, voice their concerns and talk to other families who may be in similar situations or have successfully gone through the transition process.

The care team at jacksplace includes two transition workers, who together are developing new ways to assist families through the transition process and their most recent challenge is developing a pathway of care for young adults.

The transition team at jackplace are currently working in partnership with Hampshire County Council to address the issues of transition for life limited young adults. Vicky Amos is one half of the transition team, she said, “Our purpose at jacksplace is to try and identify the main issues during the transition process. By gaining a better understanding of these difficulties we will be able to find new ways to minimise the main problems and make the process and smooth as possible. Not just for the young adults but their families as well”.