ABSTRACT
Transition post-acquired brain injury (ABI) for children or young people (CYP) refers to the process by which the CYP’s needs transfer from being met primarily within the health system to more long-term support within the community. Most frequently, this involves transferring directly from hospital to school with or without specialist outreach support. Rehabilitation following paediatric ABI is a long-term process. It is not possible to know the full impact of the ABI until the CYP’s brain has reached maturity. As such, schools inevitably become a primary service provider for children following an ABI.
This chapter considers the application of a systems approach: the SHARED model. The authors note current national and local guidance on the matter, before describing the key elements of their model: systems, hypothesis-led, assessment, formulation, evaluation and development. The model can be applied in an interactive way to support the needs of CYP and their families both during the initial transition from health setting to education and throughout their educational years. The authors draw on their own clinical practice and experience to share ideas and applications of the model to promote optimal outcomes.
