Using Digital Stories for assessments and transition planning for autistic pre-school children

Abstract

Aims:‘I am…’ Digital Stories are short videos designed to provide a holistic, strengths-based representation of the child through enabling them to contribute their perspectives to transition planning. Digital Stories have potential during periods in which professionals are unable to physically visit settings or spend time getting to know a child. This paper describes the use of Digital Stories in two contexts: (1) being shown at the beginning of person-centred planning meetings focusing on the transition to primary school; and (2) as a tool to support educational psychologists conducting Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessments for preschool children during Covid-19.Method:Data was collected via seven semi-structured interviews, 15 feedback forms, and videos of four meetings. Participants comprised six parents/carers, five nursery practitioners, three school staff members, and six educational psychologists. Thematic analysis resulted in five main themes: thinking differently; a wider conversation; more than words; seeing what they see; and potential barriers to making Digital Stories.Limitations:Children were not able to make their own Digital Stories, which could have influenced their representation within the videos, transition meetings and assessments. However, children’s body worn camera footage was included, enabling a perspective on their interactions and preferences that was closer to the child’s worldview than other observational methods.Conclusions:Digital Stories have a variety of benefits to practice, including being useful to educational psychologists during assessments, and have the potential to facilitate successful transitions from nursery to primary school.

Using ‘I am’ Digital Stories to facilitate autistic young people to have a voice in their transition to adulthood

“…The ‘I am’ Digital Stories methodology was originally developed in an early years' setting to enable the voices of young autistic children as they made their nursery to primary school transition (Parsons et al, 2021; Wood‐Downie et al, 2021). The aim of this research was to extend and evaluate the use of this methodology to facilitate knowledge co‐construction of autistic young people's transitions from a residential special school to adult provision.…”

“…Moreover, autistic children are frequently characterised according to their difficulties and challenges, rather than their strengths, abilities, and positive experiences, leading to descriptions which focus on their ‘impairments’ and ‘deficits’ (Parsons et al, 2021; Wood‐Downie et al, 2021; Woods, 2017). With this focus, it is unsurprising that many practitioners and researchers may think that these children are too ‘hard to reach’ when considering their participation in decision‐making (Franklin & Sloper, 2009, p. 4).…”

“…As Ellis (2017) suggested, there needs to be a shift in research away from a reliance on ‘traditional research methods’ (p. 28) which privilege the spoken word, (e.g., interview and focus groups) towards the use of creative and visual methods to access young people's voices and perspectives. Additionally, it is crucial that descriptions focus on young people's capabilities and strengths to reframe the prevailing deficit‐based narratives about autistic children (Parsons et al, 2021; Wood‐Downie et al, 2021).…”

“…One such approach is the ‘I am’ Digital Story methodology, which was inspired by the ideas and practices of Joe Lambert (e.g., Lambert, 2010) to enable and empower the voices of frequently marginalised groups through not relying on formalised, written or spoken words to share experiences and meaning. The ‘I am’ Digital Story methodology was developed in an early years' setting to access the voices, experiences, and preferences of young autistic children as they prepared to move to their first school (Parsons et al, 2021; Wood‐Downie et al, 2021). ‘I am’ Digital Stories are ‘short videos designed to provide a holistic, strengths‐based representation of the child through enabling them to contribute their perspectives to transition planning’ (Wood‐Downie et al, 2021, p. 62).…”

“…The ‘I am’ Digital Story methodology was developed in an early years' setting to access the voices, experiences, and preferences of young autistic children as they prepared to move to their first school (Parsons et al, 2021; Wood‐Downie et al, 2021). ‘I am’ Digital Stories are ‘short videos designed to provide a holistic, strengths‐based representation of the child through enabling them to contribute their perspectives to transition planning’ (Wood‐Downie et al, 2021, p. 62). As such, they include footage that is targeted at capturing children's interactions and engagement within their environment and participation in everyday, routine activities.…”