Before the move.
Make room for hopes as well as worries. Explore the new setting, identify interests the young person wants to pursue and agree a manageable plan for the first week.
During the first weeks.
Regular conversations can help make unfamiliar routines less overwhelming. A mentor can listen, break challenges into smaller steps and help a young person practise asking for support.
As confidence develops.
Keep the conversation wider than grades. Ask about friendships, participation and what the young person is enjoying. Review the support as their needs change, recognising progress without expecting every transition to follow the same timetable.
From the ECNM journal
This reading edition adapts our published work. Explore the original articles below.