Becoming the Parent of a School Child: A Psychosocial Approach to Understanding the Transition Process for Parents of Children with SEN

Transitions to educational institutions have received growing attention in recent years, with research directed towards supporting effective transition policies, practices and programmes. In UK based research, minimal attention has been paid to what a parent may experience as their child with SEN transitions to school and how parents cope with these changes and adjustments. This qualitative study looked at how parents in an outer London borough experienced their child with SEN’s transition from nursery to school. In this study, the transition to school process was understood in the context of relational change, uncertainty, changes in expectations, as well as internal and interpersonal processes. A psychosocial approach was adopted and Hollway and Jefferson’s (2013) Free Association Narrative Interview Method was used to interview five parents about their experience. A thematic analysis was used to gather a rich account of the psychological and social dimensions of the transition process for each of these parents. Themes were then considered in conjunction with relevant psychoanalytic concepts. Findings are presented in relation to analysis, related theory and research. The limitations of this study and implications for educational psychology practice and the role of professionals in the transition to school are discussed, including a reflection on how the conceptualisation of transition may be pertinent to EP practice.