Someone new is about to help your child. It might be a teaching assistant, a respite worker, a therapist, or a member of a care team. You may feel the familiar pull to explain everything at once, before something gets missed. A useful handover can be smaller than that. It can begin with the person your child is, what matters to them, and what helps them feel safe enough to be themselves.
- A handover can lead with your child’s preferences, strengths and ways of communicating, not a list of difficulties.
- The child’s own view can be included in a way that works for them, with time and without pressure.
- Services and settings share responsibility for a good handover. A family should not be expected to train every new adult alone.
Start with who your child is
When a new adult receives a long list of needs, they can miss the person in front of them. A few ordinary details can be a better place to start: what your child enjoys, what a good afternoon looks like, what they are proud of, and who helps them feel at ease.
You might also name things that make a difference in daily life. Perhaps your child likes to know the plan before leaving home, needs a quieter place to think, prefers someone to speak plainly, or communicates more easily while drawing or walking. These are not demands for perfection. They are useful information for a respectful beginning.
Make room for your child’s own words
NICE says support should take account of a child or young person’s needs, strengths and preferences. Their contribution does not have to happen in a formal meeting. They may want to choose from a few pictures, type a note, show a favourite activity, talk to one trusted person first, or say nothing that day.
You can explain to a new support person what helps them hear your child. You do not have to speak for your child in every moment. If a child does not want to share something, that is information too. Adults can keep the invitation open and come back later when it is appropriate.
Keep it useful, not perfect
A short page can be enough: ‘Things I enjoy’, ‘How I show I need a break’, ‘How to make a question easier’, ‘Who I trust’, and ‘What to do if a plan changes’. Choose only what is useful for this person and this setting. A school may need different details from a dentist or a new respite worker.
It is okay if the information changes. Children grow, routines shift and a new relationship teaches everyone something. You can ask the new adult to check back after a few visits: ‘What have you noticed? What has helped? Is there anything we should change together?’ A handover is a starting point, not a test you need to pass.
Ask what the setting will do
The responsibility does not stop with your family. A school, clinic or provider can say who will read the information, how it will be shared safely, and how a new colleague will be introduced. They can also explain what they will do if the usual person is away.
A simple question can help: ‘How will you make sure my child is known as a person, not only through a file?’ You can also ask how your child will be told about a change and who will listen if something does not feel right. Good support is built by adults working together, not by one parent carrying every detail alone.
Leave room for privacy and choice
Not every detail belongs in every handover. Share what is needed for your child to be understood and supported in that moment. If your child is old enough to have a view about what is shared, include it in the way that works for them. Be honest if a service has to record something for safety or legal reasons.
This guide offers general information, not individual care advice. If a change in support creates an immediate safety concern, use the relevant urgent or emergency route. In the everyday moments around a new person, a small, respectful introduction can make a real difference.
Questions you can take with you
To a doctor, school meeting, therapist — or simply a quiet conversation at home.
- What would I like a new person to notice about my child before anything else?
- What helps my child say yes, no, not now, or I need a break?
- What will this setting do to introduce a new adult and carry information forward?
- When can we check together whether the support feels right?
The guidance underneath this guide
Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and managementNICE guideline CG170General information, not individual medical advice. A qualified professional can help with your child’s particular situation.