Transition planning for young people with severe learning disabilities : social positions and power relationships

Abstract

A Participative Action Research methodology was used to investigate whether six young people with severe learning disabilities were able to express their views and aspirations during their transition planning meeting. Although the young people were able to make choices and communicate their views and aspirations in an often assertive manner, this did not guarantee that they were meaningfully included. Professionals and school staff were unaccustomed to including the young people which meant that they often used language that excluded them. The social positions of stakeholders and their associated power relationships were already well established, which meant that the professionals held the most privileged position during the transition meetings. It was unclear how the professionals would relinquish their power to ensure the young people were meaningfully included. This study proposes that the structure of transition planning should change if meaningful inclusion is to take place.