Using the New Zealand Child and Youth Profile with groups transitioning students with complex needs into or out of secondary school : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Educational Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Abstract

The transition for students with complex needs when changing or leaving school can be a significant process for both the student, their families, schools and the community. Transitions bring mixed emotions of anxiety and excitement for the student and their family as they enter a new setting and new relationships are forged. The focus of this study was to investigate whether the New Zealand Child and Youth Profile (NZCYP) could support and assist with successful transition for two students transitioning either into or out of secondary school. Two groups supporting a student with complex needs, used the NZCYP to gather information about the student to assist with transition. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data about the usefulness of the NZCYP and its ability to support successful transitions. A thematic analysis was used to code the data and discover the dominant themes. The data revealed that the participants of the focus groups were mostly enthusiastic about the NZCYP. The findings suggest that the NZCYP can support groups to collaborate in order to gather and collate useful information for students with complex needs. It has the potential to support planning and successful transition. More research is required around how to best use the NZCYP to gain maximum benefits for its use in transition.