‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences
Educational and social experiences and outcomes remain poor for autistic children in Western educational systems. Transitions between stages of schooling and beyond mandatory education are times of particular challenge. Traditionally, to address these difficulties, there has been a tendency to focus...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Societal Impacts |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697725000244 |
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| _version_ | 1850120297454239744 |
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| author | Sarah Parsons Abigail Wright Lowri Roberts Jessica Lewis Molly McGiveron Hanna Kovshoff |
| author_facet | Sarah Parsons Abigail Wright Lowri Roberts Jessica Lewis Molly McGiveron Hanna Kovshoff |
| author_sort | Sarah Parsons |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Educational and social experiences and outcomes remain poor for autistic children in Western educational systems. Transitions between stages of schooling and beyond mandatory education are times of particular challenge. Traditionally, to address these difficulties, there has been a tendency to focus on the difficulties experienced by young people rather than their strengths and interests, leading to deficit-focused approaches to thinking and support. To disrupt this status quo, we co-produced a strengths-based, transition-support approach with children, families and educators to encourage a positive change in attitudes, awareness, and practices amongst those who support children’s transitions. ‘I am’ Digital Stories draw upon the creative, arts-based method of digital storytelling to enable children and young people to contribute their voices to transitions and educational decision-making. Here we report on why this methodology is needed, what it entails, and provide an example of how it has been embedded in the practice of an Educational Psychology team within a local authority in Wales, UK, with impactful outcomes. This example shows how it is possible to make changes within local service provision that makes a difference to children and families and has wider implications for any service that supports autistic children and young people. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cebcf5652e5b44d880183f7aaa122ca9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2949-6977 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societal Impacts |
| spelling | doaj-art-cebcf5652e5b44d880183f7aaa122ca92025-08-20T02:35:23ZengElsevierSocietal Impacts2949-69772025-12-01610012510.1016/j.socimp.2025.100125‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiencesSarah Parsons0Abigail Wright1Lowri Roberts2Jessica Lewis3Molly McGiveron4Hanna Kovshoff5Southampton Education School, University of Southampton, UK; The Autism Community Research Network @Southampton [ACoRNS], UK; Correspondence to: Southampton Education School, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.Educational Psychology Service, NPT Inclusion Service, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, UKEducational Psychology Service, NPT Inclusion Service, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, UKEducational Psychology Service, NPT Inclusion Service, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, UKEducational Psychology Service, NPT Inclusion Service, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, UKThe Autism Community Research Network @Southampton [ACoRNS], UK; School of Psychology, University of Southampton, UKEducational and social experiences and outcomes remain poor for autistic children in Western educational systems. Transitions between stages of schooling and beyond mandatory education are times of particular challenge. Traditionally, to address these difficulties, there has been a tendency to focus on the difficulties experienced by young people rather than their strengths and interests, leading to deficit-focused approaches to thinking and support. To disrupt this status quo, we co-produced a strengths-based, transition-support approach with children, families and educators to encourage a positive change in attitudes, awareness, and practices amongst those who support children’s transitions. ‘I am’ Digital Stories draw upon the creative, arts-based method of digital storytelling to enable children and young people to contribute their voices to transitions and educational decision-making. Here we report on why this methodology is needed, what it entails, and provide an example of how it has been embedded in the practice of an Educational Psychology team within a local authority in Wales, UK, with impactful outcomes. This example shows how it is possible to make changes within local service provision that makes a difference to children and families and has wider implications for any service that supports autistic children and young people.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697725000244AutismChildren’s voicesQuality educationInclusionDigital storytellingTransitions |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Parsons Abigail Wright Lowri Roberts Jessica Lewis Molly McGiveron Hanna Kovshoff ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences Societal Impacts Autism Children’s voices Quality education Inclusion Digital storytelling Transitions |
| title | ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences |
| title_full | ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences |
| title_fullStr | ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences |
| title_short | ‘I am’ Digital Stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision-making and improve educational experiences |
| title_sort | i am digital stories for enabling the voices of autistic children and young people to contribute to educational decision making and improve educational experiences |
| topic | Autism Children’s voices Quality education Inclusion Digital storytelling Transitions |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697725000244 |
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