NI Transitions Programme report shows positive impact on parent carers

2 mins read

Thursday 16 January 2025

Last year, Contact Northern Ireland (NI) completed a three-year programme called ‘Preparing for Transition’. The project was run in partnership with Carers NI and funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund

The programme supported parent carers of disabled young people as they navigated the transition from educational settings to adult life. 

Through a combination of workshops, peer support sessions, and regional opportunity fairs, the programme reached hundreds of families in schools and communities across Northern Ireland. It provided parent carers with information about their rights, support to access services and help in planning for the future, empowering families during what can be a challenging time. 

At the end of the programme, Contact NI asked an independent research company to evaluate the project and make some recommendations. 

Results of the evaluation 

  • 99% of parent carers reported feeling better informed about how to get the support they need after attending sessions. 
  • 96% said they had a greater understanding of ideas and resources to support their families, with 41.7% strongly agreeing. 
  • 85.3% of parent carers felt more confident navigating the transitions process, with 36.7% strongly agreeing. 
  • 74.7% felt better able to manage stress, while 82.7% reported feeling less isolated. 

The evaluation also gathered feedback from parent carers, SENCOs and other professionals. Some of the comments included: 

“It was lovely listening about how to support the child – very positive. Often all you hear about are problems, but this was about figuring out what support you need and how to get it.” 

“We do not have to do this on our own. There is information there if we know who to contact.” 

Read the the evaluation report

The evaluation summary highlighted the positive impact the programme had on families and said that this approach could be rolled out more widely across NI and the UK. 

See our webpage for details on the programme and to access the full evaluation report or the executive summary.

For further questions or information about the project, please email Susan Walls, Head of Programmes NI, at susan.walls.contact.org.uk