Hospital to school transition following traumatic brain injury: A qualitative longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: The transition from hospital to school is regarded by researchers as a key factor in the educational success of students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to look closely at what transition services consist of, how they are delivered, and how they are received by educators. METHODS: Parents and educators of 21 students with TBI participated in a qualitative study of the delivery of transition services and implementation of hospital recommendations. RESULTS: This paper presents two themes that emerged from interview and observational data collected over a 7-year period: 1) provision of hospital-school transition services is inconsistent and 2) teachers lack sufficient awareness of and training in TBI to implement hospital transition recommendations. Regardless of the type and quality of transition support, most educators in the students' schools remained unaware of the students' needs and how to meet them. CONCLUSION: Recommendations include more consistent and specific communication between hospital and school for all students with TBI, long-term tracking of the injury in student files, and increased training of educators in how to meet the needs of students with TBI.