Personal Transitions

The term ‘transitions’ is used to refer to changes between services, such as moving from primary to secondary school, or transitions at 16 to, college, an apprenticeship, working life etc. The term may also refer to life changes which may be common, such as going through puberty, or personal transitions, which are not necessarily shared or understood by all their peers. These may include:

Family illness or the death of a close relative
Divorce and the split of the family
Issues related to sexuality
Adoption
The process of asylum
Leaving care
Teenage pregnancy
Disabilities
Parental mental health
Substance misuse
The consequences of crime.

Personal Transition problems are exacerbated within areas of severe social deprivation, such as the South Belfast Highway to Health target areas. Higher levels of illness, substance & alcohol abuse, mental illness, teenage pregancies etc will lead to more turbulant personal transitions, and perhaps greater problems down the line.
There is not enough research to fully understand to how much greater the problem of turbulant personal transitions is within the target areas, but it can be assumed with confidence it is a significant one.

Below are links to census information on each of South Belfast Highway to Health’s target areas

Lower Ormeau (Botanic Ward SOA 5) click here
Sandy Row (Shaftsbury Ward SOA 2) click here
Donegall Pass (Shaftsbury Ward SOA 2) click here
The Markets (Shaftsbury Ward SOA 1) click here
The Village (Blackstaff Ward) click here

Useful Websites

www.dcsf.gov.uk
www.goodtoknow.co.uk
www.childline.org.uk
www.citizensadvice.co.uk