Strategies and tools to aid the transition between paediatric and adult health services for young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

IntroductionThe transition from paediatric to adult healthcare comes with risk and vulnerability for young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders and their carers. Deficits in health, social and disability systems and the fragmentation of services exacerbate problems during the transition period, leaving young people and their carers feeling disconnected with existing services. With advances in healthcare, the number of young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders requiring transition services is increasing. This scoping review aims to summarise the strategies and tools that help ease the transition to adult services for young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders.Methods and analysisSystematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsychInfo on the OVID platform were performed on 28/05/2022. Studies that describe tools or strategies designed to ease the transition from child-centred to adult-orientated healthcare for young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders will be included. Two authors will independently review titles, abstracts and full-text articles against the inclusion criteria to determine eligibility. Data will be extracted and synthesised using descriptive stats and thematic analysis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines will be followed.ConclusionThis scoping review will synthesise the published literature describing strategies and tools to improve the transition of young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders to adult services. The findings of the review may inform areas of future research to improve care for all involved in the transition process.Ethics and disseminationThis review will include published data; as such, ethics approval is not required. We will publish our findings in an open-access, peer-reviewed journal and summarise the results for dissemination to the wider community of clinicians, allied healthcare professionals, teaching professionals, policymakers, non-governmental organisations, impacted youth and parents.