Moving day is the easy part. The four weeks that follow are when the placement either settles or starts to wobble. Most issues that surface in month three were visible in week one — and most are preventable with a deliberate settling plan.
Week 1: predictability
Keep the world small in week one. Same workers, same routine, no big outings. The brain is processing a new bedroom, a new bathroom, new sounds at night. That is enough novelty for any week.
- Two named regulars on every shift
- Daily routine written down and stuck on the fridge
- Family visits planned in advance, not surprise
- Sensory environment checked (lights, sounds, smells)
Week 2: layering in choices
Once the basic routine feels safe, start layering in small choices. Which day is shopping day. What is for dinner Tuesday. Which support worker comes Saturday. Choice fatigue is real — too many decisions too early overwhelms a new household.
Week 3: community re-entry
Now is the time to gently rebuild community connection. A short outing to a familiar place. A coffee with the support worker who is now becoming a known face. Old activities resume one at a time, not all at once.
Week 4: the first review
Hold a deliberate four-week review with the participant, family and provider. What is working, what is not, what changes for month two. Write it down. Share it with the support coordinator.
2–3
Recommended regulars in month 1
0–1
Outings week 1
3–4
Outings week 4
Day 28
First formal review
"We have never had a settling go badly when we held the four-week review on day 28. We have had plenty go badly when we skipped it."
Quick answers
Should family stay in the home the first night?▾
Generally no, unless it is part of the agreed plan. The support team needs to be the calming presence — that is what they are paid for.
What if the participant wants to leave in week one?▾
Normal. Pause, hold the routine, and revisit the conversation in week two. Most week-one panic settles.
When should belongings be unpacked?▾
Important comfort items on day one. Everything else over week one, with the participant where possible.
Key takeaway
Predictability in week one, choice in week two, community in week three, a deliberate review on day 28. Four weeks of structure buy you two years of stability.
Bon Voyage Respites
Transitions team
Written by the people delivering supports every day across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
