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The ability to get around on one’s own is perhaps the most decisive autonomy skill for the future of a teenager with Down’s syndrome. Without it, all other autonomies remain partial, dependent on the availability of a carer. With it, a world of possibilities opens up: social life, leisure, activities, and eventually employment.
This is a major issue that deserves the time and attention it deserves. Yes, many teenagers and adults with Down’s syndrome are able to move around independently. This autonomy needs to be prepared and built step by step, with method and patience.
The impact of autonomous travel on quality of life
Access to social life
Friendships in adolescence are largely based on outings: going to a friend’s house, meeting up in town, taking part in an activity together. A teenager who can’t go out on his or her own sees these opportunities limited to what his or her companions can organize.
Spontaneity, so important in teenage relationships, becomes impossible. “Meet me in an hour at the park” is unattainable if every trip has to be planned and accompanied. This constraint can isolate the teenager from his peers.
Even partial independence of movement radically changes this equation. Adolescents can join their friends, take part in group activities and live a social life closer to that of their peers.
Access to leisure activities
Sporting, artistic and community activities enrich life and contribute to development. But they also require travel. When every journey depends on a carer, the activities available are limited to those compatible with the family’s availability.
A teenager who travels independently can sign up for activities according to his or her interests, not according to logistical constraints. This freedom of choice is essential for personal development and identity-building.
Job preparation
Future employment depends to a large extent on the ability to get to work. Employers, even the most benevolent, are generally unable to adapt to schedules that depend on the availability of a carer.
An adult with Down’s syndrome who can move around independently has a much wider range of professional opportunities. They can apply for jobs far from home, adapt to a variety of working hours, and be reliable in their presence.
Working on independent mobility in adolescence is a direct preparation for future professional integration.
Different levels of autonomy
Local autonomy
The first level of autonomy concerns walking within a familiar perimeter: going to a neighbor’s house, going to the local bakery, going to the nearby park.
This level is often the first to be acquired, as it does not require mastery of public transport. Landmarks are familiar, distances short, risks limited. It’s a good starting point for developing confidence and basic skills.
Even this local autonomy has a significant impact on daily life. Adolescents can perform small services (such as fetching bread), exercise a form of independence and contribute to family life.
Autonomy on public transport
The next level involves mastering public transport: bus, metro, tramway, depending on the city. This skill considerably extends the accessible perimeter and opens up new possibilities.
Learning to use public transport is more complex, as it involves a number of sub-skills: identifying the right vehicle, validating your ticket, finding your way around the route, getting off at the right stop, and dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
This complexity should not be discouraging. With a methodical, step-by-step approach, many teenagers with Down’s syndrome acquire this autonomy. The time required varies from one person to another, but the results are well worth the investment.
Complex autonomy
The most advanced level concerns complex journeys: routes with connections, unusual destinations, adaptation to new situations.
This level is not accessible to everyone, but some adults with Down’s Syndrome reach it. They can plan a route to a new destination, adapt to changes and solve problems as they arise.
The aim is not necessarily to achieve this level for everyone, but to develop the maximum possible autonomy for every individual, whatever their level.
Skills to develop
Finding your bearings in space
The ability to find one’s way around is fundamental to any journey. It involves recognizing places, memorizing routes and orienting oneself in relation to landmarks.
Some teenagers naturally have a good sense of direction. Others need support (photos of landmarks, simplified maps, navigation applications) to compensate for difficulties in this area.
Training improves orientation skills. Regular exercises on a variety of routes, orienteering games and verbalizing the landmarks used gradually develop this skill.
Managing time
Getting around means leaving on time to arrive on time. This time management skill, often difficult for teenagers with Down’s syndrome, is essential for independent travel.
Tools can compensate for these difficulties: departure alarms, visual timers, applications that alert us when it’s time to leave. These external supports, gradually integrated, enable functional time management, even if spontaneous perception of time remains difficult.
Communicate if necessary
In the event of a problem, the teenager needs to be able to ask for help: from a passer-by, a driver, a shopkeeper, or by telephone from his family. This ability to communicate is an essential safety net.
Prepare your teenager for the interactions needed in the event of a problem. Role-playing different scenarios (asking for directions, explaining that you’re lost, describing where you are) prepares you to use these skills in real-life situations.
Managing the unexpected
Travel doesn’t always go according to plan. Late buses, altered routes, roadworks that block the way: these unforeseen events require cognitive flexibility.
The ability to handle the unexpected develops with experience. The first few times, the teenager may be unsettled and need to call for help. Gradually, he or she develops strategies for solving problems and manages more and more situations on his or her own.
Visual aids for travel
Trip sheets
A route card contains all the information you need for a given route: starting point, line to take, important stops, visual cues, arrival point, number to call in case of problems.
These cards can be illustrated with photos, making the information accessible even to teenagers who read little. Laminated, they slip into a pocket and can be consulted at any time.
Navigation applications
Modern smartphones offer powerful navigation tools. Google Maps or specific applications for local transport networks indicate routes, connections and journey times.
These applications can be intimidating at first, but quickly become valuable allies. Teenagers consult them before setting off to check their itinerary, and during the journey to make sure they’re in the right place.
The role of cognitive functions
Memory and location
Memory plays a crucial role in travel. Memorizing an itinerary, remembering landmarks, retaining instructions in the event of a problem: all these tasks require memory.
Strengthening memory therefore improves mobility. The CLINT brain-coaching application offers games specifically designed to train memory in a fun, progressive way.
Discover the CLINT application
Caution and vigilance
Moving around requires you to keep an eye on your surroundings: keep an eye on the approach to your stop, look out for visual or audible signals, remain vigilant for potential dangers.
Attention training, possible with applications such as CLINT, and the implementation of compensatory strategies help to manage these difficulties.
Planning and anticipation
Planning a journey involves anticipation: forecasting the time needed, checking timetables, preparing a ticket. These executive functions are often a weak point in people with Down’s syndrome.
External supports compensate for these difficulties. A “before you go” checklist reminds you of the checks you need to make. A ritual of preparation reduces the cognitive load at the moment of departure.
Progressiveness: the key to success
Start with the simplest
Independent travel is built up by starting with the simplest situations and gradually increasing complexity. A short, familiar route with no connections is the ideal learning ground.
Once you’ve mastered this first route, you can add complexity: a slightly longer journey, a simple connection, a less familiar destination.
Intermediate phases
Between full support and total autonomy, there are many intermediate phases. Remote support, semi-support, peer support: these phases ensure a secure transition.
Consolidate before moving forward
Each level of autonomy must be firmly acquired before moving on to the next. A mastered ride is one that has been successfully completed many times, in a variety of conditions.
Training for effective support
Accompanying an adolescent with Down’s syndrome towards independence requires specific methods and tools. DYNSEO’s “Accompanying a teenager with Down’s syndrome towards autonomy” training course devotes a large part of its content to this theme.
Conclusion: open up the world
Autonomous mobility literally opens up the world to the teenager with Down’s syndrome. They transform a limited perimeter of life into a much wider space of possibilities.
This autonomy is not acquired overnight. It is built patiently, journey after journey, skill after skill. But each step counts and paves the way for the next.
A teenager who can get around on his or her own has access to a social life, leisure activities and a professional future that would otherwise remain out of reach. It’s one of the best gifts you can give them.
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Suggested images:
- Main image: https://www.dynseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Faciliter-lAutonomie-au-Quotidien-des-Adultes-Trisomiques.png
- CLINT application: https://www.dynseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CLINT-coach-cerebral-application.png
Trainings to link :
- Helping a teenager with Down’s syndrome become independent → https://www.dynseo.com/en/courses/facilitating-daily-independence-for-teenagers-with-down-syndrome/
Applications worth mentioning:
- CLINT brain coach → https://www.dynseo.com/joe-application-entrainement-cerebral/
Suggestions for internal linking :
- Teaching a teenager with Down’s syndrome to take the bus alone: step-by-step progression
- Progression in small steps: the key to autonomy for teenagers with Down’s syndrome
- Balancing protection and autonomy: the challenge facing parents of teenagers with Down’s syndrome
