Planning your transition starts when you’re in year 9 at school (13 to 14 years old).
When you’re 13 to 14 years old
We will help you and your family to start to plan what you want to do in the future and what help you may need. This is called a ‘transition review’.
It includes things like:
- further education
- starting work
- money and benefits
- where you’ll live
- health – moving from paediatricians to other doctors
- help with day-to-day living – for example equipment or a personal assistant
We will work with you on this plan until you reach 18 years old.
When you’re 18 years old
The Young Adult Disabilities team support young people with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) who are likely to have needs for care and support as an adult, to ensure those eligible social care needs will be met when they become 18.
We will work in partnership with other agencies to ensure a robust plan is in place to make sure there is no gap in service during this period.
If you have an EHCP you will be contacted from year 11 by letter, inviting you to make contact with the team if you feel an assessment would be beneficial. In some instances we may contact you directly by telephone to discuss your likely needs for care and support when you become 18.
If you do not have an EHCP and feel you may have care and support needs as an adult, please see our care and support assessment page.
Further reading
My journey to adulthood
We've been looking at ways we can improve the journey to adulthood for young people and their families with SEND. We recognise that preparation for adulthood and the changes faced by young people during this period can raise lots of questions – so in response we've put together an information pack:
The above pack aims to provide useful information and to answer some of the questions you (and your family) may have about this important stage of your life, and the role of adult social care during this journey.
The team within Adult Social Care supporting this 'transition' is now called Young Adult Disabilities Team, as young people found the term transition confusing.
Preparing for adulthood
A protocol for professionals working with young people with special educational needs or a disability.