Preparing for Adulthood - Post 16

For those young people in year 11 what are the options when you finish school?  All young people need to remain in education or training until the age of 18.  It could be one of the following:

• Apprenticeships 
• Attending another school with a sixth form including special school (there may be entry criteria)
• Further Education College
• Remaining in your current school where there is a sixth form
• Sixth Form College
• Specialist Post 16 Institution
• Traineeships
• Work or volunteering as long at it is 20 hours a week while in part-time education or training.

Until the age of 18 a young person will need to:

• Stay in full time education, for example in a school, college or training provider
• Start an Apprenticeship or traineeship
• Spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training.

Further information, advice and support

• Hopwood Hall College
• Hopwood Hall College Apprenticeships
• Positive Steps
• PossAbilities
• Jobcentre Plus - Rochdale

Specialist schools and colleges

Section 41 Approved Provider List gives details of independent special schools, and specialist post 16 institutions that can be named on an EHCP.

For the national association of specialist colleges with details of specialist post 16 institutions (SPIs) see NATSPEC

Rochdale post 16 providers

Further education college

• Hopwood Hall College -Rochdale Campus – Entry 1 Level Courses up to Level 3, a range of vocational areas, life skills and other discreet courses.  Hopwood Hall College does not offer A levels

Sixth form college

• Rochdale Sixth Form College – Mainly A Level and BTEC courses.

School sixth form

• Cardinal Langley RC High School 

Specialist school

• Redwood Secondary School 

Training providers

• The Growth Company 
• Rochdale Training 
• Apprenticeships at Hopwood 
• Mantra Learning 

Careers advice

Where a young person has an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) the commissioned service for Rochdale, Positive Steps will work with young people generally in year 11 to discuss education and training options related to a young person’s aspirations. 

Where a young person does not have an EHCP the school is responsible for providing careers advice.  This will also look at options for education, training and employment.

For further information contact the EHC Assessment and Review Team. 

There are a number of services that can support young people to make the transition from school to college or from children’s services to adult’s services. Please see below:

• Transitions for young people (Children's Care Services to Adult Care Services)
• EHC Assessment and Review Team
• Transition Information Network (TIN)
• Rochdale Youth Service
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award
• Direct payments for young people over 16

This policy is a reference guide equally for children, young people their parents, carers and professionals outlining the vision, principles, roles and responsibilities of all agencies involved in the transition planning process for young people. 

Transitions policy on RBC policy centre (751KB pdf)

Please see health services below which can support:

• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale School Nursing Service
• ChatHealth for Young People
• Children's Community Nursing Team
• Where's Your Head At? (16 to 21)
• Kooth.com - Free online support for young people
• Health & Wellbeing services

Housing support

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) is the UK’s first tenant and employee co-owned mutual housing society, with over 13,000 homes throughout the local area.

Rochdale Housing Solutions  is the place to look for all your housing options, whether you are looking for a home to rent or buy, or just need some help and advice.

Discretionary Housing Payment - Help with housing and rent is an emergency payment to help you with your rent or housing costs.

Transitions for Young People - Children's Care to Adult Care Services transition for children and young people with a physical or learning disability, we mean the change from being a teenager to being an adult and from moving on from Children's Care Service to Adult Care Services.

Newbarn Ltd - Accommodation and support service is an inclusive, tenant needs-led, high quality accommodation and support service that promotes social inclusion and enables vulnerable adults to achieve their full potential.

PossAbilities homeshare brings together people that need a little social support and have a spare room, with others who need affordable accommodation and are willing to support the householder.

Homelessness support

Homelessness Advice and Prevention in Rochdale all homelessness services are now being provided by Rochdale Borough Council, having been previously provided by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.

The Bond Board is a registered charity that has an impact on homelessness and the wellbeing of homeless and vulnerable private rented sector households. 

Brentwood Middleton Day Centre is for people who are homeless or in threat of homelessness. We offer advice and referrals to agencies who can help.

The Sanctuary Trust is a registered charity working with homelessness, homeless related poverty and emergency homeless issues.

Petrus  is a registered charity providing residential and day support services for people in housing need throughout the Borough of Rochdale.

Care leavers come into contact with a range of services including housing, health, employers and further education; yet they are often not recognised as a priority group for services.

For further information see Cared for children and care leavers.

This is a guide for parents, carers and young people.

What is 'mental capacity'?

Mental capacity is the ability of a young person over the age of 16 to make their own decisions. This means being able to:

• understand information given to them in relation to a decision
• remember the information long enough to make a decision
• use or weigh up the information available
• communicate their decision in any way which can be recognised

People should always support a person to make their own decisions if they can. This might mean giving them information in a way that they can understand (for example this might be easy read information for a person with a learning disability) or explaining something in a different way.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005

This is the law that protects vulnerable people over the age of 16 around decision-making. It says that: Every adult, whatever their disability, has the right to make their own decisions wherever possible.

The Act must be followed for small and big decisions. Small decisions might be things like choosing what to wear or what to buy at the supermarket. Big decisions might be things like when to move into a new home or whether to have a serious operation.

Under 16s

The MCA does not apply to under 16s. In order to decide whether a child under 16 is able to consent to their own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge they are assessed to establish if they are competent to make such decisions. This assessment is referred to as ‘Gillick Competence’.

You can read about the Gillick competence and Fraser guidelines on the NSPCC learning website:

Parents and carers information

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a clear framework for parents on who should be consulted in the decision-making process, and in what circumstances (for example in life-saving treatment). See Mental Capacity Act 2005 at a glance on the Social Care Institute website.

Easy read booklet

See the Mental Act Capacity easy read booklet (10984KB pdf).