Children legally become adults at 18, regardless of their needs. It's a time of change and we aim to help everyone plan for, support and recognise a young person's adult status.
For children and young people with a disability, when we talk about Preparing for Adulthood, it means the ‘Transition’ from being a teenager to being an adult, at which point the young person may also move on from using children’s services to adult services.
This is a time when young people gain new rights and responsibilities. Preparing for Adulthood can be an exciting time for young people, full of new opportunities, but it can also be a time of uncertainty so planning is important.
The following video from the Council for Disabled Children gives an introduction of options to consider as you or your child approach adulthood.
What to expect as you are preparing for adulthood – our Preparing for Adulthood Protocol
Please follow this link for our Bi-borough Preparing for Adulthood Protocol, which has been developed in partnership between practitioners from Education, Health and Social Care. The Protocol provides guidance to the workforce across education and social care as they support young people and their families to plan for the transition from childhood to adult life and acts as a guide for young people and parents about what they can expect.
How Do I Prepare for Adulthood?
We start working with young people when they are in Year 9 to plan their move towards adulthood. Families or carers are fully involved in this planning.
Here are a few things to consider when preparing for adulthood.
Work
Information about
employment
Education
Options for post 16
education
Money
Looking after your
money
Travel
Accessible Transport
options
Housing
Housing options
Health
Support for your
health
Activities
Things to do
in your area
Relationships
Dating and relationship
advie and services
How Will Support for Parents/Families Change?
When a child reaches adulthood, the way their parents or families are supported will change. To understand your level of needs and what support should be provided, the council will invite you to complete a Carer's Assessment. This is a way that you can let the adult social care team know about your caring responsibilities and how they affect you.
After completion of the Carer's Assessment, the council will let you know what support they are able to offer. It might include training, help with transport, or short breaks away from caring. This will be detailed in a personalised Support Plan.
For more information on Carer's Assessments and the support available to unpaid carers, please visit the People's First website
Highlights
We want to hear the views of parents and carers about how we can improve the experience of SEND young people moving from school to college. To share your feedback please complete this short survey. It will take no more than 5 minutes!
Opportunities for 16-25
Want to find out more about services and opportunities which can help you as you prepare for adulthood? Check out this useful document for young people 16-25 listing information about; careers and employment support services, College Search engines, Finance, Housing, Mental Health support, Volunteering, Youth activities and much more!
'Moving On' is the council's Easy Read Guide on preparing for adulthood.
It is for young people to find out about what will change when they become an adult
Click here to download 'Moving On'
Easy Read Guide to Becoming an Adult
'Moving On' is the council's Easy Read Guide on preparing for adulthood.
It is for young people to find out about what will change when they become an adult
Click here to download 'Moving On'
Your Local Transition Service
If the young person is eligible for support following assessment, your local transition team will help with the preparation for adulthood by exploring the young person’s needs, wishes and circumstances and will help with planning for how needs can be met.
The young person, their family and their carers are encouraged to take an active role throughout this process to ensure they are properly listened to, and are at the centre of planning and decision making.
For more information, contact Westminster's Learning Disability Partnership (WLDP) on 0207 641 7411 or via adminwldp@westminster.gov.uk.
Transition Pathway
WLDP has designed a pathway to support young people in their transition to Learning Disabilities adult services. This pathway explains professional involvement, time scales, when assessments will take place and what young people and families can expect in terms of eligibility for learning disabilities services and Adult Social Care.
This pathway puts the young person at the centre of the process to ensure the transition to WLDP is well planned and that needs are met through appropriate assessment and care planning.