Preparing for adulthood

What is Preparing for Adulthood?

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

What are the pathways for getting a paid job? What support is available to help you achieve it?

Education

What are your options if you want to continue studying at school, college or in the workplace?

Money

Will you need help applying for benefits, budgeting, paying bills or saving?

Getting around

How will you travel around the city? Will you need help using public transport?

Housing

Would you like to live with family, a carer or on your own? Will you need any adaptations?

Health

How will you keep yourself healthy, and make sure you get the right healthcare when you need it?

Activities

What would you like to do in your spare time? Check out what's going on in the borough

Relationships

Want to make new friends, or start dating? Read about relationships and keeping yourself safe

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

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'