1.What is Transition

 

 

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 Transition is a term that is used to cover a wide range of changes that occur when a child becomes an adult.

 Transition is the process in a disabled young person’s life when they go from being a young person to an adult, and where they will make decisions about their future. Some of these include what they want to do when they leave school; if they want to go to college; if they want to get a job; and if they want to move out of home and learn to live independently. It is also the time when disabled young people who receive support from children’s services may transfer to adult’s services when they turn 18.

 Many aspects of a young person’s life and the support they receive will change when they become an adult. The main areas to consider are:

  • Education training and employment
  • Health needs e.g. nursing, nutritional, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy
  • Social care
  • Housing (?)
  • Transport (?)

Not all of these areas of a young person’s life and support will change at the same time.

 One of the biggest changes is the move from school to further education. This guide will focus on the planning that happens in and around the school – mainly through Transition reviews. For more information about the assessments and plans different professionals conduct, please contact them directly or see the Factsheet.

 For young people with disabilities, the transition from child to adulthood can be complicated. This is largely due to the number of people involved in a disabled child’s life. The diagram below shows how many different people, many of whom are professionals, that might be involved in a young disabled person’s life.

The groups of professionals will complete the relevant assessments and will develop plans for individuals. These assessments will happen at different times and referrals may be made on to adult services as necessary.

The biggest challenge for everyone involved is to ensure that everyone is working together, in a co-ordinated way and that the young person and their family stays at the centre of the decision making.