Preparing for adulthood 14+
We know it can be a worrying time when young people move from childhood to adulthood. The way they access support and services will change and it is important to be prepared for the change.
The information on these pages should help you to find out about what happens. Also, you can view or download our Preparing for Adulthood Booklet (PDF, 1799.7 KB).
They will be responsible for making their own decisions and may be thinking about the preparing for adulthood outcomes:
- Going to college and getting a job
- Moving into their own place
- Enjoying activities as a young adult in their local community
- Keeping healthy
Transition from childhood to adulthood is different for every young person. They may continue in education, or be supported by adult social care, or a combination of both. We encourage all young people and their parents or carers to start thinking about preparing for adulthood from Year 9 (age 14 onwards). Here are some things you can do to start planning for when a young person becomes 18.
We have worked with our 'All About Us' network (children and young people's participation groups), to put together this easy read information about Preparing for Adulthood (PDF, 3156.48 KB). Young people may find this helpful when starting to think about what they want to do as an adult.
Education, health and care plans annual review
We recommend you and your young person go to the Year 9 education, health and care plans (EHCP) annual review at school, to make sure the outcomes they want for adult life are considered and recorded. These discussions should include whether they want to attend college and whether they will need support from adult social care once they become 18.
Think about if they will want to go to college with a view to getting a job. You will need to look at what colleges are available and the different types of courses they do. You will be supported by SEN Services so their EHCP is updated to show the change in education setting.
Adult social care
If they’re going to need extra support from adult social care, the school will ask for your consent to refer the young person at the age of 16. An early notification form will be completed by the SENCo with input from you and your young person. Professionals will then carry out a preparing for adulthood assessment to see if they meet the Care Act criteria and decide the most suitable adult service to support them. If they’re eligible, they will be referred to one of the following services:
- Integrated Learning Disability team
- East or West Locality team for those with physical or sensory needs
- NHS Mental Health Services
- NHS Continuing Health Care
Decision making
The law says, young people (including those with SEND) can make decisions about their lives from the age of 16 if they have the capacity to do so. Obviously, they will want to include their parents and teachers in helping them to make the right decisions. There is an event on decision making and the Mental Capacity Act which will provide you with more information.
Preparing for adulthood events
Every year, Enfield Council hold a series of events to support each of the preparing for adulthood outcomes. See details about these events.
We recommend you start going to preparing for adulthood events when your young person reaches Year 9. Although certain information is only relevant at points in their transition, it is good to have an overall understanding of what will happen. There is a lot to take in and it can be helpful to go more than once.
These events provide you with a chance to meet and talk to other parents and professionals. They can give you advice and information to help you and your young person make the right decision about their future, and to have a smooth transition into adulthood.
School coffee mornings
Your young person’s school may hold a transition coffee morning at the start of the academic year. This is a good way to find out more information.
The coffee morning gives you a chance to meet some of the professionals that will be involved in the transition. They will explain what happens and when, and where to find out information and get support if you need it.
You will also get the chance to meet Jane Richards, a parent carer who set up Families in Transition to Adulthood. Jane has been through transition with her young person and you can ask her questions ’parent to parent’.
Speak to your school to find out when they will be holding their coffee morning.
Transition to adult health and social care
When a young person reaches 18, if eligible under the Care Act (PDF), the responsibility for providing health and social care support transfers from children’s services to adult social care (ASC). To make this a smooth transition, we start thinking about adulthood from age 14, but the process starts at age 16. This is so that the care and support will be in place by the age of 18.
Throughout this process, we promise to use the principles outlined in our charter.
Step | Age | Process |
---|---|---|
Early transition | 14 to 16 years |
Parents and young person should go to the EHCP annual reviews, and think about if the young person wants to continue their education. Preparing for adulthood outcomes should be included in the EHCP. This process is led by SEN services and schools to agree outcomes and provide signposting to information about preparing for adulthood. Parents may want to start going to preparing for adulthood events for more information. |
Refer | 16 years |
If the young person is going to need on-going support from ASC when they reach 18 years of age, a professional (usually the SENCo at your child’s school) will ask the parents for consent to complete an early notification form and make a referral to ASC. ASC agree which is the best team to support and meet the needs of the young person in adulthood. Parents may want to go to preparing for adulthood events for more information. |
Preparing for adulthood assessment | From 17 years |
A professional from the ASC team will contact the family to start the preparing for adulthood assessment. The assessment can take 3 to 6 months and will include completing forms, and meetings with the parents and young person. Parents may want to go to preparing for adulthood events for more information. |
Care and support plan | 17.5 years |
Following the preparing for adulthood assessment, a social worker will be allocated to the young person to write up their care and support plan for when they reach adulthood. If this includes a personal budget, you will be contacted to set up an account and e-card Parents may want to go to preparing for adulthood events for more information. |
Health services | 17 to 18 years | If the young person needs health services or therapies, these will be identified during the assessment. Recommendations will then be made about how to access the services needed. |
Transition to adult social care | 18 years | Adult care and support plan and funding in place from 18 years. |
On-going annual review of ASC care and support plan | 18+ years |
On-going annual review to make sure the care and support plan continues to meet the needs of the young person. Where possible, we will co-ordinate this meeting with the education, health and care plan annual review. |
Combined assessment | 18+ years |
The carer’s needs will be assessed as part of the preparing for adulthood assessment. This is known as a combined assessment. This combined assessment looks at the impact of the carer’s role and considers what support might be needed to meet both the young person's and the carer’s needs. These combined needs are identified in the young person's assessment and support plan. This can include, for example, respite, equipment and additional support. The assessment will be carried out by the same professional who is carrying out the preparing for adulthood assessment. This could be an occupational therapist, community nurse, social worker or other health and social care professional. For more information, visit MyLife - caring for somebody. |
Carer's assessment | 18+ years |
A carer’s assessment is independent of the young person's assessment. This assessment is about the carer. The carer would have their own carer’s assessment and their own support plan. If carers would like to have their own assessment, this will be carried out by Enfield Carers Centre. For more information, visit MyLife - caring for somebody. |
Finding support
Transition can be an anxious time for young people and their parents and carers. The Preparing for Adulthood Booklet provides lots of information and support, and the following organisations can also help as young people prepare for adulthood:
- Your young person’s school
- Easy read Preparing for Adulthood (PDF, 3156.48 KB)
- The Local Offer
- SEN Services Post 16 Team - email sen@enfield.gov.uk or phone 020 3821 1919
- My Life (Adult Social Care)
- Families in Transition to Adulthood (Jane Richards, parent carer) - email jane.fta@hotmail.com or phone 07816 070098
- Joint Service for Disabled Children - email cheviots@enfield.gov.uk or phone 020 8363 4047
- Integrated Learning Disability Service - email learning.disabilities@enfield.gov.uk or phone 020 8379 5039
- Single Point of Access locality teams for physical disability and sensory impairment - email adultsocialcare@enfield.gov.uk or phone 020 8379 1001
- CAPE (Carers and Parents in Enfield)
- Healthwatch Enfield
- SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
- Our Voice Parent Forum
- Enfield Carers Centre transition support worker - email transitions@enfieldcarers.org
The following table shows the different stages of support available to parents and carers as their young person transitions to adulthood.
Stage | Type of support |
---|---|
Stage 1 - Before the assessment |
This is the initial stage of transition (before the assessment) when professionals will be talking to you and your young person about what they would like to do in the future. It is a good idea to talk about any anxieties you may have with a professional, so they know how you're feeling. You should also look at the Local Offer and MyLife to see what support there is. |
Stage 2 - The Moving On assessment |
You might be starting to feel anxious about the future and the changes that are about to happen. Make sure you talk to the professional in Adult Social Care who is doing the Moving On assessment. They can signpost you to: |
Stage 3 - If more support is needed |
If you're feeling worried about the future and what this means for you, there is other support available:
|
Stage 4 - Peer support |
Sometimes it can be helpful to share your worries with others. If you're still feeling anxious despite accessing support available in stages 1 to 3, you can:
|
Stage 5 - Professional support |
|
Preparing for adulthood events
We hold a series of preparing for adulthood events throughout the year to support all aspects of transition. These events are aimed at providing you with key information to support you and your young person's transition into adulthood.
There is no need to book. Just turn up at the venue, or for the on-line events click on the event link to join the online session (Microsoft Teams meeting).
Date | Time | Event | Link or venue |
---|---|---|---|
15 September 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Preparing for Adulthood - The transition process This event provides an overview of the transition process and will help parents/carers to understand what happens and when. You will also find out about the information and events that are available to support you through the transition period. |
Integrated Learning Disability Service Carnegie Building 258a Hertford Road Enfield EN3 5BN |
27 September 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Decision making and me The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is for anyone 16 years old or over. It says that people can make decisions about things that affect their lives. This event will help you to understand how it applies to you and your young person, and how you will both be supported to make decisions. You will learn:
|
Integrated Learning Disability Service Carnegie Building 258a Hertford Road Enfield EN3 5BN |
5 October 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | The process of applying for a post-16 education setting During this session you will hear about:
|
Park Avenue Disability Centre 65c Park Avenue Bush Hill Park Enfield Middlesex EN1 2HL |
19 October 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Supporting parents and carers during transition This event will provide practical tips and sources of support to help parents through this time of change in your life:
|
Integrated Learning Disability Service Carnegie Building 258a Hertford Road Enfield EN3 5BN |
3 November 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Understanding welfare benefits This event will help you to understand the welfare benefit system and find out how your benefits might change when your young person becomes an adult including:
|
Park Avenue Disability Centre 65c Park Avenue Bush Hill Park Enfield Middlesex EN1 2HL |
30 November 2023 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Support planning This event provides you with the opportunity to gain a good understanding of:
|
Integrated Learning Disability Service Carnegie Building 258a Hertford Road Enfield EN3 5BN |
12 January 2024 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Personal budgets At this event you will find out:
|
Integrated Learning Disability Service Carnegie Building 258a Hertford Road Enfield EN3 5BN |
7 February 2024 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Getting a home Find out:
|
Microsoft Teams meeting Join the getting a home meeting on your computer, mobile app or room device. |
8 March 2024 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | Health services and keeping healthy This event will help you to understand the different ways in which health services are delivered once your young person becomes 18. Find out about:
|
Waverley School 105 The Ride Enfield EN3 7DL |
22 March 2024 | 10.30am to 12.30pm | Day services This event will help you to understand:
|
Microsoft Teams meeting Join the day services meeting on your computer, mobile app or room device. |
3 May 2024 | 10:30am to 1:30pm | Getting a job Find out about:
|
Waverley School 105 The Ride Enfield EN3 7DL |
Presentations
If you were unable to attend any of the events, you can download the presentations.
- Mental Capacity Act Transition Event May 2022 (PDF, 199.76 KB)
- Preparing for Adulthood presentation - transition of young people with SEND to adulthood (PDF, 1807.78 KB)
- The Process of Applying for a Post 16 Setting - SEN (PDF, 163.89 KB)
- Welfare Benefits (PDF, 716.67 KB)
- Care and Support Planning (PDF, 465.71 KB)
- Council Tax - for parents (PDF, 192.93 KB)
Our charter
We will:
- explain how the Moving On process works so you know what to expect
- give you information early so you have time to think about your options
- explain what services and support you are eligible for
- ask how you want us to give you information
- give you information in plain English so it is easy to understand
- provide you with opportunities to meet other parents through Families in Transition to Adulthood, Our Voice, information events and coffee mornings
- provide you with a key contact, known as a care co-ordinator
- work with you to develop support plans to meet the young person’s needs and help achieve their aspirations
- celebrate your young person becoming an adult
Day services
You may want to consider day services and other activities as part of your care and support from adult social care.
Day services and activities are provided by social services, the NHS, and other voluntary organisations. They give people with learning disabilities an opportunity to:
- learn or improve their independence skills
- socialise
- take part in leisure activities
- go on days out and trips to places of interest
You will need to pay for these services, either by using any personal budget you have been given through the preparing for adulthood assessment process or using your own funds.
For more information about day services and activity providers, visit MyLife - care and support.