Transitioning from Childrens to Adults

The process leading up to a young person's move from school into adult life is called transition. It is essential that the voice of the young person and their family is heard and careful planning of process is key to helping all young people make decisions about their future.

During a young person's last few years at school they will be encouraged to begin to think about future options.

1. A commitment by all services and by every professional at every level. Cumbria Children's Services in partnership with a range of other multi agency services might be needed to support a successful transition process for a young person.
2. The young person and their families should be fully involved in the process. .
3. Information about the young person is collected to assess the young person's needs.
4. A range of different services working together from the time a young person is 14 years old onwards up to 25 years old.
5. Regular monitoring of the Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to make sure actions have been achieved.  

The transition review is a meeting involving the young person, parents or carers, educational providers, Children's or Adult Services and any other services invited by the family. This takes place in year
9 and continues annually according to the young person's need.

Each meeting will end with an action plan to ensure that everyone involved is clear on the actions that they will deliver to ensure that the transition plan is successful. Everyone is different and so it is likely that all action plans will vary accordingly. This means that different services contribute at different times during the period when the young person is aged 13 to 25 years; this ensures that the process is truly 'person centred'.

Before the meeting

• The young person's school should arrange a transition review meeting.  Parents and carers should be given notice of this meeting and the people invited should include; you, the young person (and anyone else either of you would like to attend) and all services who are involved or likely to be involved with supporting the young person.
• For children educated at home parents should contact Children's Services if they need support with transition.
• Representatives from appropriate services can be invited to reviews by the young person's school.
• It is important that the young person has had access to impartial information, advice and guidance about their future options. Some young people will need a lot of time and support for this stage.  Cumbria's SEND IAS Team can help with this.
• All services should provide information as requested by the school at least 2 weeks before the review meeting.
• The transition review meeting should coincide with CLA (Child Looked After) review where possible and where relevant.
• Information contributed by each service should be distributed to all those who are attending the transition review meeting at least 2 weeks before the meeting. This should be co-ordinated by the school.

At the meeting

• A Lead Professional is identified to oversee the delivery and co-ordination of the transition plan.
• The Lead Professional should support the young person and their family or carers to contribute to their transition review. 
• The review should provide a relaxed and comfortable environment to support the young person and their family and carers.
• The transition part of the EHCP records who has agreed to undertake each action and when it will be done.
• The meeting may identify where specialist learning provision is needed. The meeting should include checking on progress and review of all areas of need for the young person e.g. education, health and or care support needs, finance and benefit checks and or support, legal responsibilities, supported employment, social activities, future transport needs, housing and long term plans.
• The young person should be given information advice and guidance on sport and leisure activities.
• Young people and their families should be informed of advocacy services to support as required.
• Health Care professionals should identify whether a young person is likely to continue to have health care needs when they leave school or turn 18. This information will have been submitted before the meeting in the form of a health care plan.
• If the young person is in care and in Year 11 then the Leaving Care Team will commence involvement and a Housing Officer should also attend.
• A transition worker from Adult Social Care should attend the review from year 9 if Social Care Services are required. The transition worker should; provide information about the young person to other adult services, signpost to finance and benefit checks and or support if needed and make a pre-referral to the appropriate Adult Services team if the young person is thought to be eligible.
• When the young person is 17 years old information and recommendations should be given to them and their family on post-18 opportunities and or options available relative to the young person's identified needs.

After the meeting

• A copy of the updated EHCP will be circulated to the young person and their parent or carer and all relevant agencies following the review. The Lead Professional will make sure this is discussed fully with the young person and their family.
• The SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Team should be provided with information about the young person's support needs by the young person's school.
• The young person and their family should be given the opportunity to visit potential future educational provisions in year 10.
• Where continuing in education has been identified as appropriate, and needs cannot be met by other local educational provision, professionals should ensure funding applications for specialist and residential colleges are made in good time.
• Where it is agreed that alternative options to education are most appropriate to meet the young person's needs professionals should ensure funding applications are made in good time.
• Referrals for respite should be made by a Children's Social Worker or through a TAC (Team Around the Child) meeting if the young person has a high level of need.
• Where there is not a clear transition pathway due to the complexity of health care needs of the young person, their GP will be responsible for arranging future co-ordination of health care and referrals to other health professionals as needed.
• If the young person is over 18 years old and working with Adult Social Services, they will continue to work together to carry out the recommendations for the young person from transition reviews.