Planning from age 14
Planning for adulthood should normally start no later than by Year 9 (age 13 or 14) in school.
For young people with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) the Year 9 Annual Review meeting will be the point where everyone involved with the young person will start to think about the support that might be needed in the four areas of:
- Education, training and employment
- Independent living
- Community inclusion
- Staying healthy
Where a young person receives support from the Children's Disability Team, their social worker will liaise with the Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) team if it is likely that they will be eligible for ongoing social care support once they reach the age of 18. Both teams are based within the 0 – 25 service.
Planning from age 16
Where the young person has an EHCP, the Annual Review meeting is where transition planning is reviewed, future options are considered, and planning continues.
The PfA team review the transition planning for young people who have been identified as likely to need care and support once they turn 18 and consider if an earlier assessment of their future needs is required. This also supports forward planning of future services that might be required for young people needing support as an adult.
Where a young person has complex needs the PfA team member will attend school Annual Reviews and other support meetings.
At this stage young people or their parents/carers can also self-refer for an earlier assessment of their needs through the PfA team if they feel they may need support into adulthood that has not been identified through other channels.
Planning from age 18
The majority of young people who receive services from the children’s disability team will be transferred to a social worker in the PfA team.
These young people will be reassessed by 171/2 years of age and, if they are still eligible for care and support from social care the PfA social worker will start planning for changes once they turn 18.
The PfA team will take responsibility for young people whose primary need is a learning and/or physical disability.
The Care Act 2014 does not say that a young person has to be a certain age to be able to ask for an assessment. It says that local authorities must consider, in all cases, whether there would be a ‘significant benefit’ to the individual in doing an assessment. Guidance also suggests that assessments should take place when it is easier to understand what the needs of the young person will be beyond the age of 18.
Children's services must continue to be provided until adult provision has started, or a decision is made that the young person's needs do not meet the eligibility criteria for adult care and support following a Care Act assessment
Where social care provision is specified in an EHC Plan existing duties on social care services to assess and provide for the needs of disabled young people continue to apply.
If you are a young person with a social worker, you or your parents or carer can contact your social worker to discuss preparation for adulthood and the transition to adult services.
Young people 18+ and EHCPs
In many cases, the Care Act Assessment 2014 will lead to a care package which forms the care element of an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP). This means that social workers from the PfA team will continue to work alongside their education and health partners to continue to support young people.
Where young people aged 18 or over continue to have EHC plans, and are receiving care and support services, this will be provided under the Care Act 2014.
The EHC plan should be the overarching plan that ensures young people receive the support they need to help them achieve agreed educational outcomes. The statutory adult care and support plan (see part 3 of the Children and Families Act) should form the ‘care’ element of the young person’s EHC plan.
A social worker from the PfA team may attend college reviews – working with the young person to understand their future aspirations, and working closely with their family to support the outcomes for the young person. This might include advising about the support available in the home, moving into a supported living placement or support to live independently.
Where the young person isn’t continuing to further education the EHC plan ceases and the young person might be supported by social care, in partnership with other Bromley agencies, to access opportunities for engagement in community activities.
Once a young person is settled with a care package or is appropriately placed in a provision, they will be supported by the wider adult disability team and their care package will be reviewed on a yearly basis.
Where the young person wishes to work, they will be signposted to the appropriate employment support agencies.