Important milestones and things that happen at different ages as you prepare for adulthood and the future
Introduction
Transition is the term used to describe the range of processes that support a young person and their support network in moving from childhood into adulthood. This includes changes in:
- Health and social care services
- Education and training
- Transport and travel
- Financial benefits
- Mental health services
Many services change as you move from children to adults’ services.
As you get older
- you earn the right to make more decisions about your life
- you can choose to talk to services without your parents being with you
- you can make more decisions for yourself
This guide helps you understand what things you may want to consider, and when, if you have additional needs.
It is important that you know what you can do and when. But it is also important to remember that it is your choice to do it. You do not have to if you do not feel ready.
Things to consider
Including education, health, social care, transport and travel, finance and benefits
At Year 9 ( age 13-14)
Education
If you are at school you will need to choose which subjects you want to study, which may include GCSE exams. You must take some set subjects and some other subjects will be your choice. This will be different for each school so speak to your class teacher for more information.
If you are not working at the level needed for GCSEs then ask the school about other options that might be available. This may include entry-level qualifications, functional skills qualifications or BTEC qualifications.
Annual Reviews from year 9 onwards include a focus on preparing for adulthood. This can include support to:
- prepare for further or higher education and employment
- prepare for living on your own
- stay healthy in adult life
- take part in society, including support with making and keeping friendships and relationships
Health
If you have a learning disability, make sure that your doctor records this on their notes. This means from the age of 14 you will be able to get an Annual Health check.
If you are under 16 you can take decisions over what treatments you do and do not have – if you can fully understand what the options are and what a treatment involves. This means you can also say no to a treatment if it does not feel right for you and ask about other options.
Social care
Is the support you get still relevant to you now you are a teenager? If you qualify for support, you might want to think about changing how you receive it.
Direct Payments
Where appropriate and following eligibility criteria, young people and their families can explore direct payments, giving them more choice and control over how their care is provided.
Direct Payments are funds provided by the council to an individual so they can arrange and pay for unmet care and support needs.
Both childrens and adults social care will engage in Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) planning meetings and the process of planning for transition into adults service will begin. Children and young people will be invited and supported to be involved in their annual EHCP review.
Finance and benefits
If you have not already opened a bank account to safely store your money you can. It is good to practice managing your money before you start earning a wage. It is also much easier to open a bank account before you turn 18 due to the ways of proving your identity.
At Year 10 (age 14-15)
Both children’s and adults social care will continue to engage in Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) planning meetings and the process of planning for transition into adults service will continue.
Key conversations revolve around aspirations, interests, and the type of support needed as they move into adulthood.
Education
You may feel you need extra help to sit your exams in year 11. Talk to the school SENCO or Examinations Officer at school as they would be the persons applying and the Examination board are the ones who would make the decision on arrangements:
- extra time
- a computer
- a smaller individual room
They are based on evidence of need, the normal way of working in the classroom and must be suited to the student and the exam.
Transport and travel
You might want to think about Independent Travel Training. This gives you the confidence and skills to travel to and from school or college on your own.
Social care
Transitions tracking panel
At this age, a young person may be referred to the council’s internal Transitions tracking panel. The panel ensures coordinated planning and oversight for young people aged 14 and above with complex physical, learning, or mental health needs as they prepare for adulthood.
At Year 11 (age 15-16): Education, Health and Travel
Education
Year 11 is the last year that you must attend school. If you want to apply for a school 6th form , a college place or an apprenticeship, you will need to check websites for open evening or days.
If you have reached the end of compulsory school age – the last Friday in June of the school year in which you turn 16 – some rights related to Education, Health and Care plans, if you have one, move from your parents to you.
You will have the right to:
- ask for an EHC needs assessment
- make representations about the content of your EHC plan
- ask that a particular education setting is named in your plan
- request a personal budget
- appeal to the SEND tribunal – you will still be able to ask your parents, or others to help you make the decision
Health
You may be invited to attend transition clinics which are jointly run by staff from children’s and adult health services. If you are over 16 you can provide consent for your own treatment. This means that you can take the decisions over what treatments you do and do not have. A doctor is not allowed to tell your parents, carers, or family members unless you agree.
If you attend a medical appointment by yourself, it is a good idea to write down things so that you remember what was said. Ask the doctor if they have more information, you can take away with you. They have to provide the information in a way you can understand so you can make informed decisions.
A good way to make sure you have understood what the doctor has said to you is repeating it back to them, asking if you have got it right.
Transport and travel
You will need to apply for transport when moving from school to college, even if you have an EHC plan. You will have to contribute to the cost. Applications need to be made each year; it will not automatically continue each year. Applications should be made to the Transport brokering team, their email address is [email protected]
You usually need to be 17 before you can hold a licence to drive a car, but you can apply for your provisional licence from 15 years and 9 months.
At Year 11 (age 15-16): Finance, Legal, Social Care
Finance and benefits
You can claim benefits and receive direct payments from the age of 16. If you stay in full time non-advanced education then parents can choose to carry on claiming for you as part of their family. You will need to consider which option leaves you with more money.
If you have been getting Disability Living Allowance as a child then you will need to be reassessed for Personal Independence Payments.
For parents claiming Child Benefit you will need to tell the Child Benefit Office if your child will be staying in approved education or training after the age of 16, or if your child aged 16 or over has left approved education or training.
Legal
The Mental Capacity Act affects decision making for all people aged 16 and over who are unable to make some or all decision by themselves. When someone does not have capacity to make a specific decision, that decision can be taken for them but it must be in their best interests. Parents and professionals must always support you to be involved as much as possible in a decision made on your behalf. You are deemed to have mental capacity unless your parents have legal authorisation to act on your behalf and to make decisions on your behalf for your interests.
Social Care
Planning the transfer to Adults Social Care
For those with ongoing healthcare needs, the move from children’s health services (e.g., CAMHS) and children’s social care into adult’s social care is starting to be planned.
Mental capacity
Considerations are given to issues around mental capacity based on the Mental Capacity Act (2005).
Mental capacity means being able to make your own choices and understand what those choices mean. It’s about knowing what’s going on, thinking it through, and saying what you want to do. If someone has trouble with this they might need help making certain decisions.
At Years 12 and 13 ( age 17-19): Education, Health & Travel
Education
You should continue in education or training until your 18th birthday.
This should include a study programme that
- stretches you
- prepares you for adulthood
- supports your progression into work, further study or qualification or into adulthood
If you have an Education, Health and Care plan, your education and training outcomes and pathway will determine if it continues beyond the age of 19. For example, if you have achieved your goals, or if staying in education or training will help you to do so.
Supported Internships enable a pathway into work and can be explored further with the Post 16 team within the Local Authority, they will advise of eligibility and criteria for this pathway.
Health
If your main need is related to your health, you should be referred for an Adult Continuing Health Care Assessment. This should be done well before your 18th birthday to allow enough time for the assessment to be completed and discuss your care entitlements.
If there is no equivalent adult health service for you to move to, then your health needs will be managed by your doctor.
Transport and travel
Public transport is promoted for post-16 students with EHC plans and independent travel training can be discussed with the Transport Brokering team and they will be assessed for suitability for training by the end of the first term of post 16 education. The criteria and eligibility for transport assistance can be discussed with the transport brokering team.
You usually need to be 17 before you can hold a licence to drive a car.
At Years 12 and 13 ( age 17-19): Finance, Legal, Social Care
Finance and benefits
Access to Work can cover the additional support you may need if you have a disability, health condition or mental health condition for the in-work element of a supported internship. This can include:
- adaptations to equipment you use
- fares to work if you cannot use public transport
- a support worker or job coach to help you in the workplace
Disabled Students Allowance can cover the additional support you may need if you have a disability, health problem or learning difficulty for higher education. This can include:
- specialist equipment
- non-medical helpers such as a British Sign Language interpreter
- extra travel assistance
- other disability related study support
Children and young people under the age of 19 in full time education can get help with most healthcare costs, including dental treatment and prescriptions.
Legal
You can vote for someone to represent you and make decisions for you in local and national government from the age of 18. In elections, people with a learning disability or mental health condition have the same rights to vote as everybody else.
You will need to 1) have registered to vote in advance of the election – this can be done from the age of 16 and 2) show photo ID when voting in person
If you are over the age of 17 you can be interviewed by the police, given a reprimand or a warning, without an adult present. If you have a learning disability then you are entitled to having an ‘appropriate adult’ with you before you are interviewed by the police. Whether you are arrested or go to a police station voluntarily, you are entitled to free legal advice from a solicitor.
Social care
If you are likely to need support from adult social care – regardless of whether you are already receiving children’s social care services or not – a transition assessment will be completed before you reach age 18. This will be done in collaboration with both childrens and adults social care.
If you are already receiving care from childrens social care this will continue until the assessment has been completed. There should be no gap in services.
At age 18, young people now legally become adults and fully transition to adult social care, with a focus on increasing independence and managing their own care.
Your parents may want their support needs as a carer to be assessed as the impact of caring for a young adult may change. Where eligible, they may request a carers assessment.
Legal Rights Awareness
Educating young people about their rights and responsibilities as adults, including decision-making rights under the Mental Capacity Act.
At Years 12 and 13 ( age 17-19): Proving your age or identity
Proving your age or identify
Sometimes you will need to show people that you are the right age to do something. This is called proving your age using an ID or Identity Document. It will show your date of birth, a photo of you, and your address.
Driving licences are a commonly used proof of ID. They fit in your wallet unlike a passport. A provisional driving licence does not function as an ID card in the same way as a driving licence though.
If you are unable to get a driving licence, you can get another type of photo ID card when you turn eighteen.
For young adults (age 19-25): Education and Travel
Education
It is expected that most young people with Education, Health and care plans will have completed their further education by the age of 19, but some individuals do need longer to complete their education , qualification and/ or training.
An EHC plan will not be stopped as soon as you turn 19, but it will take account of whether the education or training outcomes have been achieved and whether formal education is required moving forward or another pathway may be more appropriate.
When you are close to finishing your education and training, the final annual review should be used to agree the support needed to help engage with adult services and any support you may need as part of the transition into adulthood and being able to access the community and supported living pathways. These would be assessed by social care or health for eligibility.
Transport and travel
Travel assistance for 19 to 25-year-olds in education can be applied for however is subject to eligibility and criteria and based on individual needs. This is for students with the most severe disabilities with no other means of transportation.
Applications need to be made each year and will not automatically continue each year.
For young adults (age 19-25): Finance & Social Care
Finance and benefits
Benefit claim
If you make a benefit claim you should be invited to meet a work coach at the Job Centre. They will discuss your needs and any barriers to work. You may have a Work Capability Assessment or be offered a specialist employment programme to support you into work.
Access to Work
Access to Work can cover the additional support you may need if you have a disability, health condition or mental health condition for your job. This can include
- adaptations to equipment you use
- fares to work if you cannot use public transport
- a support worker
- job coach to help you in the workplace
Disabled Students Allowance
Disabled Students Allowance can cover the additional support you may need if you have a disability, health problem or learning difficulty for higher education. This can include
- specialist equipment
- non-medical helpers, such as a British Sign Language interpreter
- extra travel assistance
- other disability related study support
Social care
People over the age of 18 who have eligible care and support needs may have to contribute to the cost of their care and support. A financial assessment will be done to see how much you can afford to contribute.
Adult Social Care Plan
Ongoing support is provided based on a formal adult social care plan that addresses the individual's needs as they evolve in adulthood. This may involve personal assistants, supported employment, or community-based services.
Carers assessment
Carers assessments are offered to parents who provide direct care and support to their young person. These assessments aim to look at how a parent can be supported in their caring role.
Resources