We understand that becoming an adult can be an anxious time. This is even more of a concern if you have care and support needs as a result of a physical or mental impairment or illness.
To try and support you through this time we have developed a pathway to enable us to get to know you and your needs better by the time you are 18 and to help you to know what support you are likely to receive as an adult and the options available to you. Our plan is by doing this we will provide a smooth transition into adulthood, where you and your family feel supported and in control of your future.
If you receive support from Children’s Social Care you can expect at around 14 years of age that your social care worker will have discussion with you and the people important to you about the future. This discussion will then be shared with the transition’s team so that they are aware of you, yours wishes and aspirations. You and the people that are important to you will be asked if you are happy for this to happen.
At around 16 you will be allocated an adults worker from the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Social Care Team. This worker will attend important meetings, get to know you and the people that know you best and start to gather information for your assessment. By the age of 17 your assessment will be completed and you and your adults worker will start to plan how your care and support needs are going to be met as an adult. When you are around 18 your children’s worker will stop working with you and your adult’s worker will be the person you contact for support.
If you do not have any support from Children’s services your school will have discussions with you at year 9 about your future and the help and support that you may need. Around year 11 they will ask you if it is ok to let us know about you and make a referral to us. At around the age of 16 we will allocate you an adult’s worker from the SEND social Care team to start gathering information and getting to know you and the people who are important to you, they will attend important meetings with you. This will enable us to complete your assessment by the age of 17 ½. We will then look at planning what care and support you may need as an adult.
Personal Budgets and non-residential care and support
For more information see our leaflet on Personal Budgets including frequently asked questions.