Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) is about taking steps to make sure that as a young person with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), you receive the right level of support to enable you to live as full and active a life as is possible.
The 4 main things that young people say are important to them are:
- employment
- independent living
- community inclusion
- health
These areas should be discussed as part of your transition planning. This usually starts at the annual review of your Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in Year 9 (when you are 13 to 14 years old).
Throughout the PfA process:
- all reviews and plans should be centred around your:
- needs
- hopes
- aspirations for the future
- you need to agree who will and can be sent information about you, including adult services
- your General Practitioner (GP) will need to have information about you
- each meeting should be recorded and shared with the people who support you now and those who are going to be supporting you in adulthood
Questions about what you want for your future
Age 13 - 14 years
- who will be able to help you?
- which services need to be involved?
- who needs to:
- come to your review meetings
- send reports for the meetings?
- do you need a referral to Adult Social Care to help your support planning?
Link to Adult Social Care - Your plan should be about your:
- needs
- hopes
- goals for the future
Age 15 years
- have your goals changed?
- what needs to happen?
- who needs to help you?
- are there any schools or colleges you need to visit?
- do you need a benefits check?
Age 16 years
This could be your final year at school.
- have your goals changed?
- do you want to stay at school or go to college?
- what job do you want to do?
- what do you need to be independent?
- what support might you need when you are an adult?
- has a referral to Adult Social Care been made?
Link to Adult Social Care - do you need a referral to Adult Social Care for an assessment?
- do you need a referral for a Continuing Healthcare Assessment?
Age 17 years
- have your goals changed?
- have your actions been updated?
- what needs to happen?
- who needs to help?
- do you need a referral to Adult Social Care for an assessment?
Link to Adult Social Care
Age 17 1/2 years
- has a referral to Adult Social Care been made?
- has a Continuing Health Care assessment been done?
- is your GP involved?
- are your benefits in the right name?
- will you have a Personal Budget (PB)?
- who will help you with this?
- what further learning do you need?
- do you know where to go for signposting and support?
- do you need a referral to Adult Social Care for an assessment?
Link to Adult Social Care
Age 18 - 19 years
At 18 you are now an adult
- do you want to go into higher education or an employment pathway?
- are you getting the right benefits? (Visit our page, Benefits You Might Be Entitled To)
- are there any community services you can use to help you build relationships?
Age 19 - 25 years
- can you live the life you want and do the things that are important to you as independently as possible
- can you have a good time with your friends?
- are you part of your community?
- are you in good health?
- are you in employment or training?
Other information to help you
Post 16 and options after leaving school
Transition is about making plans with you - and not about you
Benefits you might be entitled to