Preparing for Adulthood

Chapter 8 of the SEND Code of Practice is entitled “Preparing for Adulthood from the Earliest Years” it says that when a child is very young, or SEN is first identified, families need to know that the great majority of children and young people with SEN or disabilities, with the right support, can find work, be supported to live independently, and participate in their community.

All professionals should encourage these ambitions right from the start.

The Code says that early year’s providers and schools should support children and young people so that they are included in social groups and develop friendships.

Children with SEND should engage in the activities of the nursery or school together with those who do not have SEND and be encouraged to participate fully in the life of the nursery or school and in any wider community activities.

The support young children with SEND receive in the early years has a life-long impact on them and their family. Planning should be robust, allowing a young person to develop their aspirations, explore all options, make informed decisions, and access the support they need at each step through secondary school, further education and on into adult life. It should also be person centred and focus on the young person’s strengths, aspirations, and circumstances, involving all the key people in their support network.

Those supporting PFA should establish, together with the young person (and their family), what is ‘important to’ and ‘important for’ them; identify what is working and not working in their life currently; focus on the four pillars to build up a picture of what is possible and practical for the young person including any support required.

At each stage of children and young people’s learning and development, early years settings, primary and secondary schools each need to prepare them for the new responsibilities, new experiences, new independence, and the new challenges of the next stage of their education, training, and employment.

Most importantly support them to be able to make future choices about all aspects of their lives.

From Year 7 children should gradually be encouraged and helped to think about what’s important to them and what they would like to do in the future such as:

• jobs children might like to do in the future and further education or training options to help achieve their job goals
• where they might want to live in the future, and how they could live independently things they want to do in the community (interests and hobbies)
• future health needs

Many children being supported by schools will have an EHC plan.

Preparing for adulthood is a key part of the annual review process from Year 9 and the work completed to support children/ young people and their families to prepare will make the process easier.

For schools, planning and preparing early will make it a more positive experience and build confidence and independence in the young person for leaving school and transition to adults Health and Social Care services. Many families will seek advice and support from their child’s school so understanding what services are available to support them will help them through the process.

The benefits of planning and early integration within the curriculum is to create a foundation of knowledge and experiences that enables the student by Year 9 to have a meaningful and successful progression which is supportive to the student’s needs any decisions or choices are flexible, as over time the child’s ideas and choices may change.

However early interventions enable students to maximise their opportunity to experience different career fields to achieve their aspirations and dreams.

EHC Plans should be used to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and future ambitions. The plans must be reviewed annually.

Every child with SEND should have a provision plan, setting out the provision needed to support their needs, as the child moves through education these should include aspirational short, medium, and long-term goals towards becoming an adult and start to set out a clear pathway which is realistic and possible.

Furthermore, earlier planning reduces the likelihood of a young person becoming NEET.

When working with children and young people we should focus on outcomes, but we must first understand what an outcome is.

An outcome should be SMART it should show the skills that is needed to be developed and specify how the skill will move the young person towards the life they want for themselves.

What will the skill give them or make possible in their future or do for them as part of their preparation for adulthood.

EHC Plans should be used to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and future ambitions. The plans must be reviewed annually.

The Year 9 EHC Annual Review and every subsequent annual review must focus on preparing for adulthood.

This should include support in the following areas:

• to find suitable post-16 pathways that lead to outcomes for employment or higher education and training opportunities
• to undertake work experience in a meaningful setting
• to find a job
• to help to understand benefits
• to prepare for independent living, including exploring decisions young people want to make for themselves such as where they want to live in the future and the support they will need to find accommodation. housing benefits and money matters
• eligibility for social care or continuing health care
• to maintain good health and wellbeing in adulthood
• to plan continuing health services from children to adult’s services and help young people understand which health professional may work with them as adults; ensuring those professionals understand the young person’s needs. This should include the production of a Health Action Plan and prompts for annual health checks for young people with learning disabilities
• travel support to enable independence
• to participate and maintain relationships in the community – including support with activities in the community

What will happen at each annual review:

• The LA must consult with the parent of the child or young person (and with the school or institution being attended if there is one) about the EHC plan, and take account of their views, wishes and feelings
• An annual review meeting must take place to discuss the EHC plan
• Information must be gathered from parents and young people and from professionals about the EHC plan and then circulated two weeks before the meeting
• After the meeting a report of what happened must be prepared and circulated to everyone who attended or submitted information to be discussed
• After the meeting the LA reviews the EHC plan
• The LA must notify the parent of the child or young person of their decision within four weeks of the meeting
• All these steps – not just the meeting – must be followed for an annual review to be completed (WWW.IPSEA.ORG.UK)
• Reviews should be person-centred, consider what is working, what is not working well and what is important to the young person and what is important for the young person as they progress towards adult life

Advocacy is about speaking up for children and young people and helping them take part in decisions that affect their lives. It involves making sure their rights are respected, and their views and wishes are heard and acted upon by decision. Advocates are professionally trained, fair and impartial, and their service is completely confidential and independent of the local authority. For more information please email Madvocates@nelincs.gov.uk

Advocates support people to:

• Develop the skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to voice their concerns and make sure they are being treated right
• Access information and services
• Explore choices and options

As young people develop, they should be involved more and more closely in decisions about their own future.

Schools have a vital role in supporting young people to make decisions and take control of their own future.

It is essential that parents are well prepared for these changes and are supported to allow their child’s voice to be heard at the centre of the conversation.

Educational providers should continue to involve parents in discussions about the young person’s future. In focusing discussions around the individual young person, parents, carers and professionals should support the young person to communicate their needs and aspirations and to make decisions which are most likely to lead to good outcomes for them, still involving the family in most cases.

It is key that the child’s aspirations are at the centre of the conversation. Using Vocational Profiles as a tool will help with this work. The underlying principle of the Mental Capacity Act is to ensure that those who lack capacity are empowered to make as many decisions as possible for themselves and that any decision made or action taken on their behalf is done so in their best interests.

Decisions about mental capacity are made on an individual basis and may vary according to the nature of the decision itself. Someone may lack capacity to make a decision in one area but not in another. Capacity should be reassessed for each decision required.