Transitions, 16+

The aim is to start your preparation for adult life work when you are 13 to 14 years of age during your year 9 school review. This review is a chance for you to tell the people supporting you what your hopes and wishes are for your future and to help develop the outcomes and goals that will be included in your Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or your SEND Support Plan.

The adult life work will include discussions about the following:

• higher or further education, training, or employment: this means exploring education choices once you are over the age of 16 and again when you are over the age of 18. It will also look at different options for training, employment, and volunteering
• independent living: this means that you will be supported to develop the necessary independence skills to help you live a more independent life as you grow up and you will be given information on the various options for living independently
• being part of your community: you will be supported to think about friendships, relationships and joining in activities and opportunities in your local area
• being healthy: this will include talking about your feelings, knowing where to get support if you are feeling sad or angry as well as your physical health, including eating well and staying fit and active

Your views, wishes and hopes for the future can change as you grow up and those changes will be discussed with you during your annual reviews so that the people supporting you will be able to give you the information you require.

You will be supported to continue to work towards your goals. We will talk to you about what you want to do in the future, this will include talking about education, employment, volunteering, training and where and who you want to live with.

For more information please visit:

• Education, employment and training
• WPCC Advice on training, employment and housing (opens new window)
• GP Health check if you have a learning disability (opens new window)
• Transition to adult health services (opens new window)
• Direct payments
• Somewhere to live
• Community Connecting
• Travel Training

We will talk to you about your wishes and goals and start to look at what you would like to do in the future. If you want to carry on with further education, you can talk to your SEND lead worker about the options for this. If you decide that you want to leave education at the age of 18 then options for employment, voluntary work or other meaningful activities will be discussed with you and your family. If you think that you would like to move out of your family home then information about how to achieve this will be shared with you.

For more information please visit:

• WPCC Advice on adult services (opens new window)
• WPCC Advice on training, employment and housing (opens new window)
• Advice on EHCPs

We will talk to you about your wishes and choices for the future including where you would like to live and further education and employment options and you will be supported to make decisions about this.

When you turn 18 years of age, you will be able to request a Care Act Assessment from Wiltshire Council which will identify what (if any) support you can receive from adult social care.

If you decide that you would like to continue with education, an internship, or an apprenticeship or are considering higher education then you can talk to your SEND lead worker about this.

You will also be supported to consider other options such as WEST, Community Connecting, Building Bridges, Citizens Advice, Job Centre Plus and Housing. Information about these options will be given to you by the people who support you.

For more information please visit:

• Employment 16+
• Benefits
• Job coaching, community activities and more
• Transition to adult services (opens new window)
• GP Health check if you have a learning disability  (opens new window)
• Access to work support (opens new window)
• Support for employment
• Housing options (opens new window)
• Somewhere to live
• Wiltshire Employment Support Team (WEST)
• Adult Social Care
• WPCC advice on personal budgets and direct payments (opens new window)
• Direct payments

If you have an EHCP or a My Support Plan you will be able to request a Care Act Assessment, your allocated worker will be able to make a referral through the transitions meeting to request this. Alternatively, you can phone Advice and Contact on 0300 4560111 and make the request yourself

If you have received support from Wiltshire Council via the Children and Young People's Disability Team (known as CYPDT) this may continue until you are 25 years old or until you are ready to transfer to adult social care

Between the ages of 18 and 25, your social worker will continue to help support you to prepare for adult life and when you are ready, and if your support is going to move from Children's services to adult services you will be transferred by going through the transitions meeting.

At age 18, if you are not eligible for support from adult social care, you will be supported to find alternative services. You will then close to children's social care without a transfer to adult social care.

In the future, if you feel that you do need support from adult social care you can make a referral through the Advice and Contact service on 0300 4560111 and request a Care Act Assessment.

For more information check back on the previous years sections for helpful link reminders or visit: Advice and support for adults.