Preparing for Adulthood Transition Planning and Support step-by-step process

If you’re a young person and family, you should remember that Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) funding ends for university-bound students; they must apply to the Skills Funding Agency. A 'diagnostic assessment' by a qualified specialist is required for specific learning difficulties, with re-assessment if the last report was for someone under 16.

If the child or young person is involved with Childrens Social Care, you should:

1. make a referral to Adult Social Care (ASC) by their seventeenth birthday if they meet the eligibility criteria.
2. complete a transition review 3 months before eighteenth birthday

If the child or young person is involved with the Pathway team, you should:

1. make a referral to the Pathway Team. A Pathway worker will be allocated by age 17 and a half. If it's felt that an early allocation would be purposeful and meaningful for the young person this needs to be made clear on the referral form
2. ensure the Pathway plan identifies the specific areas that Pathway can support with. A referral will not be accepted without a completed Pathway plan

If the child or young person is involved with the Special Educational Needs Department (SEND), you should complete an annual EHCP review to plan next steps.

If the child or young person is involved with the Integrated Care Board (ICB), you should:

1. complete transition planning 6 months before the young person's eighteenth birthday. The Continuum Care (CC) nurse will contact adult health services and NHS Continuum Healthcare Checklist (CHC) promptly arranges a preliminary assessment by a healthcare professional
2. remember that at 18 years of age, full transition to adult NHS Continuing Healthcare or to universal and specialist health services should have been made

If the child or young person is involved with Adult Social Care (ASC), you should:

1. At 18, if Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) is in place, the adult social worker will submit the adults care and support plan with a COP24 witness statement to the Court of Protection. Adult Services will become responsible for the young person
2. complete a needs assessment