Transition from Child to Adult Services

What is Transition?

Transition is a widely used term that can be applied to all young people as they move into adulthood.  It covers that stage in their lives when most young people develop to become more independent.   

This  will  typically  include  leaving  school,  perhaps  going  on  into  further education, or going into employment or training, and maybe leaving home. 

For  some  young  people  with  special  educational  needs,  having  access  to  timely  and comprehensive information and support prior to 18 may be enough to help them reach their goals.   

For  other  young  people  more  support  may  be  needed  during  and  beyond  the transition period from a range of services to enable them to reach their potential. 

A worker from the Transition Team will attend School/College reviews from the age of 16 (Year 11) for those young people who are known to Social Care. 

During this time, the St Helen’s Transition Team will work with the young person to assess their social care and support needs and how these impact on their future wellbeing and achievements. We will support them to identify their goals and to develop a support plan that enables the young person to be as independent as possible. 

  1. The Young person must be between 16 and 25 years of age AND
  2. must have a diagnosed disability as stated in the Care Act 2014 –

“The adults needs for care and support arise from or are related to a physical or mental impairment or illness and are not caused by any other circumstantial factors. This includes if the adult has a condition as a result of physical, mental, sensory, learning or cognitive disabilities or illnesses, substance misuse or brain injury.”  AND 

  1. The Young person must be in full time education. AND
  2. The young person must be known to Childrens Social Care to be considered for an assessment pre-18 years of age. 

Although we start working with young people before their 18th birthday, the Transitions Team is an adult social work team.  If a young person is not open to Children’s Social Care then our assessment process will not start until the young person reaches age 18. The Transition Team will work only up to the point a young person leaves education or is 25, whichever is sooner. Any support that is agreed through our team will start only when the young person turns 18. The young person will not have a permanently allocated social worker. A Transitions Social Worker will work with the young person to complete an assessment and care plan and to apply for funding for services. Any services agreed will be reviewed on a regular basis. Adults will be expected to contribute towards the cost of their support. They will be referred for a financial assessment, support and advice from the Financial Services Team.   

 

You can find further information, including 'Who is eligible and what does it cost?' by telephoning Adult Social Care and Health team The Working Age Team on 01744 675242) or visiting www.sthelens.gov.uk/social-care-health/adults/

For all agencies to work together effectively a Partnership agreement governs the multiagency sharing of information about individual young people, in accordance with principles of The Mental Capacity Act and GDPR. Consent from young people is integral to this Agreement and will be required before any information can be shared. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 says that when a young person is 16 or over, they have the right to make independent decisions wherever possible. Capacity is simply the ability to make decisions on your own or with support. A young person is able to choose who it is that supports them with making a decision.  

We will only start an assessment, and share that information with the young person’s consent. If they do not have capacity to give consent, an assessment may still be carried out if it is in their best interests. 

An early triggering system will ensure that the Transition Team begin their involvement in Year 9 by attending School/College reviews to gather information only. When a young person has a significant learning disability, brain injury or neurological condition affecting their ability to understand or communicate their health needs, and will require significant input from adult services this information will be gathered over time to allow for the capacity assessment to be completed and the young person to be involved as much as possible. 

 

When a young person acquires an enduring injury during the Transition phase, or when families or young people move into St Helens the referral must be completed via Contact Cares and will be allocated to the relevant team for assessment. 

For information you can call Transition Admin on 01744 674196/7  or 

Or email on YoungPeopleTransitions@sthelens.gov.uk 

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The purpose of the Local Offer is to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available for children with special educational needs and disabilities in their area, and how to access them.

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