This page is designed to support young people, parents, and carers and who will be at a pivotal point in their lives, as they transition from a young person, into an adult.
Transitioning to adulthood
Thinking about a young person’s hopes, abilities and aspirations for the future can be daunting. Using a planned approach, with the young person at the centre and the wider support network around them, can help make planning for the next step easier to manage.
What happens and when?
Conversations should start with young people, families, and professionals, from the age of 14 years. If the young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan, social care, or early help involvement, this helps to think about how they can be supported to reach their full potential.
Between 15 to 16 years of age, young people may be starting to think about college, where they would like to live and how they will socialise with friends and family for example.
At age 16 to 17 years, it is good practice to have the input of adult social care if the young person is likely to meet the adult eligibility criteria. They can start gathering information for an adult care assessment (based on the Care Act 2014).
For assessment and support planning, The Care Act 2014 outlines:
"Where it appears to a local authority that a child is likely to have needs for care and support after becoming 18, the authority must, if it is satisfied that it would be of significant benefit to the child to do so".
While there is no set age for assessments to be completed (under the age of 18), the local authority should assess young people referred, on an individual basis and indicate when they think it will be ‘of significant benefit’ to complete the assessment.
If young people do not meet the criteria for adult services, there may be other services they can be signposted to for support, such as - The community connectors service (for people with learning disabilities and/or autism), welfare rights, social prescribers for example. The Local Offer have several different resources.
At 18 years old, a young person will close to children’s services. An adult social care assessment will look at the outcomes they wish to achieve and will consider their eligibility for formal support. For more information contact Call Derbyshire on telephone: 01629 533190.
Alternatively, you can discuss eligibility with the member of staff who is dealing with your assessment.