Preparing for adulthood

Preparing for adulthood means moving on from being a child to becoming an adult.

The principles and processes of effective preparation for adulthood

  • Early planning at the point which is right for the young person, but as early as possible between the ages 0-25.
  • Holistic assessment, planning and review.
  • Active involvement of young people and their families.
  • Promotion of maximum independence throughout a young person's childhood. This would be done at the point which is right for the young person, but as early as possible between the ages 0-25.
  • Raising aspirations and focusing on key life chances.
  • Provision of information and advocacy.
  • Integrated streamlined assessment and planning processes across all agencies. Children’s Social Care, The NHS ( children and adults), Education and Adult Social Care.

General Information for Young Adults with SEND

Between the ages of 14 and 25 you will need to make important choices about your future, such as:

Going to College

Finding a job

Where you'll live

What extra help and support you will need and how to access it

In the downloads section of this page you can find further resources to help you prepare for adulthood:

  • An editable vocational profile to help with person-centred approaches to post-16 options along with supporting information
  • My Skills My Future guide to help with skills development and choosing next steps

You can also find a lot of information about these areas on the National Development Team for Inclusion(NDTi) website.

There is also guidance about what schools, colleges and other agencies should be doing to support the transition to adult life in the SEND Code of Practice, particularly chapters 6, 7 and 8.

If you can't find what we are looking for in these pages you may be able to find other services in Sandwell which can help. There are a number of ways to do this:

Get in touch with us

Family Information Service

family_information@sandwell.gov.uk
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