Preparing for adulthood is an exciting time, but it is recognised that this can be more challenging for some young people, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The process can sometimes take longer and need more careful preparation than for other young people of a similar age. We want to ensure the best experience of transition into adulthood, to empower young people to be as independent, self-reliant and confident as possible. 
Planning for the future, experiencing life changes and gaining skills and knowledge for independence is an important time in any young person’s life. To experience a successful transition, and to be suitably prepared for adulthood, is likely to require access to effective guidance and support from multiple services.
You will be able to find information in this hub around the following areas:
- Post 16 education, employment and training
- Independent living including travel, transport and dealing with money
- Community and Relationships
- Health into adulthood
EHCP Transition Reviews
From Year 9 onwards, annual reviews of EHC plans should include a focus on preparing for adulthood
If your child has an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP), the planning for the future should start as part of the Year 9 Annual Review – this is sometimes referred to as a transition review.
This review aims to assess a young person's progress in education and life skills. This is to ensure the EHCP accurately describes the young person’s needs and provides the support they will require in their next placement. It also gives the young person and their parents/carers an opportunity to raise any concerns they may have.
Transition reviews should generally take place in the autumn term and should include advice and information about the pupil with contributions from the young person, their parents/carers, the school, the local authority, and healthcare and social care professionals, where appropriate.
The new outcomes identified on the EHCP should reflect the assessed needs of the young person with a specific focus on the 4 key areas of Preparation for Adulthood (PfA).
Year 9 and 10 Annual Review
Your child's school will organise the PfA/transition review and support you through the process. These annual reviews will follow the same format and expectations of previous reviews but, in addition, should include discussions about your child’s post-16 options; such as sixth forms, colleges and other providers. Any new outcomes should be focused on preparation for adulthood.
Discussions should also be had regarding any additional support or adjustments that may be necessary to facilitate a successful transition into the next phase of education.
To ensure you and your young person get the most out of the planning, it is important to think about what they like and what their hopes and aspirations are for the future. Some young people will need more support to do this, therefore it may be helpful to ask others who know them well what they think.
Year 11 Annual (transition) Review
If your child has an EHC plan, their Year 11 Annual Review should be held in the early part of the Autumn term, to enable you to let the Local Authority know your preferences for their next phase of education as early as possible. The SEN team will then liaise with you and the education setting to ensure that decisions are made in good time and amend your child's EHC plan as appropriate, so that everyone can work together to support their transition. It may be beneficial to invite someone from the proposed destination setting to be involved in the transition discussions.
Creating a one-page profile/Transition Support Plan may be useful to support a successful transition.
Further Advice and Guidance
- The Preparing for Adulthood programme (PfA) is delivered by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi). Find out more about their programme on their website.
- Council for Disabled Children Into Adulthood Resources