What transitions planning involves
Children’s and adult services work together to identify young people who are likely to need support from adult social care once they turn 18 years old. Transition planning usually begins in Year 9 (the school year in which the child has their 14th birthday).
We work in partnership with all the agencies and people that are involved in supporting the young person through a seamless transition.
Further information is available in our Transition Pathways and Transition protocol
booklets.
Minding the Gap – mental health transitions framework
The mental health transitions framework focuses on supporting young people with mental health needs to transition between children’s to adult services support. It has been developed in partnership with members of the Richmond and Wandsworth Safeguarding Adult Board in response to recommendations from a Safeguarding Adults Review.
If the young person is likely to be eligible for support from adult social care, a lead worker will be chosen to support the young person and their family and help write a transition plan. They will also agree when to complete the assessment for adult social care.
An assessment is simply a conversation that will help us understand the young person’s ambitions and what help and support the young person might need to live as independently as possible when they become an adult. Services provided to young people are not always continued, in the same way, once young people become adults. As part of an assessment, we will consider whether or not the young person meets the three conditions set out in the Care Act 2014, all of which must be met for a person’s needs to be eligible for care and support from the Council.
You can check who qualifies for care and support.
If the young person is not likely to be eligible for support from adult social care, the young person and their family will be offered information and advice about other support available in the borough. Any support from children’s services will continue until the child’s eighteenth birthday. Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) can be continued until the young person is 25 years old.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
We understand that it can be difficult to support young people with additional needs to prepare for adulthood, especially when there are important decisions to be made.
To help support you we have produced an explanatory guide that explains the Mental Capacity Act 2005, your role as a parent or carer, how mental capacity is assessed, and the support available in the borough.
Information and advice
Wandsworth Children’s Services Local Offer website provides information on local services and support available for families including children and young people aged 0 to 25 years with special educational needs or disabilities. It includes a range of resources to help prepare young people for adulthood.
CarePlace is the directory of local services for adult social care in Wandsworth. The directory contains a range of services that support adults to stay independent, including charities, advice services, groups and activities.