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View all services in this categoryS.E.N.D Information for young people
SEND Information and services for Young People and Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)
Welcome to our pages on Preparing for Adulthood (also known as Transition) for young people aged 13 to 25 with a disability or specific need. Transition is the journey of preparing, planning and moving from being a teenager to becoming an adult if you have a disability, specific need or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
Children with special educations needs and disabilities (SEND), who are eligible for social care support, receive it from Children's services. Once you reach 18, you become an adult and support is then provided by social care services designed for adults. You can find a "Jargon Buster " explaining what words and phrases used at the bottom of this page. If you are a professional working with young people with SEND, visit the Transitions Training Zone for more information.
Here you can find the meaning of some things you might come across on the Transition Pathway. If you want more detailed information about what might happen each year then take a look at the year by year pages. If there is anything that you don’t understand you can ask your parents or carers, your teachers or your Connexions Advisor.
Connexions
Connexions is an organisation that helps young people by giving them advice, information and guidance. They can help you think about what you might like to do in the future and help you work out how you can do what you want to do. Connexions play a big part in the Transitions process. They will help you decide what you would like to include in your Transition Plan and talk to you about all of the different options that you have. These options will include staying at school, going to college or getting a job. They can also give you advice about other things such as money, staying healthy and finding somewhere to live.
Connexions Advisor
A Connexions Advisor is someone who is trained help you think about your options. They can help you make decisions about what you want to do in life and help you find ways to make it happen. They will help you to think about what you want to do and support you through all the decisions you have to make.
If you have any questions about things like school, college, or training courses then your Connexions advisor is a good person to ask.
Transitions Plan
This plan is mostly about your education. It will talk about all of the things that need to happen to help you do what you want to do. This will include talking about things like what you would like to do in the future and whether you would like to stay at school, go to college or get a job. Once you turn 17 your Transitions Plan will also look at things like housing, health and any support you might need once you are an adult.
If you want to see a copy of your report you can ask your teacher, Connexions Advisor or the Special Educational Needs Team at Buckinghamshire County Council.
Transition Review
This review is a meeting that happens every year from when you are in year 9 until you turn 18 or 19. There might be a lot of people asked to come to this meeting. All of the people that come will be involved in helping you such as your teachers and your social worker if you have one. Your parents and carers will also be invited. You should be asked to come along, or someone will ask you what you think before the meeting and then let you know what happened afterwards.
Sometimes this meeting happens as part of another review such as your LAC review or your Annual review. This meeting is meant to be all about you. It is called a ‘Person Centred Review’ because what you think and want is the most important thing.
Person-Centred Planning
Person-centred planning is a process of continual listening, and learning; focussed on what is important to someone now, and for the future; and acting upon this with their family and friends.
It means that the person is at the centre of planning their life. It is not simply a collection of new techniques for planning to replace any other plans. It is about seeing and thinking about people with impairments in the same way we think about ourselves and everyone else.
Person Centred Planning is about:
- listening to and learning about what people want from their lives
- helping people to think about what they want now and in the future
- Family, friends, professionals and services all working together with the person to make this happen
- A commitment to keep learning about the person
One Page Profiles
What are they?
- They are the foundation for Person Centred Plan (Essential Lifestyle Plan)
- They are record of what is important to someone and how best to support them.
Education Health and Care Plans / EHC Plans / EHC
At the annual review in the year prior to the young person leaving school, it will be important to discuss whether they need to continue their education to prepare them for their adult lives. If continuing in education is thought to be beneficial, the young person will be able to express a preference for a course and college they wish to attend.
Their views will be very carefully considered and where possible/appropriate a college placement will be arranged.
For young people who will require a high level of Support their Connexions worker will help them to draw up their Education Health and Care Plan as part of preparing for adulthood. For young people who require a lower level of support, their Connexions worker will help to draw – up a document called an SEN Support Plan, which will detail the support, they require at college.
Work experience
Depending on which school you are at you may get the chance to do some work experience. The year before you do your work experience you will probably start to find out more about what work experience involves. It is a good idea to start thinking about where you might like to do your work experience early to make sure you get your first choice. If you need any help, or if you are not sure if your school does work experience, then talk to your teacher or Connexions Advisor.
Adults and Family Wellbeing Service
The Adults and Family Wellbeing service are Adult Social Care. They provide support and help to adults who need it.
