Preparing for Adulthood

Young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities should have equal opportunities as they move into adulthood.  This includes any aspirations in education, training or for paid employment. Discussions about future plans particularly in relation to education and work will start in school from year 9, so that professionals and services around the young person can help ensure the right planning and support is in place to help them to achieve their goals.

Gloucestershire Employment and Skills Hub

Gloucestershire County Council and GFirst have worked together to develop a central source of information around skills and employment. The hub has specialist coaches who will work with young people and adults aged 16 years and older.

The Hub will help to tailor an appropriate package and ongoing support for young people who are looking for training, advice, support, or an apprenticeship. The only criteria to access the service is to be a Gloucestershire resident.

Contact them here: employmentandskillshub@gloucestershire.gov.uk

 Forwards Employment Service

The Forwards Employment Service offer a variety of programmes for young people and adults, who require additional support to get into work, due to having disabilities or mental health needs for example. More details and the referral form can be found on their website here: Website: https://www.forwardsgloucestershire.co.uk/

 1:1 Service

The 1:1 Service offers regular sessions with a specialist job broker who will support individuals by:

• Supporting them to find work experience placements which they will enjoy
• Increasing their skills and confidence
• Offering bespoke courses to get them ready for starting work
• The Job Brokers also work with employers to encourage the development of paid opportunities.

Forwards Work Club

Forwards Work Clubs provide support for disabled people who have the capacity to work within a group setting. These clubs are designed for individuals whose needs are higher functioning eg those with physical disabilities, mild to moderate mental health issues, higher functioning autism.

Assisted Internship Model (AIM)

This programme is a way of enabling young people with a disability or other additional needs to take their journey towards a paid job. The Assisted Internship was previously known as a Supported Internship and offers an opportunity to gain practical working experience and improve the prospects of being offered paid employment. Job Coaches are available to assist young people to develop the skills required to be successful in the workplace.

Eligibility for the AIM:

• Available to young people aged 16-24 years old
• The individual must have a Special Educational Need, a disability or boundary to employment and must be keen to work.
• The individual must already have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP), or be in the process of being assessed for an EHCP

The Assisted Internship Model is available at:

• Gloucestershire College
• National Star College
• SGS College

All of these organisations are working in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council to deliver AIM, along with employers from all over the county.

Housing

If you and your child are thinking about where they might want to move to when they become an adult, it could be helpful in the first instance to speak with the District Council about the options available. Each district Council runs slightly differently, so it is important to understand how things work in the area your child would like to live:

• Housing | Cheltenham Borough Council
• Housing advice - Cotswold District Council
• Homelessness support and advice - Forest of Dean District Council
• Housing - Gloucester City Council
• Housing advice | Stroud District Council
• Housing — Tewkesbury Borough Council

 Social Housing

In Gloucestershire we use an online portal known as Gloucestershire Homeseeker to apply for social housing. If your child has disabilities or a Special Educational Need, this information can be submitted as part of the evidence with the application, this gives the Housing Team reviewing the application a better understanding of the individual and what their needs are.

Social care and Independent living

For more information around the Social Care Transitions Pathway, it’s a good idea to consult the Preparing for Adulthood guide. This document has lots of helpful advice around preparing for adulthood, including social care.   

The guide shares that once a young person turns 18:

If the young person is open to Children’s Social Care (including the Disabled Children and Young People’s Service) the case will transfer across to the Transition Team when the young person turns 18.

If there is a delay in the move to the Transition Team, support from Children’s Services should continue to ensure continuity.

If the pathway is followed, this should not be necessary. The adult care and support package starts on the young person’s 18 birthday, taking into account the young person’s strengths, abilities and wishes and this is reviewed after six weeks and annually thereafter.

What if I need some help around Homeseeker or I’d like to talk about living Independently?

If you need any help and think you might need support in terms of developing the skills to live independently or assistance with applying for Gloucestershire Homeseeker, it can be worth getting in contact with the Drop In in your area or talking with the Enablement Service.  

To be referred to Enablement Service, or discuss support needs contact the Adult Helpdesk on 01452 426868 or by using by using the Adult Help Desk online enquiry form.

National Resources

No Place Like Home

The National Preparing for Adulthood scheme has developed a No Place Like Home Guide (preparingforadulthood.org.uk). On this webpage you will find a link to a housing and support booklet which can help you and your child work out what the best housing option is for you both.

 National Autistic Society

The National Autistic Society have developed some resources on transition planning for young people which includes looking at housing options: Making decisions - a guide for young people (autism.org.uk)

It’s important to ensure that young people are involved in their community and have friends and family around them when they are beginning to find their way in adult life. The resources below will help you and your child to find local groups, clubs and resources which they can access.

Future Me

Future Me is designed by Young People for Young People! The group came together to share their experiences growing up in Gloucestershire and want to find out from other people how we can improve what’s available for Young People growing up in the county today. Future Me also intends to provide resources and information to Young People to give them the best opportunities and support as they begin to step into their adult life. 

Glosfamilies Directory

Glosfamilies Directory is a helpful site for families and young people looking for things to do and places to go for support locally in Gloucestershire. The directory includes opportunities for young people preparing for adulthood from age 16+.

Your Circle

Your Circle is a very handy website which tells you what’s going on in Gloucestershire for adults, local to your area. It provides information on Statutory Services which are run by the Council but also provides details on local provision around the county. For example: community lunch clubs and local sports teams. See what’s available for yourself.

You’re Welcome

You’re Welcome is an online directory to find activities, clubs and places to visit which are inclusive.

When a young person moves to adulthood it is important to ensure that they have an understanding of their basic health and wellbeing needs, as well as any additional knowledge around their individual health conditions or medical needs.

 Annual health checks

Annual Health Checks are designed to promote the early detection and treatment of physical and mental health problems. If you are over 14 and on the GP Learning Disabilities register, then your GP will invite you for an Annual Health Check.  You can find out more about the Annual Health Checks on the Mencap website. It is easy to be added to the Learning Disabilities Register, an individual can request this at the reception desk during a routine visit to the GP.

Mental Capacity Act 2005

The Mental Capacity Act is relevant to people aged 16+ and is the legislation around how people make decisions about their life. The law says that we must help people to make their own decisions wherever possible and support them to understand what the decision they are making means.

When a person cannot make their own decision other people have to decide what is in their best interests. Often the person’s family will make these decisions, but sometimes other people must do this, for example a doctor if it is a medical decision. This is very different to how decisions are made regarding children where relatives can make all the decisions.

Learning Disabilities Hospital Liaison Nurses

Going into hospital is a daunting time for anyone, but for a young person with learning disabilities it can be even more challenging. The purpose of the Learning Disabilities Hospital Liaison Nurses is to help make sure that any hospital visits or admissions are as easy as possible for the individual.

The Nurses can help to make sure that ‘reasonable adjustments’ are put in place for the hospital visit, for example: visiting the young person at home before admission so they recognise the Nurses, talking to ward staff about the patient’s needs and reducing wait times for the individual to reduce stress and anxiety. The service can be referred to by an individual, their family or a professional working with the individual.

For more details on the Learning Disabilities Hospital Liaison Nurses and how to get in touch with them please take a look at the Learning Disabilities Hospital Liaison Nurses webpage. 

Community Learning Disabilities Team (CLDT)

The Community Learning Disabilities Team sits in the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. They are a specialist service for people with learning disabilities and health needs which may include:

• postural management (OT)
• sensory (OT)
• managing and maintaining nutrition
• mental health
• epilepsy
• behaviours of distress

 The team includes Community Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychiatrists, Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapists.

 An individuals GP can refer them to the CLDT and/or if they are known to Children’s health services, they may refer them and conduct transition planning.

Intensive Health Outreach Team (IHOT)

IHOT provides a specialist service for people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable adults with physical health needs who require medical assessment.

 The Team offer support such as desensitising basic health checks by gentle introduction of equipment and staff, in the person’s own home or taking bloods for people who struggle with this and where reasonable adjustments have still not made it possible.

Learning Disabilities Intensive Support Service (LDISS)

LDISS is a highly specialist service for individuals with learning disabilities who have behaviours that challenge and/or mental health needs. They work with individuals which may be at high risk of mental health hospital admission, to prevent unnecessary admissions to these units the Team also facilitate discharge where individuals have been admitted.

 In addition, where an individual has complex needs LDISS helps people to move back into Gloucestershire from out of county, including inpatient services, educational services or residential care. 

Adult Continuing Healthcare

Young people with complex health needs which may have been as a result of congenital conditions, long-term or life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, disability, or the after-effects of serious illness or injury may be eligible for Adult Continuing Healthcare (CHC).

 Often the young people who are referred for an Adult CHC assessment will have been supported through Children’s Continuing Care during their childhood, however this is not always the case.

Below is an overview of the process for accessing Adult Continuing Healthcare:

An Adult CHC ‘Checklist’ can be submitted to the Team when the young person is aged 17.5, a checklist is the screening stage to establish the likelihood of eligibility and whether a full assessment is needed. CHC Checklists can be completed by services such as: Children’s Continuing Care, the Adult Social Care Transition Team and Children’s Social Care.

 The completion of a checklist should be undertaken in a community setting with the young person and their family. The professional completing the checklist will also talk to other services working with the young person to gather a full picture of the individual’s needs. For a checklist to be submitted informed consent must be given by the young person. If the young person is not able to give consent, then someone else will need to undertake this decision for example a relative, this decision must be made in the individuals’ best interests. Once the screening stage has been completed it will be reviewed by the CHC Team, and they will agree whether the young person will move onto the full assessment stage, to decide CHC eligibility. If the screening stage shows that the young person does not meet eligibility, then they will be informed by NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

 The full CHC assessment will be coordinated by the CHC Team. There are 2 parts to the assessment these are:

• An assessment of needs – this provides up to date information from the young person, their family and their multi-disciplinary team (health, social care and educational professionals supporting the young person)
• Decision support tool –there are 12 elements of a decision support tool, known as domains, these help to understand the young person’s level of need in each area. The young person’s multi-disciplinary team will write about their care needs for each domain.

 The multi-disciplinary team develop their recommendation of eligibility based on the above, which the young person and their family are able to look at. The CCG then reviews the recommendations and agrees an outcome, which will be provided to the young person in writing.

 If the young person is eligible then the CHC team will work with them to develop a support plan for their health and wellbeing, in day-to-day life, the plan will also consider where the young person will receive their care and who will complete this. These decisions should be made jointly between professionals and the young person with their family.

 NHS England have developed a video to provide more details to families on how the CHC process works.