Moving from children’s social care to adult social care

The process of moving to adult services is gradual, and different things happen at different ages, depending on the young person’s needs.

This page gives a breakdown of the actions that must occur each year during the transition process from age 14 onwards. This includes actions that must occur across education, social care, children looked after, health and transport.

Young person is 14 (Year 9)

Education

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) will be reviewed in Year 9, in collaboration with the Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) team with a focus on PfA. Other professionals will also prioritise this transitional year to consider what the young person needs to achieve their Key Stage 4 outcomes, be ready for Key Stage 5 and work towards their future aspirations.

Kingston SEND Local Offer schools and colleges should provide students with independent careers advice (all year 8 to 13 pupils) and offer opportunities for taster sessions, work experience, mentoring and inspirational speakers and role models to help young people with SEND make informed decisions about their future aspirations. 

If your child or young person has an EHC plan, their EHC co-ordinator will also be involved in this process. Adult social care services and children's social care work with the PFA team to review young people who may be eligible for care services as an adult. 

Learn more about Preparing for Adulthood on Achieving for Children

Social care

Young people likely to need support as adults should be identified on the tracking list by children’s services and discussed at the regular meetings, the purpose of which is to ensure that key pieces of work are completed and that they are on the right pathway for their needs.

Children’s services will identify young people with EHCPs who are likely to require support from adult support services.

Children’s services will identify children who are assessed as young carers and will require ongoing support as a carer and therefore require a transition assessment before adulthood.

Children looked after

‘Children looked after’ identifies young people who are likely to need support from adult social care (with consideration of the Care Act 2014) and they are placed on the tracker.

Independent reviewing officers (IROs) also help to identify young people with care and support needs.

Health

Young people with complex health needs are flagged up on the tracker as likely to need an assessment or be eligible for adult continuing healthcare.

From the age of 14, young people with a learning disability are entitled to a free health check with their GP once a year.

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) mental health advice for tiers 2, 3 and 4 for the application of EHCP funding and funding decision within 6 weeks.

Transport

We expect young people to travel independently when they have the skills to do so and will support those who do not, to do so wherever possible.

Young people in receipt of support from the SEND travel assistance team will be considered for independent travel training. Travel assistance budgets remain available to young people and their families.

Young person is 15 (Year 10)

Education

Year 10 Annual Review - Preparing for adulthood is an ongoing process and the Year 10 annual review is the second of several transition planning meetings that take place every year with the young person until they leave school in Year 11, 13 to 14 or until the young person no longer requires support through the EHCP.

The year 10 annual review will ensure the young person’s needs are identified, and relevant services put in place. The EHCP will be amended in preparation for the young person’s phase transfer process in year 11, to reflect their changing needs as they grow older and ensure their EHCP is reflective of their current presentation to consult with post-16 educational settings.

Review of support in school for those with additional needs but no EHC Plan. 

The setting will provide careers guidance, information and advice. If you are likely to have a change of environment post-16 (like moving from school to college), consider what might be needed for a smooth transition. In some complex cases, a multi-agency panel will consider the options and make recommendations.

Social care

Tracking meetings continue between the relevant teams regularly. Young people can be flagged and added at any point.

Children looked after

Young people will be supported to complete the independent living checklist, this will be reviewed periodically and will inform the pathway plan.

The checklist will also be completed as soon as possible for any young people who becomes looked after between 15 and 18. Young people who will need a personal adviser (PA) at 16 are also identified.

Health

Continuing Health Care (CHC) transitions tracking meeting, held 6 weekly.

Transport

Independent travel training will continue to be considered for the young people to support them in developing the skills they need to travel independently wherever possible.

Young person is 16 (Year 11)

Education

The EHCP is reviewed and new outcomes are recorded in the PfA section. Continue to receive careers education, information, advice and guidance. 

The young person or appropriate person decides on the preferred post-16 option. This should have been undertaken and preparations underway before the annual review. In the autumn young people are asked for their post-16 education placement choices.

The SEND team then ‘consults’ with the relevant education placement. The PfA team attends to this along with social care and health when appropriate. 

This process is repeated in Years 12 to 14 and after 19 if the young person is identified as moving between settings and therefore again in a transitional year. If moving on from school, post-16 placement is confirmed by 31 March if an EHCP is in place. 

Consider whether all appropriate professionals or organisations are involved, including advocacy. 

The allocated EHCP coordinator should refer young people where required to adult social care who have been identified on the tracker, when not known to children’s social care teams. Consent should be sought from the young person. 

Young people preparing to make their own decisions

As young people develop, they should be involved more and more closely in decisions about their future. 

After compulsory school age (the end of the academic year in which they turn 16) children become young people and have the right to take their own responsibility for engaging in decision making with their education provider and, where they have an EHCP, with the local authority and other agencies. 

Schools have a vital role to play in supporting young people to make decisions and take control of their future. 

Parents must be well prepared for these changes and supported to allow their young person’s voice to be heard at the centre of the conversation. Educational providers should continue to involve parents in discussions about the young person’s future. 

In focusing discussions around the individual young person, parents, carers and professionals should support that young person to communicate their needs and aspirations. They need to make decisions which are most likely to lead to good outcomes for them, involving the family in most cases. 

It is key that the young person’s aspirations are at the centre of the conversation. Using ‘vocational profiles’ as a tool will help with this work. 

The parents and family members of young people can continue to support them to make decisions or act on their behalf if this is what the young person wants. 

The local authority, schools, colleges, health services and other agencies should continue to involve parents until the young person is 18 years old, although the final decision lies with the young person.

Social care

Referrals are made to adult social care for young people already identified on the tracker by the relevant teams in children’s services. 

It may be appropriate for some people with complex needs to be referred at an earlier stage, this will be decided at the tracking meetings.

Children looked after

The first pathway plan is completed by age 16. 

Between the ages of 16 and 18 a leaving care personal adviser is allocated, on a case-by-case basis. The personal adviser is introduced by the allocated social worker. 

Young people likely to require adult social care support are referred for a care needs assessment. We are working towards an eligible young person’s case to be presented to the Kingston Transitions Panel for the first time at age 14. These young people will be on the tracker in keeping with the social care pathway.

Health

The relevant young people on the tracker are referred and screened using the CHC checklist. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the adult social care mental health team, learning disability (LD), and ASC locality teams will contribute to this process for the relevant young people. The process will be coordinated through the transitions coordinator. 

It may be appropriate for some people with complex needs to be referred at an earlier stage. This will be decided at the tracking meetings.

Transport

In Year 11, planning will take place for post-16 preparation for either sixth form or college. It is expected that young people will engage in independent travel training or will be able to access a travel assistance budget. Young people with significant special education needs may be considered for ongoing transport support.

Young person is 17 (Year 12)

Education

Families and young people discuss potential post-19 options with school, key workers, social care and health workers. All students aged 16 to 19 should follow a study programme that stretches them, prepares them for adulthood, and supports their progression into work or further study. 

For students who have an EHCP, a study programme can apply up to the age of 25. Young people with an EHCP can undertake supported internships or traineeships which aim to prepare them for employment or apprenticeships. 

The annual review will be used as a process to facilitate joint planning with the young person and their family, particularly around preparation for adulthood and transition to adult services.

Social care

Young people referred are allocated to a social worker in adult social care in the relevant team for completion of the care needs assessment. These teams include:

• learning disability 
• mental health social care (and autism without learning disability)
• locality (physical disability)

For those who are assessed to be eligible, a care and support plan will take into account the young person’s needs, strengths, abilities and wishes. If paid services are required, an application is submitted to the Quality and Risk Forum for consideration of the proposed resource. This is to be completed three months before the young person’s 18th birthday. 

A mental capacity assessment will also be completed if there are concerns that the young person lacks the capacity to make decisions about their care and support. 

It may be appropriate for some people with complex needs to be assessed at an earlier stage. This will be decided at the tracking meetings. 

For any children identified as a young carer, an agreement needs to be made as to whether they need support after becoming 18 years old and if that would be of significant benefit to them. Furthermore, agree on who would assess section 63 of the Care Act 2014. 

Find out more about the specialist support Kingston provides for young carers

Children looked after

Young people will have been presented at the permanency planning panel at least twice by this stage to track the transition planning. Pathway plans are reviewed, and transition targets are updated. 

Post-18 accommodation plans should be developed, including ‘staying put’ arrangements. 

By age 17 and six months, post-18 accommodation plans are in place and approved by the Joint Agency Panel Quality and Risk Forum. Care needs assessment will be completed for those referred.

Health

Those with a positive CHC checklist will have a full assessment to determine eligibility in principle, because they will not yet be 18. For those eligible, needs will be assessed, and care commissioned in time for their 18th birthday by the Integrated Care Board (ICB). 

Young people who require ongoing mental health support will have their care coordinated by a CAMHS professional. This includes young people who have mental health conditions, dual diagnoses (mental health and substance use), eating disorders, personality disorders, and similar.

When these young people turn 17, their CAMHS care coordinator will begin discussions with the appropriate adult services. This will be either South West London and St Georges (SWLSTG) or Adult Social Care (ASC).

Achieving for Children (AfC) may also refer young people with mental health problems (who are not known to CAMHS) to ASC and SWLSTG when the young person turns 17. 

The transitions coordinator from CAMHS supports young people before turning 18 to ensure appropriate referrals are made to adult services (health and social care). 

Where appropriate a CAMHS care coordinator will begin discussing the transitions process with the young person when they turn 17. 

Active transition planning should start when the young person is 17 and 6 months. This should be agreed upon by CAMHS and the relevant adults team. 

Young people supported by the CAMHS learning disability team will typically be referred to the appropriate specialist health team. 

Some young people supported by CAMHS may not meet the criteria for adult services in such cases CAMHS may explore referrals to other organisations or agencies.

When young people are 17 and over, and have had a first episode of psychosis requiring a care programme approach (CPA) to support their recovery, CAMHS may arrange a handover of treatments to the adult early intervention service. 

Young people who are in-patients on a CAMHS ward may need to transition to an adult ward when they turn 18, preparation for this should begin as early as possible in line with CPA policy. The relevant adult ward and community team will be invited to arrange the transition.

A decision on whether a referral into health and social care will be required will be made on a case-by-case basis based on the outcome of therapeutic input. The duration for the therapeutic work is 6 to 12 weeks before the young person’s 18th birthday. 

Referrals will include information on current medication, relevant health assessments, EHCPs, risk assessments, and key contacts in the network. Once referred and accepted young people will be allocated a lead healthcare professional from adult services to help facilitate the transition.

Section 117 (S117)

For all young people (under 18) who are detained on Section 3 or 37 of the Mental Health Act, AfC should approach the relevant ICB for funding contribution to the S117 aftercare plan. 

In Kingston, this will be undertaken via direct communication of the Section 3 and the need for S117 joint funding and then be confirmed via the joint agency panel. The funding agreement should be in place at the point of discharge from Section 3 or 37. 

When the young person reaches 17 years old, the ICB commissioner for young people should liaise and share S117 funding information with their adult social care counterpart. AfC should liaise with adult social care to share the same information. 

ASC and ICB will agree on a funding split for S117 aftercare for when the young person turns 18.

Transport

Transport may continue to be provided up to the end of the academic year in which a young person turns 19. For example, if their birthday is in December, they may continue to receive transport until July of the following year. 

Consideration of any future transport needs will form part of the young person’s transition into adulthood plan. Adult services within the local authority work closely with children’s services and take a lead in this for adult services. 

Assessment of need will be required under the Care Act 2014.

Read more about SEND transport on Achieving for Children

Young person is 18 (Year 13)

Education

The annual review will be used as a process to facilitate joint planning with the family, particularly around preparation for adulthood and transition to adult services. 

Personalised planning is in place which will consider:

• the content of any future study programme and how it will enable outcomes to be achieved
• which professionals to be involved in future meetings 

For those moving between provisions (like vocational pathways, college or university) at the end of Year 13, the SEND team will liaise with the family to identify the next steps and amend or stop the plan as appropriate.

Mental Capacity Act: ensure that the young person has support to make informed decisions.

Social care 

Case management responsibility transfers to a social worker in the learning disability team, mental health social care team or the ASC locality teams for physical disability and sensory impairment. If there is a delay in the transition to the 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 18th birthday. This is reviewed after 6 weeks and annually thereafter. 

Responsibility for any carer assessments for previous young carers transfers to adult social care (or their appointed provider).

Children looked after

Young people are presented to the permanency panel for the last time one month before their 18th birthday. The panel checks that all necessary handover tasks for the move have been completed. The care package will commence for young people eligible for support from adult social care under the Care Act. Young people transfer to the team at an agreed date.

Health

Eligible young people transition to adults Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and the care package starts. This will be reviewed after three months and annually thereafter by the adults CHC team or ICB. 

When CAMHS provides time limited intervention, this may continue beyond the 18th birthday in agreement with the relevant adults health team. In this instance, CAMHS and the relevant adult service will co-work for a limited period and this will be reviewed at the CPA. Once the adult team takes over care coordination, advice can still be sought from CAMHS.

Transport

The SEND team will give a year’s notice to inform young people that travel assistance will end when they leave school. 

Young people in receipt of support from Adult Social Care may be able to get support for transport or travel training as part of their care and support package to attend school or college and other community activities. This is based on the assessment of need under the Care Act 2014.

Young person is 19 (Year 14)

Education

The annual review will be used as a process to facilitate joint planning with the family, particularly around preparation for adulthood and transition to adult services. There will be a particular focus on destination planning and identifying the steps to get there. For those moving between provisions, such as vocational pathways, college, university and employment, at the end of Year 14, the SEND team will liaise with the family to identify next steps and amend or stop the plan as appropriate. 

Mental Capacity Act: ensure that the young person has support to make informed decisions. 

Identify other key transition points in the young person’s journey: consider actions required to make these transitions as smooth as possible. Ensure that all the services are actively involved in the annual review process. If the EHCP is stopped, sufficient exit plan arrangements are in place to secure appropriate provision and outcomes. 

All EHCPs will stop no later than the end of the academic year in which the young person becomes 25 years old.

Social care

Age 25: Young people transition to the relevant adult social care team where there is an assessed need. Young people with physical and sensory disabilities will transfer to the adult locality team. Those with a learning disability to the learning disability team and those with a mental health need or autism without a diagnosis of learning disability, to the mental health social care team. 

Decisions about the most appropriate team will be made on a case-by-case basis. The young person’s care and support plan will be kept under review to ensure the person is supported to live as independently as possible.

Transport

Travel support to school will stop at the end of Year 14. Young people in receipt of support from adult social care may be able to get travel support as part of their care package to attend school or college and other community activities. This is based on assessment of need, under the Care Act 2014.