Transition and Transition Planning

What is Transition

As your child grows into a young adult, this can be an exciting but challenging time where, along with them, you can start planning their future. As a parent/carer you can also find this a difficult time, worrying about what opportunities and services your child will receive as an adult and whether these will meet their needs.  For these reasons, you as the parent/carer play a vital role in helping to plan for these changes.  This process is known as Transition.

If your child makes plans and starts thinking about Transition early it will be easier.  The Welsh Government leaflet 'My Life, My Way - A Young Persons Guide to Transition' will help them find out what should happen and when.

What is Transition Planning?

Transition Planning starts for your child in Year 9 (aged 14 years). Individuals working with your child will meet to share information, this information will be recorded and a Transition Plan will be constructed by the young person's respective school. The Transition Plan when they are first drawn up is not simply about what is available when leaving school, but can include plans for ongoing school provision.

The Transition Plans should also include:

• The young person’s views and wishes
• The parent(s)/carer(s) views and wishes
• Current/future education provision
• Training and employment opportunities
• Current health needs
• Current social care needs
• Post school meaningful daytime opportunities
• Day to day living i.e. transport, finance, housing etc...
  
  

The Transition Process commences with the first Transition meeting which takes place when your son/daughter reached the age of 14. The Transition meeting will be organised by your son/daughter's school and as parent(s)/carer(s), you will be invited to the meeting on equal terms with professional staff to ensure that your views and wishes are recorded. Transition Planning/Reviews will continue to take place until your son/daughter will leave school.

People who may be invited to the Transition Review Meeting include:

• The young person
• Parent(s)/Carer(s)
• Representatives from Adult Social Services (ASS) and Children's Social Services (CSS) will make every effort to attend all the Transition meetings, but if unable to do so, will provide current written reports of involvement (The Children's Disability Team would only be involved if your son/daughter have been referred to their Services and their needs have been assessed by a Children's Core Needs Assessment by a Social Worker and those needs required support. 
• The Adult Social Services would only be involved if your son/daughter have been referred to their services and their needs have been assessed under an Adult Unified Assessment of Needs by a Social Worker and those needs fulfil the Adult Eligibility Criteria for Services.   Health Professionals involved in the management and care of the young person will also make every effort to attend all the Transition Meetings but if unable to do so, will provide current written reports of involvement.
• Representatives from your son(s)/daughter(s) school.
• Representatives from the Additional Learning Needs Services (ICS) if requested by your son(s)/daughter(s) school.

A Parent(s)/Carer(s) Guide to Transition and Transition Planning for Young People is available (please see Document Links on the right hand side of this page) or for further information please contact the Transitional Development Officer/Senior Social Worker.