Preparing for Adulthood

Prompts for Transition

The special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0-25 years sets out how professionals across education, health and social care should support children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) to prepare for adult life, and help them go on to achieve the best outcomes in employment, independent living, health and community participation. Discussions around aspirations should start early and ideally well before Year 9. However the information contained in this document is to provide information on areas which need to be considered for young people who have either a SEN Support Plan or an Education Health & Care Planwho are preparing to move on from school to post 16 provision.

From year 9, support in preparing for further education or employment should include identifying appropriate post-16 pathways that will lead to these outcomes. Page 106 of the code of practice covers in detail the areas that should be explored and included in the development and review or SEN Support Plans and Education Health & Care Plans.

There may also be other sources of information which will be appropriate to share with the receiving college or provider e.g. up to date risk assessments, information about the young person’s background and home life that is essential for the provider to know. It would not necessarily be appropriate to include this type of information in a SEN Support Plan or an EHCP, but to ensure the safety of the young person and others due consideration should be given to this.

  • Does the plan include outcomes which relate to: employment, independent living, health and community involvement? e.g.
  • What plans are in place for the young person to access work experience or what work experience have they undertaken?
  • Has the young person undertaken any volunteering activity. Is this something that should be considered?
  • What activities do the young person access in their community e.g. clubs, sports, support groups?
  • Does the plan include information about where the young person is likely to live in the future? E.g. at home, independently, supported living.
  • If there are aspirations for the young person to live in independently or in supported accommodation, is this reflected in the outcomes? i.e. how is this going to happen, who will help.
  • Does the plan clearly identify what steps need to be taken to explore post 16 options and who will do this?
  • Does the plan contain up to date information, including test scores, about the attainment levels of the young person particularly for english and maths?– KS2 and KS4 levels would be really useful in this, as it helps us to predict potential attainment levels.
  • Does the plan contain information about the young person’s reading age if assessed in year 10 or 11? (test outcomes should state which test was used)
  • Does the plan contain information about the young person’s ability to travel independently?
  • Does the plan contain information about what independent travel training the young person has undertaken and what more is needed enable him/her to be an independent traveller?
  • Does the plan contain information that will ensure the young person is kept safe in their new provision?e.g. supervision at unstructured times
  • Environmental factors within buildings/rooms/groups etc?
  • Does the plan contain information about what triggers anxiety, lack of engagement or bad behaviour,Influences and motivators/de-motivators etc.

Addition information and useful resource to support transition planning and preparing for adulthood can be found at:

Transition promptsMarch 2015