Supporting disabled children, young people and their families: easy-read version

5. Transitions

During the change from childhood to becoming an adult, young people take more control of their own lives and have to get used to different experiences, responsibilities, places and routines. We call these changes 'transitions'. They can also affect families and carers.

Scottish Government policies that deal with transitions include The Doran Review (The Right Help at the Right Time in The Right Place), The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Self-Directed Support and Welfare System Reform, Developing the Young Workforce (Scotland's Youth Employment Strategy) and Opportunities for All (Supporting all young people to participate in post -16 learning, training or work).

The Health and Social Care Alliance, known as the ALLIANCE, produced a report which looks at the transition experiences of disabled young people and their families.

Principles of Good Transitions

Young people with a disability often need support in many different areas of their lives.

The Principles of Good Transitions set out the professional support needed by children with additional support needs between the ages of 14 to 25 years who are making the transition into young adult life.

The Principles of Good Transitions were made by ARC Scotland.

Coordinated Transitions Support

Feedback from young people and parents tells us that transitions support needs to be more joined up, with a single point of contact.

Transition planning and support needs to be well organised at a local level, particularly for those with learning disabilities or complex needs.

The Scottish Government has set up a Transition Fund, run by the Independent Living Fund, to give young people aged 16 to 21 a grant to help them make the transition from childhood to young adulthood.

Adult health and social care

We should put the wishes of children and young people and their families at the heart of the decisions that are made about their health and social care. This makes things better for young people in transition.

Getting it Right for Every Child ( GIRFEC) puts the child's wellbeing at the centre of all decisions and should also be applied to transitions.

The needs and roles of the family are likely to change as the young person they care for grows up – they are the people most likely to provide guidance and support during transitions. They should get the information they need to make important decisions about things like self-directed support. They should get this information in an accessible format.

Further and higher education

If young people choose to go into further education it is important that they get the support they need both in college and during transition.

A number of things are being done to give more disabled young people access to further and higher education by people like the Scottish Funding Council.

The Equality Act 2010 says that colleges and universities have to meet the needs of disabled people.

Disabled students in higher education can apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland for a Disabled Student Allowance ( DSA), to cover extra costs caused by disability or learning difficulty.

Employment and volunteering

Every disabled young person who can and wants to work should have the opportunity to find a good job which suits their skills.

The Scottish Government's Fairer Scotland for Disabled People Action Plan aims to make more opportunities for disabled people of all ages to join the workforce.

Developing the Young Workforce: Scotland's Youth Employment Strategy aims to have as many young disabled people in employment as the rest of the population by 2021. The Equalities Action Plan for Modern Apprenticeships ( MA) also includes employment targets for young disabled people.

The Community Jobs Scotland Programme ( CJS) gives support and job training to unemployed young people to help them find work. This programme is run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) with funding from the Scottish Government.

The Workplace Equality Fund will help to reduce employment inequalities and discrimination, including barriers for disabled people.

We know that that being in work is good for a person's health and wellbeing, boosting confidence and helping them to be more independent. Some schools for learners with additional support needs are working with employers to help young people with their careers.

As these services develop we need to talk with disabled children and young people and their families, and listen to their ideas.