If a young person has support from children’s social care and will be eligible for social services as an adult, their support will be provided by Adult Social Care services once they reach 18.
For young people with low to moderate needs any social care support will finish on their 18th birthday. They will be signposted to alternative support options including the voluntary sector.
Transition team
The Transition team is based within the Adult Services department at the council. They work with young people and their carers who will continue to need social care support after the young person reaches 18. These are young people with ‘substantial or critical social care needs’ who will meet the eligibility criteria for adults services set out in the Fair Access to Care Services policy.
If the young person meets the criteria for adult services then from 16-18 the Transition team will work in partnership with the young person’s children’s social worker to ensure that the young person has a smooth, well managed transition into adult services.
The children’s social worker will remain the young person’s allocated social worker until they turn 18 years old (i.e. they will continue to monitor, update and review their children’s support package and support plan). From 18 up to 25 the Transition worker will be their allocated worker.
Transition to adult health care
What happens when a young person reaches 18?
If a young person has ongoing health needs their health team will support them to plan their future. This could include their GP, paediatrician, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, physiotherapist and nurses.