Guidance
Below is a list of key policy, guidance, consultations and
legislation that refers to or has an impact on disabled
young people in transition to adulthood.
Aiming High for Disabled Children
Aiming
High for Disabled Children: Better support for
families
The government’s transformation programme for disabled children's
services.
Aiming High for Young People
Aiming High for Young People: a ten year strategy for positive
activities
This document considers how the Government can help all young
people, particularly those in deprived areas, to take part in
enjoyable and purposeful activities in their free time which can
help them develop new skills and raise their aspirations. The
Every
Child Matters website also gives information about the Youth
Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund.
Adult Social Care
Director of Adult Social Services guidance
This guidance on the Statutory Chief Officer Post of the Director
of Adult Social Services published by the Department of Health in
2006, states:
"The DASS and the Director of Children's Services have put adequate
arrangements in place to ensure that all young people with
long-term social care needs have been assessed and, where eligible,
receive a service which meets their needs throughout their
transition to becoming adults."
Links to this can also be found on the Transition Information
Network website.
Use of resources in adult social care: A guide for local
authorities
This guide is to stimulate discussion
and debate for local authorities on how to commission and shape
services for tomorrow by making best use of resources.
(Department of Health, 15 October 2009)
Shaping the future of care together
Shaping the Future of Care Together sets out a
vision for a new care and support system. The Green Paper
highlights the challenges faced by the current system and the need
for radical reform, to develop a National Care Service that is
fair, simple and affordable for everyone. You can also download
an NTST
briefing which looks at the green paper in
relation to young disabled people’s transition into adult life.
Education
Assessments relating to people with learning difficulties:
Guidance to Local Authorities
This guidance is designed to help local authorities make
consistent, effective and robust decisions about the learning and
support needs of young people with learning difficulities. The
guidance is current to March 2010 when new guidance published in
Spring 2010, reflecting changes brought about by the ASCL Act,
comes into effect.
(DCSF, November 2009)
Employment
Valuing Employment Now: real jobs for people with learning
disabilities
Valuing Employment Now sets out the Government's strategy to
radically increase the number of people with learning disabilities
in employment by 2025.
(Department of Health, June 2009)
You can also download an NTST briefing on
Valuing Employment Now. The briefing is intended to give an
overview of the strategy in relation to young disabled people’s
transition into adult life.
(NTST, August 2009)
Health and Wellbeing
Healthy lives, brighter futures – The strategy for children and
young people’s health
This joint DH/DCSF strategy presents the Government’s vision for
children and young people’s health and wellbeing.
(DH/DCSF, February 2009)
Download the Council for Disabled Children's policy analysis of the
Child Health Strategy and its implications for disabled children
and young people.
Transition: Moving on Well
A good practice guide on effective transition from children's to
adult services for young people with complex health needs. The
guide will help ensure that the young person and their family is
better prepared for the move to adult care and that the adult care
team has been involved in planning for the transfer.
(DH/DCSF, March 2008)
Independent Living
Independent
Living Strategy
This cross-Governmental strategy, published in 2008, sets out
a five-year plan that seeks to realise the Government’s aim that
all disabled people should be able to live autonomous lives, and to
have the same choice, freedom, dignity and control over their lives
as non-disabled people.
(Office for Disability Issues, February 2008)
Information, Advice and Guidance
Quality, Choice and Aspiration - A strategy for young
people's information, advice and guidance
Young people need high quality information, advice and
guidance (IAG) to help them find their way in the world and make
decisions that will set them on the path to success. This is
the government's strategy to improve IAG for all young
people.
(DCSF, October 2009)
Legislation
Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning
Act
The ASCL Act takes forward significant reforms to post-16
education and training to improve the delivery to young people
and adults. The Act received Royal Assent on 12 November 2009.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding disabled children
This guidance is aimed at local safeguarding children board (LSCB)
partners and other professionals working with children and young
people and their families. It is intended to help them safeguard
and promote the welfare of disabled children and young people. It
is supplementary to, and should be used in conjunction with, the
government's statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard
Children.
(DCSF, 2009)
Transition
A transition guide for all services
This guide brings together all key information for professionals
about the transition process. It includes information on statutory
duties and offers examples of effective practice to illustrate how
services are addressing local need. Supplementary
information to this guide is also available.
(DH/DCSF, October 2007)
SEN Code of Practice 2001
Code of Practice under the Education Act 1996. Describes the annual
review process from Year 9 and the place of the transition plan
within that process. The SEN
Toolkit 2001 adds further detail to this guidance.
(DfES, November 2001)
Valuing People Now
Valuing People Now: a new three-year strategy for people
with learning disabilities
Valuing People Now sets out the Government's strategy for people
with learning disabilities for the next three years following
consultation. It also responds to the main recommendations in
Healthcare for All, the independent inquiry into access to
healthcare for people with learning disabilities.
(DH, January 2009)