Transition to adulthood

‘Supporting disabled young people from adolescence to adulthood’

Professionals use the term ‘transition’ to describe the time in young people’s lives when they are moving toward adulthood and need to think about opportunities after leaving school. Transition begins when a young person reaches the age of 14, and ends when the young person has planned what to do next and moved on from school.

Thinking about the future and making plans about what to do after leaving school should be an exciting time. It is a challenge for any teenager, but for disabled young people and their families the move from school can seem particularly daunting.

Making sure that the changes involved in the transition process run smoothly is important for all concerned. Being a teenager should be a time of opportunity for young people and should be a positive experience as they take steps towards adulthood.

We have produced the following documents to help guide a young person and their family through these changes. They explain the different stages for the transition process and set out some of the things that young people, parents and carers can expect to happen and how they can be involved in all decisionmaking processes.

Handbook for families 

The move to adulthood - planning for the future