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Checklist 5 Secondary to post-school destination / adult services
Staff should not just use the school year group e.g. S4 as the indicator, but also the young person’s date of birth and discussions should commence around a child’s 15th birthday. For some individuals this may be in S2 where they have had a deferred year at some point.
In September of each year school staff should undertake a review of all children and young people with ASN.
Term 1 – Session before Transition
- Annually identify those young people eligible for enhanced Transition planning with key dates and a keyworker to lead the planning*
- At the first IEP or Child’s Plan meeting of the academic year where targets are set and agreed for the coming year the school leaving date is an agenda item
- This should inform a pathway plan for option choices to support destination(s).
Term 3/4 – Session before Transition year
- Parental engagement and pupil voice to inform a clear transition pathway
- Begin gathering input from parents/carers and the young person to shape the transition plan
Term 1 – session before Transition year
- Consider referrals to other agencies and partners so they are part of the planning moving forward. This may include sensory support / Adult Health Professional (AHP) (OT, SaLT), Social Work* in some cases guardianship process will need to be considered.
Term 2 – Year of Transition
- Partners role specified in the young person’s plan and identification of possible destination(s)
Term 3 – Year of Transition
- Partners to the plan check pathway progress and adjust based on leaving date.* Direct families to support for adult services. Please see graphic below as an example for young people with Disabled and Complex needs (ASN) Click (insert link) to Making Transitions Work.
Transition from Children’s to Adults’ Services
Transition from Children’s to Adults’ services can be a complex process spanning a range of agencies and specialisms. An uncoordinated approach between health, education and social care without clear communication at the centre leads to poor engagement, a lack of continuity of care and all parties unclear about the process, its purpose and their role within it.
The aim is that
- each young person approaching or entering the transition phase receives person-centred and developmentally appropriate care and support
- young people are positively engaged with the process and services and understand their own health and support needs.
As a result, each young person is more likely to achieve their goals and hopes for the next stage of their life.
The Child’s Plan is the core planning tool for managing the transition.
childs plan link to Childrens Services Website to go in here and templates
Timelines
The school leaving dates for all young people are:
- If a young person turns 16 between 1 March and 30 September, they can normally leave school on or after 31st May of S4 at the earliest.
- If a young person turns 16 between 1st October and the end of February, they can leave education at the start of the Christmas holidays in S5 at the earliest.
- The majority of young people should have completed their school education by their 19th birthday. For most young people this means they leave school at the end of S6.
- Some young people with complex needs will have had a deferred year at some point and turn 18 in their S5 year meaning that they will not complete S6 before their 19th birthday. There is no statutory ‘cut-of’ point that requires a child to leave school by a certain age so in these circumstances there is no statutory barrier to prevent a young person continuing into S6 or completing the academic year if they turn 19 years of age mid-session.
- In addition, young people with a deferred year may turn 16 between March and September of S3 in which case they can leave school at the end of May in S3 or at Christmas of S4 if their 16th birthday is between October and February of S4.
Please see example below:
| Young Person Turns 16 between | Leaving Date | Transition Planning starts | |
| Birth Date | 1st March – 30th September (S4/5) | 31st May S4 | September S3 |
| 1st October -End February (S5) | Christmas S5 | September S3 |
One of core underlying principles is that discussions with young people and their families regarding transition planning should start at least 12 months prior to the date when a young person is eligible to leave school and ideally in Term 3 or 4 of the pre-transition year. Staff should not just use the school year group e.g. S4, as the indicator, but also the young person’s date of birth and discussions should commence around a child’s 15th birthday. For some individuals (see above regarding deferred years) this may be in S2 where they have had a deferred year at some point.
The guidance dates in the Table above separates out those young people who are Christmas leavers with the caveat that young people who are 16 between October and February can leave school in the summer of S4 as long they remain in education until Christmas of that school year. Only courses provided by Further Education Colleges such as Dumfries & Galloway College meet this requirement. Initial discussions should take place at the same point to ensure that option choices for S4 support a preferred destination. Other providers such as private providers or adult services (Activity Resource Centres) are not applicable.
The transition from adolescence to adulthood happens at different ages for all young people, including those with complex needs or disabilities. Each young person will encounter different problems and opportunities during this period in their life. It is important that appropriate information on available services is accessible to young people and to their carers, and that they can access and use support systems which meet their needs, during the key points of transition. These include:
- leaving school, entering work, ongoing education and the full range of leisure and sport activities.
- leaving one’s family and setting up a home.
- becoming involved in adult personal relationships.
- becoming an independent adult.
It is important that families have the right to lead ordinary lives. The process of transition should not impact on family life to the extent that parents automatically become “carers”. Families should be able to make decisions within the boundaries of ordinary living, and that should include the decision to take up or continue to work. This may constitute a major cultural change.
STEP 1: ANNUALLY: Identify those young people eligible for detailed Transition planning with key dates and a keyworker to lead the planning. (Appendix A)
STEP 2: FOR EACH IDENTIFIED YOUNG PERSON
SEPTEMBER S3
At the first Individual Education Plan or Child’s Plan meeting of the academic year where targets are set and agreed for the coming year the school leaving date is an agenda item.
Those eligible to leave on 31st May in S4
If the preferred date is the end of S4, a broad pathway plan is agreed that will inform S4 option choices to support the destination(s). The follow up meeting will probably be June of S3. (See Flow Diagram) where the Transition process begins.
Those eligible to leave education December S5
If the preferred leaving date is December of S5, the same process will apply to ensure that S4 Option choices support that choice.
If the preferred date is May S5 or 6, the question “Is the preferred school leaving date still valid?” should be asked at each Individual Plan meeting (IEP, Childs plan, CSP). If there is a change of date, a Transition Planning meeting should be convened by the Keyworker at the earliest opportunity.
BREAK here to new page
Tables to go in here
Once a leaving date has been identified, the processes shown on the most appropriate timeline should be followed.
Stage 1: Identifying the Transition Pathways
The preferred destination should be identified as early as possible. The starting point is determining the Transition pathway – What is the Preferred destination?
Using the Transition pathway Tool, the young person, supported by parents, carers and other partners should identify the preferred option (hyperlink to doc.)
Destination Options
It is not the role of this document to identify specific ALL destination providers, but options for young people with severe and complex needs include can be viewed in Transition Destinations.
Further Education: Dumfries & Galloway College may offer courses that are appropriate at Dumfries and/or Stranraer. Welcome to DGC | Dumfries and Galloway College
Activity Resource Centres: there are six centres across Dumfries & Galloway that provide activities and support for adults with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. They are all different, but provide activities that include:
- Independent living Skills
- Work experience
- Personal health, well-being and safety,
- Sport and leisure
- Adult learning and qualifications
- Arts and crafts
- Hobbies and interests.
For additional information: Activity and resource centres directory | Dumfries and Galloway Council
Third/Voluntary Sector
Various Third Sector organisations provide a range of activities and support for adults with disabilities and complex needs. The services they provide are all different and are appropriate for different degrees of disability.
Assessment Of Transition Support Needs
The transition lead teacher should then compete the Assessment of Needs Form in the context of the preferred destination. The support that will be required will vary depending on the destination. This provides the guide for which partners need to be part of the plan to support the transition to adulthood. (Hyperlink to form)
Guardianship
Guardianship needs to be considered as part of the transition planning process through the Child’s Plan.
Applications should be considered when a young person with complex needs reaches the age of 15 and six months with aim of the guardianship being place for them leaving school. This will enable the appointed adult to make decisions regarding the post school arrangements for that young person when they reach adulthood at 18 years of age.
By law, if an adult is unable to make a safe decision about his or her own welfare, a court can appoint someone else to make decisions for them. This person is known as a welfare guardian. This leaflet is to help guardians, carers, and relatives of people who have guardians, to understand our role and what that means for them. The role of guardians is set out in the Adults with Incapacity Act (Scotland) 2000. This Act aims to protect and promote the welfare of adults with a mental illness, learning disability or other mental disorder.
Any interested party including family members or a friend can apply for a guardianship order. The application process involves:
- seeking legal advice to ensure that the guardianship is ‘appropriate’ and ‘beneficial’ to the adult in question.
- preparing documentation including ‘medical’ reports confirming the adult’s incapacity and about their financial situation. It may require a diagnosis of Intellectual disability.
- Submitting an application.
Guardianship orders are typically granted for three years, but they can be extended or made permanent. There are costs involved.
For more information refer to:
Office of Public Guardianship (Scotland) What is a guardianship order
Setting up guardianship – mygov.scot
Stage 2: Involving Partners and Services
Once the pathway has been identified, the Assessment of Support Needs should identify those services whose assistance is support the Transition is required. Some services, particularly Health related may have long standing involvement and they should have systems in place to hand the young person over to the relevant adult equivalent. In some cases, additional services may be required to support the transition. They may include:
Employability & Skills Service
The Employability & Skills Service can work with young people 6 months prior to them leaving school and for six months after. All secondary schools have a Employability Key Worker. The service also operates bespoke support services for young people with disabilities.
Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) provides dedicated careers advisers in every secondary school across Dumfries and Galloway (and Scotland as a whole). Our advisers play a vital role in supporting young people from S1 to S6 as they explore their future pathways.
- Personalised Guidance: Careers advisers offer one-to-one sessions tailored to each young person’s interests, strengths, and aspirations. These sessions help students understand their options, set goals, and plan their next steps.
- Additional Support for Learning: Advisers work closely with students who have additional support needs, ensuring that guidance is accessible and relevant. They collaborate with support staff and families to support young peoples’ next steps beyond school.
- Transition Planning: For those with complex needs, advisers contribute to transition planning, helping to support the move from school to adult services or employment, education and training.
- Working with Schools and Families: SDS advisers partner with teachers, support staff, and parents to provide a joined-up approach to career planning. This ensures that each young person’s needs and ambitions are understood and supported.
For more information, visit the My World of Work website, which offers a wide range of resources for young people, parents, and educators.
Additional support for learning | My World of Work
Social Work Services
Adult Services manage the Activity Resources Centres and applicants need to be open to Social Work services. If this is a potential option and the young person does not have a social worker, a social care assessment is needed. https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/social-care-health/social-care-support/assessments-social-care/request-social-care-assessment
Some post-school services are charged for by the provider. Most Third Sector providers fall into this category. Young people can apply for a Self-Directed Support package to contribute to these costs. To find out more and how to apply for an assessment:
Social care support | Dumfries and Galloway Council
Self-directed Support : my support, my choice: your guide to social care – gov.scot
A diagnosis of Intellectual Disability can support an application for self-directed support.
Sensory Support Team
Part of Adult Social Work Services the Sensory Support Team assists people who are deaf (sign language users), deafened, hard of hearing, deafblind or who have a visual impairment, including local support services and BSL Interpreter services. When a young person is at school, sensory support is provided, but as an adult, the Transition team need to consider if additional assistance, training or equipment will be needed to help a young person be independent as an adult.
Sensory support for sight and hearing loss | Dumfries and Galloway Council
Health Services
Specialist Intellectual Disability Team
This service works closely with colleagues in Social Work and other agencies to support adults who have an intellectual disability to live in the community by:
- Helping service users to access mainstream services
- Assess, treat and monitor mental ill health
- Assess and treat people who find it difficult to manage behaviour
- Refer for hospital admission if required
- Support carers – providing advice and training on specific conditions relating to intellectual disability
- Promote good health
This service can provide the diagnosis required for Guardianship applications.
For further information including referral pathways: Specialist Adult Intellectual Disability Service – Dumfries & Galloway Health & Social Care
Strength Based Approaches
Strength based practice involves the person who uses services and the practitioners who support them working together to achieve the person’s intended outcomes, in a way that draws on the person’s strengths. The quality of the relationship between those providing support and those being supported is particularly important, as are the skills and experience that the person using support brings to the process.
