Behind every young person is a parent, carer, sibling or family member. Working in a person-centred way means considering the views of everyone and the impact that transition from school may have on them.
In many cases of young people with additional support needs, parents and carers are the only voice in their transition planning. Parents and carers report that it is difficult to balance the responsibilities for their child with their own needs and require access to respite and support for themselves.
It is not always easy to represent the views of their child so advocacy should be available for both the young person and their family, particularly at moments of transition and change.
Good practice means:
Young people’s relationships with their family can be complex, particularly where parents or carers have an on-going role in providing personal assistance and where disability related allowances or benefits are an important contribution to the household income. The needs and roles of family members and carers are also likely to change as the young person they care for grows up. Parents and carers are usually central to the continuing care of young people with additional support needs.
Parents have reported that, where they exist, peer support networks are highly valued. However, networks developed while children are at school can be difficult to maintain after they leave. The ability of parents and carers to maintain or establish peer support should be considered in the development of support packages for young people. Good practice would ensure that these support networks are maintained and fully supported.
Best practice suggests advocacy should be available to all young people and carers involved in the transitions process, particularly if they have concerns about having their voices heard. It should not only be available when hard decisions have to be made.
The offer of advocacy should be made at the start of transition, age 14, and be available at least to age 25. This is especially relevant for those who are looked after, care-experienced, and those being considered for a Guardianship Order.
Long-term and sustainable improvements are most likely to be achieved with a joint commitment to improvement between agencies at a local authority level. Strategic leads can shape improvement through the use of data collection which evaluates:
This data can be collected through Compass and local authority reports available if a data sharing agreement is in place.
‘Principles into Practice’ is a programme to help those with strategic responsibility for transitions to design and oversee approaches which will improve the experiences of transition for young people with additional support needs. It has been widely adopted by local authorities in Scotland and can help with the evaluation of current practices to make improvement.
Contact us to discuss the support available.
