Preparing for Adulthood

We need to ensure that we work with you, your family and/or carers, friends etc. all the people you have in your life that are important to you. We will also work with other services that are involved with you. This is to ensure we have all the information needed to have good meaningful conversations about your future.

These can include: 

• Social Workers from the Children’s Disability team
• Social Workers or Personal Advisors from the Children in Care team
• Social Workers from the Fostering team
• Social Workers and other professionals from other Local Authorities
• Future Focus, Careers Advisors
• Teachers or Teaching Assistants
• Special Educational Needs or Disabilities Coordinators
• Psychiatrists
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Physiotherapists
• Nurses from the Adult Learning Disabilities team
• Nurses from the Complex Care team
• Bee U
• General Practitioners
• Advocates
• Listen Not Label in Telford
• Independent Living Centre (ILC).

It may feel very overwhelming as you move from children’s services into adult social care. There will be some big changes for you and your family/carers. We are here to support with these changes. Being proactive in your journey to adulthood is vital, think about what you need to know, what questions you have and what is worrying you and speak to your allocated worker. You may want to explore other support available to you in your community that is not provided by adult social care. Getting in touch with other services will also support your transition to adulthood.

A Care Act assessment is conducted with an Adult Social Care Social Worker. The Care Act requires local authorities to meet the care and support needs of individuals over 18 who meet legal criteria.

It also supports planning for young people and their families before they turn 18. Planning typically starts at age 14 but can vary based on individual circumstances.

The Care Act's eligibility criteria include three conditions that must be met for care and support services. Your allocated worker can provide more information and an assessment form to guide you through the process. 

Care Act assessment informationk.

Our involvement starts at age 14. An adult social care team member will attend Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) meetings to provide advice and information about adult social care. We will create a person-centered plan with you, your family/carer, and important people in your life.

This plan, called My Person-Centered Plan, helps us understand your aspirations and get to know you and your family/carers better.

At age 16/17, a Care Act assessment will be conducted using information from your My Person-Centered Plan. It will explore:

• What is already working well
• Your strengths
• Networks of support
• How to improve or develop your independence
• Your future aspirations

Support will be tailored to your needs and impact on you. We will also ask you to consider four areas of preparing for adulthood.

This process supports your future aspirations, whether staying in education, getting a job, becoming more independent, or being part of your community.

Visit the NDTi website for more information on Preparing for Adulthood.

We will help you identify and develop your strengths through independence programs, including:

• Independence at home
• Independence in your community
• Independence while shopping
• Being healthy
• Employment
• Relationships
• Digital independence

Parents and carers are entitled to a Carers Assessment to focus on their needs, identify gaps, and plan for support. The allocated worker can assist with this.

For more information about carers services in Telford, visit the Telford All Age Carers centre website, call 01952 240209, or email admin@telfordcarers.org.uk. Referrals can be made through your child’s social worker, education provision, or Family Connect.

The Autism and Learning Disability (ALD) team handles transitions from childhood to adulthood before age 18 and accepts referrals from age 14. They support individuals under the Preparing for Adults team to ensure consistency.

They will work with you as long as you have an EHCP and discuss long-term plans if further support is needed. This may involve continuing with the ALD team or moving to another Adult Social Care Team, depending on your needs. Your social worker will support you until you leave education, no longer need adult social care, or up to age 25.

The social worker will collaborate with you and those important to you to complement your EHCP and school or college efforts.

If ongoing support is needed after your EHCP ends, your record will be transferred to the reviewing system, and you will be contacted for an annual review to discuss your support and circumstances.

You can contact the team anytime for advice, information, or if your circumstances change via Family Connect – option 3 on 01952 385385.

Following your assessment, if care and support is identified from adult social care we will ask you complete a financial assessment. The financial assessment will ask for your income and expenditure. This assessment will determine whether you will pay a contribution towards the care and support provided by adult social care. View more information on the financial assessment page.

When we start working with you will be provided a Keeping in Touch leaflet and Working Together leaflet. The Keeping in Touch leaflet will tell you which team is supporting you, there contact details and other useful information. Once you have an allocated worker, they will provide you with a Working Together leaflet.

This provides there contact details and what you should expect from them. You can agree with your allocated worker how you wish to keep in touch and how often you need them to update you.

You will be supported while you prepare for adulthood and services change from children’s services to adult services. If you receive ongoing support, your record will be transferred to our reviewing system. You will be supported with a review once a year and/or if your circumstances change.

You can contact adult social care at anytime you feel you need further support, advise and/or circumstances change. You may not have the same allocated worker, if there is a change, we will let you know.

When in review you may be contacted by an allocated worker you have not met before. Before they come to see you, they will send you a copy of the review form they will be discussing with you. This will give you an idea of the type of conversation they will have with you and the people important to you.

Your Care Act assessment help you tell your allocated worker your needs. Once this assessment is completed you will have an opportunity to identify all the strengths and networks that you currently have, need to develop or want to explore.

Once this is done and you require ongoing support, you can start to design your support plan. This will highlight how your needs are to be identified and how your care and support will promote your independence. 

Voluntary Services 

There are many voluntary third sector and or community based services which can be accessed and provide support in a variety of ways to promote independence and being part of the local community. These can provide services such as employment, training and voluntary opportunities.

Employment

We can work to identify what aspirations are for employment, we offer programmes to get young people work ready and work with other organisations to make sure support is available in work. 

Direct Payments 

A Direct Payment lets you take control of your personal budget to help you manage your own care. We can help you with managing your direct payments and offer advice and guidance 

Personal Assistants (PAs)

PAs can visit you in your home and support you with a range of activities. This can include personal care, helping you access social activities and supporting you to reach your outcomes. 

Respite 

There are times when we may need a break from your current situation or your carer may need some rest. Respite provides a short term break to you or your carer. These can be evenings, day time, weekends or overnight stays. 

Supported Accommodation or Supported Living 

Supported Accommodation or Supported Living can offer housing related support such as managing your tenancy, providing support for independence in your own home. Properties include flats, houses, bungalows, each have their own criteria. 

Useful links and contacts: 

• Thrive 

Working together to provide the best possible support to individuals, families and communities in Telford and Wrekin with the aim of establishing and maintaining independence, maximising choice and control and, overall health and emotional well-being. www.inspire2thrive.co.uk 

• Care Act 

For more information regarding the Care Act 2014, you can access these online factsheets. Visit the GOV.UK website. 

• Future Focus 

Careers services for 13-19 year olds or up to 25 years if you have additional needs. Providing impartial information, advice and guidance on education, careers and future planning. FutureFocus adviser will help into and during education, employment or training. 

• Telford Autism Hub 

Diagnostic and support services for people in Telford including support with building social skills, building confidence, promoting independence, signposting to other agencies. Visit the Telford Autism Hub for adults and children. 

• Live well Telford 

Live Well Telford provides information and signposting to a wide range of services, activities and organisations in the area, to help everyone find the support they need to live healthy independent lives. You can look for information on services, activities and organisations who can give advice or practical support, help at home, health conditions, childcare information, leisure information and much more on the Live Well Telford website.

• Independent Living Centre 

Visit our monthly drop ins at the Independent Living Centre, your allocated worker can give you more information about these. This will give you a chance to discuss your circumstances and view all the Independent Living Centre has to offer – more information can be found on the Independent Living Centre website. 

• My Assessment Conversation.
• Person Centered Plan.
• Keeping in Touch document.
• Working Together.
• My Review Conversation.

Download the Preparing for Adulthood leaflet