The Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) team works with young people and their families in a range of ways, depending on their age, circumstances, care and support needs, and aspirations for the future.
The page has been developed to explain how they work with people at different points in their preparation for adulthood.
Planning from age 14
Planning for adulthood should normally start no later than by Year 9 (age 13 or 14) in school.
For young people with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan, often referred to as EHCP) the Year 9 Annual Review meeting will be the point where everyone involved with the young person will start to think about the support that might be needed in the four areas of:
- Education, training and employment
- Independent living
- Community inclusion
- Staying healthy
Where a young person receives support from the Children's Disability Team, their social worker will liaise with the Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) team if it is likely that they will be eligible for ongoing social care support once they reach the age of 18. Both teams are based within the 0 – 25 service.
Planning from age 16
Where the young person has an EHC plan, the Annual Review meeting is where transition planning is reviewed, future options are considered, and planning continues.
The PfA team review the transition planning for young people who have been identified as likely to need care and support once they turn 18 and consider if an earlier assessment of their future needs is required. This also supports forward planning of future services that might be required for young people needing support as an adult.
Where a young person has complex needs the PfA team member will attend school Annual Reviews and other support meetings.
At this stage young people or their parents/carers can also self-refer for an earlier assessment of their needs through the PfA team if they feel they may need support into adulthood that has not been identified through other channels.
Planning from age 18
The majority of young people who receive services from the children’s disability team will be transferred to a social worker in the PfA team.
These young people will be reassessed by 17 and a half years of age and, if they are still eligible for care and support from social care the PfA social worker will start planning for changes once they turn 18.
The PfA team will take responsibility for young people whose primary need is a learning and/or physical disability.
The Care Act 2014 does not say that a young person has to be a certain age to be able to ask for an assessment. It says that local authorities must consider, in all cases, whether there would be a ‘significant benefit’ to the individual in doing an assessment. Guidance also suggests that assessments should take place when it is easier to understand what the needs of the young person will be beyond the age of 18.
Children's services must continue to be provided until adult provision has started, or a decision is made that the young person's needs do not meet the eligibility criteria for adult care and support following a Care Act assessment
Where social care provision is specified in an EHC Plan existing duties on social care services to assess and provide for the needs of disabled young people continue to apply.
If you are a young person with a social worker, you or your parents or carer can contact your social worker to discuss preparation for adulthood and the transition to adult services.
Young people 18+ and Education, Health, and Care Plans
In many cases, the Care Act Assessment 2014 will lead to a care package which forms the care element of an Education Health and Care plan (EHC plan, often referred to as an EHCP). This means that social workers from the PfA team will continue to work alongside their education and health partners to continue to support young people.
Where young people aged 18 or over continue to have EHC plans, and are receiving care and support services, this will be provided under the Care Act 2014.
The EHC plan should be the overarching plan that ensures young people receive the support they need to help them achieve agreed educational outcomes. The statutory adult care and support plan (see part 3 of the Children and Families Act) should form the ‘care’ element of the young person’s EHC plan.
A social worker from the PfA team may attend college reviews – working with the young person to understand their future aspirations, and working closely with their family to support the outcomes for the young person. This might include advising about the support available in the home, moving into a supported living placement or support to live independently.
Where the young person isn’t continuing to further education the EHC plan ceases and the young person might be supported by social care, in partnership with other Bromley agencies, to access opportunities for engagement in community activities.
Once a young person is settled with a care package or is appropriately placed in a provision, they will be supported by the wider adult disability team and their care package will be reviewed on a yearly basis.
Where the young person wishes to work, they will be signposted to the appropriate employment support agencies.
Legal changes at 16 - moving to adult social care
At the age of 16 young people become legally entitled to make certain decisions about their education, health and care needs. They can be responsible for giving consent and have the right to confidentiality over their health matters.
While many young people will be able to make informed decisions, some young people with learning disabilities or special educational needs may need support to do so and may need the help of an advocate. This could be a parent, carer, trusted family member, good friend or support accessed via local agencies that offer advocacy services.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Legally people of 16 and over have the right to make their own decisions and are protected by the Mental Capacity Act. The act also outlines how the young person can be supported to make important decisions for themselves and sets out how they can get ongoing support when they are unable to make specific decisions about their welfare or finances.
Benefits and money
On turning 16 young people:
- can claim benefits in their own right; however, if they stay in full-time nonadvanced education (e.g. GCSEs, A-levels, BTECs, NVQ levels 1-3) or some types of training, parents can choose to carry on claiming for them as part of their family.
- can get help, support and advice from the benefit advisors at the Bromley Well Advice Service, or Contact for Disabled Children on 0808 808 3555
- can receive direct payments for social care support in their own right.
- will be reassessed for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if they have been getting DLA (Disability Living Allowance) as a child. For more information, visit www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-independence-payment-pip
- can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are in full time education and get DLA/PIP and are in receipt of Universal Credits.
Appointees and deputies
Where a young person needs support or is unable to manage money or a budget independently, they can appoint someone else to receive and manage their benefits on their behalf.
Appointeeship
An appointee can help the young person to use their benefits to pay expenses such as household bills, food, personal items and residential accommodation charges.
You can find out more about becoming an appointee on the GOV.UK website.
You can also speak to a benefits advisor from the Department of Work and Pensions to see how your family income could be affected or call the benefit enquiry line on 0800 88 22 00.
Where no one else is able or suitable to do so, such as a relative, friend or solicitor, Bromley Council can apply to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to be appointed to act on behalf of the benefit claimant in order to deal with their benefits.
Find out more about Bromley’s appointee and deputyship service.
Deputyship
Deputyship covers all financial assets and savings, deputies are usually close relatives or friends of the person who needs help making decisions.
You can apply to become someone’s deputy if they lack mental capacity. This means they cannot make a decision for themselves at the time it needs to be made. They may still be able to make decisions for themselves at certain times.
You can find out more about becoming a deputy on the GOV.UK website.
Where someone may have an ongoing need for decisions to be made on their behalf as they lack the capacity to make such decisions on their own, and have no-one else who is able or suitable to do so Bromley Council can apply to the Court of Protection to be appointed as a deputy to manage the person’s financial affairs.
Find out more about Bromley’s appointee and deputyship service.