Transition team

Luton's Transition team works with young people between the ages of 14 to 25 who have:

• a learning disability or difficulty
• a current education, health and care plan (EHCP)

Growing up and moving on from school is an exciting and uncertain time for all young people as they begin their transition to adulthood. The most important person in this process is the young person themselves.

The team plans and supports a young person’s transition to adult life. Professionals from the following professionals may be involved:

• education
• social care
• health
• advocacy

Every young person with an EHCP will, from the age of 14, also have a preparing for adulthood plan (PAP). Both plans will remain in force until the young person has either achieved their identified goals or has reached the age of 25.

The PAP is particularly important as it will state what everyone involved in the young person’s life is hoping will happen in the future and how this will be achieved. The plan will address questions like:

• will the young person go on to attend college?
• how the curriculum can support the young person to play their part in the community
• what will happen after school or college?
• can the young person get a job or do some training to get one?
• where will the young person live?
• what will the young person do in their spare time?
• what are the young person’s hopes and aspirations for the future and how can these be met?
• What benefits am I entitled to?

The team consists of:

• a senior learning disability and difficulty (LDD) personal advisor (PA)
• three LDD PAs
• a post-16 education broker

The team also works closely with the Community Learning Disability team social workers and the transition nurse, who supports young people with complex health issues that have a learning disability to enter adult health services successfully.

LDDPA
PAs support young people who have additional needs between the ages of 14 to 25. They’ll offer help and support on a wide range of issues including:

• careers advice
• training opportunities
• employment
• relationships
• family circumstances
• bullying
• discrimination
• housing and homelessness
• welfare benefits

Post-16 education broker
The broker will work with young people who aren’t able to access local mainstream further education. They’ll:

• create bespoke packages of education which meet the individual’s needs
• work closely with the PA, the young person and the people that know them best

Social worker
The social worker from the Children with Disabilities team will continue to support the young person until the age of 18. However, as the young person reaches 16 they’ll start to liaise with the Adult Social Care team.

The young person and their parent or carer are fully involved in this process to plan for the future. A joint assessment will be undertaken and the support needs of the young person and their parent or carer are taken into consideration. This includes:

• short breaks
• direct payments
• overnight stays

Eligibility

The team works with young people that:

• are between the ages of 14 and 25
• have an EHCP
• have severe and complex learning disabilities and difficulties

The team also supports staff in mainstream settings to work with young people who have additional needs.

Access to Adult Social Care is subject to an eligibility assessment.

How to access the service

The young person or their parent/carer can contact the team directly through:

• the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
• the family worker at the school
• the childs social worker

Documents