Current services
The pathway to adulthood is sometimes referred to as transitions to adult life or preparing for adulthood. Part of this includes transitioning from Children and Family Services into Adults and Communities, which can result in significant changes to the person’s care and support arrangements. The Council has a Younger Adults Disability Team, which supports young people and their families and carers with this transition.
The planning within preparing for adulthood includes focusing on the person’s strengths and capabilities and the outcomes that they want to achieve. To plan this successfully all services and professionals involved with the young person need to be involved in the planning process.
Not all young people will require support from the Council when they turn 18. Upon transitioning to adulthood, what an individual receives will depend on their needs and some people may require support through Children and Family Services.
The Council’s aim for all young people is to maximise their independence, build on their strengths and networks of support, promote individual wellbeing and enable them to maximise choice and control over their own lives.
This can be done in a variety of ways extending beyond traditional services provision including:
- Directly commissioning services
- Promoting Direct Payments
- Developing options for supported living
- Developing flexible Community Life Choice opportunities.
The Council will engage with people, families, carers and organisations in order to develop our approach further building on existing good practice.
There are currently a number of ‘dual registered’ services within Leicestershire which offer accommodation and service opportunities to both children and adults. All services of this nature must be registered with both the CQC and Ofsted and this can be a significant barrier for providers.
Commissioning aspirations, intentions and opportunities
There is currently a shortage of dual registered residential and respite services within Leicestershire.
Within CLC, there are some services which offer services to young adults, including colleges. However, the majority of CLC services are not registered with Ofsted and so are only able to offer services to adults.
Work is underway between Children and Families and Adults and Communities commissioners to explore opportunities for young people going through the transition process to have a route into supported living.
The Council will continue to work across Children and Family Services and Adults and Communities, via strategic commissioners and operational team. It will work with a diversity of providers to ensure sustainability of provision and to ensure that young people are supported within their transition across services
There will be early planning and ongoing assessment to reflect changing needs as young people approach 18 and beyond.
The Council will continue to implement the progression model to maximise independence for people as they enter adult services.
Page last updated in June 2023.