The Road Ahead - literature review

5. What to expect from services at transition

• Main services involved in planning for transition
• Transition planning and the role of person centred planning
• Other areas of service and policy development in relation to transition
• Key areas of information need

Key areas of information need for young people with learning difficulties and their families

Statutory services and entitlements

• What is the role of the local Learning and Skills Council at transition?
• What should young people and families expect from school/education, social services, health services, and other services?

Connexions

• What is Connexions? What does the Connexions service offer young people with learning difficulties and families?
• What can young people with learning difficulties and families expect a Personal Adviser to do/help with? What training does a Connexions Personal Adviser have? How much time are they likely to spend with young people with learning difficulties and families at transition? Will they have the time to get to know young people with learning difficulties and key family members? Can they act as an advocate for young people with learning difficulties and be 'independent' of health, education and social services if needs be?
• What (equivalent) support is available in areas not covered by Connexions? (e.g. Wales where there is the suggestion of access to a 'transition key worker' as one of the National Service Framework for Wales key actions)
• What about Transitions Workers (from social services/voluntary organisations)? What is their role? How will they work together with Connexions Personal Advisers?

Transition planning

• What is transition planning? Who gets it? When does it start? How should the transition planning process work?
• Who should be involved in Transition Planning Meetings? How can we make sure that (the right) people actually turn up? Who co-ordinates transition planning?
• What is a transition plan and what does it cover? How can young people with learning difficulties and families make sure that transition planning covers all areas of planning for adult life?
• What does the transition plan look like? How can young people with learning difficulties and families make sure they get a copy? How often is the plan reviewed?
• What support can young people with learning difficulties and families get to help them to practice, plan for and take part in transition planning?
• What is a Section 140 assessment? Who co-ordinates this? What happens to the information collected? What is the Connexions Action Plan? Why is it needed? What is the Individual Learning Plan? Why is it needed? What other plans might young people and families expect? How is the information from all these different plans co-ordinated? What happens to the information collected?
• Who makes sure that something will happen as a result of the transition plan/Connexions Action Plan/Individual Learning Plan? Importance of continuity and taking the 'history' of the young person with learning difficulties into account - not just 'starting from scratch' all over again.
• Impact of new service developments, including: National Service Frameworks for England and Wales, SEN Action Programme, Valuing People white paper.
• What is the possible likely impact of the Disability Discrimination Act implementation from October 2004 regarding widening access to 'mainstream' choices and provision?
• Some young people with learning difficulties do not have a statement of special education needs. How are they supported at transition?