Pathways to Adulthood
The West Sussex Local Offer publishes information for young people up to twenty-five. Although, some services listed on our Local Offer continue to support people 100+. It may however be that you may want to use a combination of resources to find out about support 18+ including the West Sussex Connect to Support website and the Making Sense of Adult Life handbook written by and for parent-carers of young people with special needs and disabilities (aged 14-25) in West Sussex.
In West Sussex we want to be able to work together jointly in sharing resources so that you have a variety of options to pick information from! It also encourages us to work collaboratively with charities and other colleagues within other teams. The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum have been vital in developing the information and understanding how parent carers want information on the Local Offer. The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum provide on-going advice and support parents through training, conferences and roadshows to empower you when working with practitioners who are supporting your child/young person 01903 726 188 or [email protected]. West Sussex Parent Carer can also support families through creating a something called a 'Wikis'. Wikis are simple, accessible, secure and easy to build personal websites which could be beneficial in supporting the transition to adulthood.
We know 'preparing to adulthood' is an area of information you have told us we need to priorities.
Below we have split information into sub heading for the different strands to 'Preparing to Adulthood'.
Learning, training or employment opportunities
| Useful links |
|---|
| The West Sussex SEND Information, Advice and Support Service provides impartial information, advice and support to children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, up to and including age 25. If you would like to discuss: If you would like support from SENDIAS please call 0330 222 8555 or email [email protected] |
| Further Education Providers |
| Job Centre Plus |
| Routes into Work for young people with Special Educational Need and Disability age 16 to 24 (PDF) |
| Learning, Training and Work Pathway (PDF) |
| Finding a disability confident employer |
Community Inclusion
You may be familiar with Short Breaks as your child and/or your family may have accessed some of the services over the years. Short Breaks is a statutory function that the Local Authority must provide for children and young people up to the age of 18. In West Sussex we commission a range of private, voluntary and independent providers to offer a range of services. We are working more closely with adult services to provide breaks for 16-25 year olds. For example on SummerFest. Some of our Short Break providers offer support for young people 18+ and there are separate funding arrangements. Please see here Short Break providers who do support children and young people 18+.
We've also put together information about services that support young people be active citizenship here and have added a new filter on our Local Offer to list relevant services for you.
It may be that you also want to browse through the West Sussex Connect to Support website to find further options.
Independent Living
West Sussex are currently creating a Lifelong Service for anyone that has a lifelong disability acquired before the age of 25 and or autism. The service is for people that require social care support either as a child and/or adult. The vision of Lifelong Services is : To provide a consistent approach to working in partnership with children, young people and adults with lifelong disabilities, autism and their families. If you would like to contact the service then email [email protected]
Local authorities also have a duty to make sure that those most in need receive the highest level of support, and that everyone is treated fairly. West Sussex uses national guidelines called 'eligibility criteria' to help us understand whether people have eligible social care needs. This applies to people needing social care support and to carers. Find out more.
Preparing for Adulthood Wiki
The aim of the Wiki is to help young people and those supporting them through their transition to adulthood. As young people grow up they need think about what they would like to do in the future and what skills they will need to develop to help achieve their goals and build their independence. This Wiki has been designed to help young people think this through, with questions and relevant information throughout. There is a lot of information so take time looking through the different sections and make a note of any thoughts.
To view the wiki click here
If you wish to comment on the Wiki please contact us: [email protected]
Health
Other Guidance
| Local and National |
|---|
| SEND Pathways to Adulthood Strategy The West Sussex SEND Pathways to Adulthood Strategy is focused on young people with SEND between the ages of 16 – 25 and their families and has been produced as part of the County’s implementation of the SEND reforms. |
| The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum provide on-going advice and support parents through training, conferences and roadshows to empower you when working with practitioners who are supporting your child/young person. Some of the relevant training and support includes their Coffee, Cake and Info Networking sessions; First Steps to Adulthood event; Wills and Trusts; Wiki Wednesdays. Contact the service by calling 01903 726 188 or emailing [email protected]. |
