Physical Difficulties Support Service

Transitions and Preparing for Adulthood

Transitions refers to the support available to children and young people with additional needs as they move between different stages of their education, or to a new school or setting. Preparing for adulthood looks to help beyond school, supporting young people as they move into adulthood, ensuring they enjoy living independently as adults. Information on how PDSS supports with transitions and preparing for adulthood can be found by choosing from the two following options.

Transitions

PDSS provides additional support for children, young people, and their families when they are ready to move to a new school or education setting. Such settings can include nurseys, infant schools, primary schools, or secondary schools. PDSS also support young people moving into further education settings such as colleges or sixth forms.

PDSS can support in the following ways:
  • By coming to Educational and Health Care Plans review for your child if they have an Education and Health Care Plan
  • Keeping in touch with you and your child around applying for a new school or setting
  • Working with the Special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) in your child’s new school or education setting
  • Looking at the new school and education setting environment to make sure your child can access things and join in
  • Advise the new school or education setting around any changes that are needed to the environment so that your child can access all areas and so that their personal care (toileting) needs can be met
  • Talk with your child to understand their views around the support they need and their plans and ideas for their next steps or future
  • Update your child’s Physical Management Plan which shows the support needed in their new school or education setting
  • Work with other services such as Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy so that any equipment your child uses can be transferred to their new school or setting
  • Provide information to the new school or setting about any health or safer handling training required, so the new school or setting are ready to support your child
  • Tell the new school or education setting about any training courses the Physical Difficulties Support Service offer across the city so that the new school or education setting has a good understanding as to how to best support your child
  • Make a referral to other teams to offer additional support at this important time, if needed and in discussion with the new school and you as parents/carers, such as health and social care
Parents report that the following support was most useful:
  • PDSS made sure any adaptations to the environment were in place before my child started
  • Talked with health professionals supporting my child to ensure the move to a new school went
  • Provided us as parents/carers with advice around school choices. Informed us which schools nearby were accessible, such as having a lift
  • Made sure new staff had a good understanding of my child’s needs
  • Wrote down the support my child needs in a plan for the new staff at the new school
  • Listened to concerns and answered questions around my child moving school as it is a worrying time
Pupils Top Tips – What helps me in my new school
  • I have a little bit more time and a chair to sit on when I get changed for PE.
  • I have a ruler with a handle and this has made the drawing of lines better.
  • Some packets, like opening crisps, are difficult to manage so I asked a new friend to help me.
  • I have a lift pass because it is difficult for me to do the stairs when it is busy.
  • I have easy fastenings on my uniform so I can manage on my own.
In addition to this PDSS can if required:
  • Make joint visits to the new school or education setting with other professionals and with you as parents/carers along with your child.
  • PDSS can offer extra training to the new school or education settings if this is required.  
  • Support the new setting to include your child in all learning activities and in specific subjects such as in Cookery lessons or PE.
  • Visit your child during the first term in their new setting to see how they are getting on.

Preparing for Adulthood

We want young people to make plans for their future that are ambitious and achievable so that each young person can be the best version of themselves. To make this happen, careful planning is needed in all areas of their lives to ensure a successful transition to adulthood. The four main areas we focus on are:

  • Health (including mental health)
  • Community Inclusion
  • Employment
  • Independent Living

Here are some useful links that offer information, advice, and support for each of the key areas:

A range of advice is available from charities that provide help for specific disabilities, for the above areas and independent living.  Here are some options: