Preparation for adulthood
Contents
Independent living
Social care
Social Care Service support for people over the age of 18 is arranged by Adult Social Care and comes under The Care Act 2014.
If the young person does not already receive support from Children’s Social Care, but might need support as an adult a referral to adult social services should be made before they are 18.
Making referrals to West Northamptonshire Adult Social Care
If the young person has an allocated children’s worker from Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, the social worker will make the referral to adult social services via an internal referral route.
This will be discussed with the young person and yourself first. This usually occurs on or around the young person’s 16th birthday. You will be contacted by the relevant adult social care team shortly after they have accepted the referral to introduce themselves.
If your young person does not receive support from Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, then the referral can be made directly by you or the young person themselves, or their school (with permission from the young person and/or yourself).
Don’t wait until the young person is almost 18 before referring, as we do need time to make sure we have everything in place for when they reach the age of 18.
Care assessment
A care assessment can be requested by the carer or the young person. This can take some time to organise so it is important to request this early, when the young person is 16.
Personal Budgets and Direct Payments
There may have been a Social Care Personal Budget or Direct Payment for the young person when they were a child. Whoever oversees this for before the young person reaches 18 will discuss this future arrangements in plenty of time before their 18th birthday.
A Personal Budget is money to pay for identified support needs to enable payment for that support directly.
Direct Payments are available for adults and can still be managed on behalf of the young person if that is needed.
Money and benefits
Bank accounts and learning about money
It is really helpful to give young people opportunities to learn about managing money by giving them pocket money, learning how to pay for things and having a savings account.
When they are approaching 16 if they do not already have one, they should open a current account and a savings account (if they are able to).
There are many different options available dependent on their circumstances and needs.
Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
If the young person has been receiving DLA benefits, a few months before they are 16, they will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions inviting them to apply for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP). It is really important that this is applied for as there will not be an automatic transfer.
To be eligible for a PIP a young person must be aged 16 to 64 and have a health condition or disability and:
- have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
- expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months (unless they are terminally ill with less than 6 months to live)
Being assessed for a PIP
Unless they have a terminal illness, most people have a face-to-face assessment carried out by a health professional. This provides an opportunity to talk and communicate about the young person’s condition and how it affects them.
It is helpful to prepare for this assessment and it is a good idea to take a copy of the PIP claim form with you to refer to so that you tell the assessor everything you want them to know about the young person’s condition. It is important that all the support needed on a ‘bad’ day is described, and to take the time to tell the assessor everything.
The assessor will write a report and send it to the DWP to be processed.
Becoming an appointee
A young person turning 16 is usually expected to take on responsibility for any benefits they claim in their own right. If they have been assessed as not having the capacity to manage their benefits themselves, it is possible to become their ‘appointee’ for benefit claims. This must be set up with the DWP before applying for PiP. An appointee is responsible for:
- making any claims
- giving any information required, and disclosing any changes that may affect the young person’s entitlement to benefits.
The benefits will be paid to the appointee on the young person’s behalf. Becoming an appointee for benefit purposes does not give the appointee any wider rights to deal with their affairs.
Read more about becoming an appointee for someone claiming benefits.
Power of attorney
A person who is over 18 can appoint people to make decisions on their behalf if they become unable to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. For example decisions about finances or about health and care. This is called a lasting power of attorney (LPA). There are 2 types of LPA, one that covers financial matters (called a Property and Affairs LPA) and the other is called a Health and Welfare LPA.
The person must have the ability to make their own decisions when they agree for someone to have lasting power of attorney.
If they do not have the mental capacity to make decisions about their health and welfare and/or financial matters, you they may need a court-appointed deputy. This is someone appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions for someone who is unable to do so on their own. This could be a parent, another family member, or person deemed suitable by the court.
A finance deputy will usually be required where there are complex finances (Children’s Trust Fund savings accounts are an example).
A property and affairs deputy has the authority to make decisions about the management of a person’s financial affairs.
A deputy may not be required if your young person only receives welfare benefits and they have been assessed as lacking capacity to manage their finances; often an appointeeship is sufficient to manage welfare benefits alone.
Applications to the Court of Protection can be made while the young person is still under the age of 18 but will not come into effect until they are 18. As deputyships can take some time to put in place, it is helpful to start thinking about whether this will be required for the young person as soon as possible so there is proper legal authority to make financial decisions for them when they reach adulthood.
Find out more about power of attorney.
Housing
Young people may be thinking about where they want to live as an adult.
It may be helpful to help them to think about things like:
- do they want to live on their own or with other people?
- will they be thinking about renting or buying their home?
- how will they pay for their home?
- what technology would help them to live independently
- what sort of support will they need?
- will a supported living scheme be something to explore?
- what adaptations would they need to their home?
Housing options should be something you talk about as part of ongoing transition planning. Find out more about housing options.
The young person’s school, college or other education provider should help them start to consider their housing options as they get older. They’ll help them think about who they would like to live with, the type of accommodation they would like, and where.
If you live in England, the local authority should publish information about housing options, including independent living for young disabled adults, in their local offer. Some options are set out below:
Living at home
If the young person qualifies for Adult Social Care support and continues to live at home past the age of 18, they may be able to get help to develop independent living skills, such as personal care, managing money, independent travel or making decisions.
They may also be able to access equipment to help with daily living. Speak to the social worker about what might be available.
Young people usually have to pay an amount a week towards their care. A financial assessment will be completed in line with the Local Authority Charging Policy.
Shared Lives is a scheme to help over 18’s with support needs get the care they need while living in a private home with a family or an individual.
Find out more about Shared Lives.
Supported living
This is accommodation provided alongside support or care to help people live as independently as possible in the community. It can include a tenancy or licence agreement dependent on the type of support being provided.
The support would usually dictate the type of arrangement and is based on the young person’s needs. It can be single or shared accommodation and support can be from several hours a week right up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Some accommodation options are delivered as a housing scheme developed by housing associations, private landlords or charities. Others may be standalone accommodation.
Social or council housing
Social housing means flats or houses that are owned by the Council, or by housing associations or charities. The rent is usually lower than other homes.
If the young person is considering this option, they will need to contact the Council’s Housing Department to see if they qualify for this option and how to apply if they do qualify. They will need to put their name down on the housing register.
There are often waiting lists.
Find out more about housing options.
Residential care
If the young person needs more support than can be given to them at home or in supported housing, then residential care could be an option for them.
Residential care homes provide 24-hour personal care to a number of people with high care needs living in a shared building. Residents usually have very complex needs that make it difficult for them to access the other options.
The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) has a useful guide.
Travel
Learning to travel as independently as possible is a life skill that is an important part of growing up. Learning these skills as a child and having the opportunity to practice these safely is really important.
Schools and colleges will provide support for this as part of their curriculum, teaching and learning, and it is important that parent / carer also help with this.
Find out more about travel and transport.
Transport provision post-16
Free help with transport to education post 16 is not an automatic entitlement for disabled young people and provision is different to pre-16.
The local authority must publish an annual transport policy statement setting out travel arrangements for young people in their area to get to education, including those with SEND. You can find out more about post 16 SEND transport eligibility in the Council’s policy for Post-16 Transport.
Search the Local Offer directory.
Last updated 20 December 2023