Moving from children’s to adult services: planning the change well

The move from children’s services to adult social care is one of the bigger changes a young person and their family will navigate. It is widely recognised as a point where things can wobble, which is exactly why planning early makes such a difference.

Start early, and start with the young person

Good transition planning begins well before the change happens, not at the last minute. National guidance encourages early, person-centred planning that puts the young person at the centre: their hopes, their goals, and the life they want as an adult. The aim is a smooth handover, not a cliff edge.

What a good plan covers

A strong transition looks across the whole of a young person’s life, not just one service. That can mean where they will live, the support they will need day to day, education or work, health, friendships and community, and how decisions will be made as they become an adult. Bringing the right people together early helps everything line up.

Questions worth asking ahead of time

Families often find it helps to ask, well in advance, who will be responsible for what after the move, how support might change, and how the young person’s own voice will stay at the centre of decisions. The earlier these conversations happen, the calmer the change tends to be.

If your family is approaching this transition and you would like to understand how adult support could work, we are happy to talk it through with you.