Preparing for adulthood - information for parents and carers (SEND)

Planning for your child's transition to adulthood should begin when your child is 13 or 14 years old, so that by the time they are 16 you are both ready to think about making decisions about the future.

When your child turns 16, they can have more say in their education. When they turn 18, they become a legal adult. One thing this means is that they can make their own decisions about their life unless they ‘lack mental capacity’ according to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Mental Capacity is decision specific. This means the person could have capacity to make some decisions, but not others. If your child or young person lacks the mental capacity to make a particular decision, any decision made on their behalf must be made in their best interest.

If your child is 16 or older and needs constant supervision and care as it would not be safe for them to leave home unsupervised, they may be legally ‘deprived of liberty’. This can be a complex process, so it is worth getting in touch with the SEND team if you need to know more. 

If the young person in your care has already turned 18, they may receive a full needs assessment under the Care Act 2014. The parent and young person should be involved in this process. After the assessment, we may issue a care and support plan. This tells you what needs we have identified and how these needs will be met. This may also involve a financial assessment to determine whether the young adult should contribute toward support provided.