Background to the Research

• Transitions to adult services for young people with learning disabilities have long been identified as a particular issue and there is a clear history of attempts to address the associated difficulties through a range of both government and NGO based initiatives. Nonetheless, young people with learning disabilities continue to encounter significant difficulties on transition from school and from child to adult health and social care
• The remit of the project was to provide a critical analysis of transitions to adult services for young people with learning disabilities in NI in the context of: education; employment and training; and health and social care. The report is underpinned by a children's rights-based approach.

Research Approach

• The project involved an analysis of children's rights standards in the context of the study; a review of legislation, policy and literature; and discussions with a variety of stakeholders, which included talks to ELBs and HSCT officials, employees of Mencap, and the post-19 lobby group, principals of SLD and MLD schools, and parents and young people with learning disabilities attending both special and mainstream schools.

Main Findings

• Education, Employment and Training: the existing statutory duty to plan for transition is currently only available to young people who have statements of special educational need. The availability and adequacy of transition planning, support and post-school options varies across ELBs and HSCTs. Young people with learning disabilities and their families do not always receive appropriate information about the options and support available to them on leaving school. Nor is there a statutory obligation on a public body to take young people's views into account in decision making processes. This is compounded by the inadequacy of joint/interagency working between staff in education and health and social care services and between the public and voluntary sectors.
• It is not yet clear how the Review of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion proposals, which are still in development, will impact on the transitions process for young people with learning disabilities. However, there is concern that there will be a reduction in provision and in statutory protection for children who, as defined under the new proposals, would no longer have statements of special educational needs. There is also concern at the current lack of statutory obligations surrounding the transitions process for young people who do not have statements.
• For young people with learning disabilities attending FE courses, concerns centred on the lack of support for the young person when settling into FE and the lack of genuine options and subsequent opportunities for progression when a course comes to an end.
• In the context of employment, again there is variation across NI in terms of supported employment opportunities, the availability of suitable work experience placements, and the impact of part-time working on social security benefits.
• Health and Social Care: the availability of age appropriate and flexible day care and short break services are limited and vary across HSCTs. Parents and young people do not always have access to accurate and/or detailed information on the real options available.
• Concern has been expressed at the potential negative impact of transitions on the mental health and wellbeing of young people with learning disabilities as they adjust to unfamiliar environments. Concern has also been expressed at the reduced levels of access to allied health care services on leaving school, associated delays and unclear eligibility and referral criteria in accessing such services. These issues are exacerbated across HSCTs since not all have Transition Officers.
• Families of young people with learning disabilities provide care and support well beyond what is normally expected and over a longer period of time. However, the practical and emotional support provided to families, particularly at times of transition, is fragmented and patchy across NI.
• Social Security, Leisure and Transport: uncertainty around the impact and complexity of the proposed welfare reforms is an added source of stress for families. These issues are compounded by the lack of suitable transport arrangements and independent travel initiatives, particularly for young people living in rural areas.
• Young people with learning disabilities do not have equal access to age-appropriate leisure opportunities as the rest of their peers; this becomes particularly pertinent when young people leave the security of school-based social networks, often outside their own communities.

Conclusions

• A number of cross cutting issues were identified. There is a need for an integrated planning service between education and health and social care. While there have been efforts to improve communication and co-operation, there are two separate planning and delivery processes for transition which often occur at different points in a young person's life.
• There is a need for person centred planning across the transitions processes, with a focus on what is in the best interests of a young person, rather than what is available.
• There is a need for a mapping of existing services across NI to identify key gaps in provision and to ensure equality of access to appropriate services.
• Although the issue of taking young people's views into account in the decision-making processes around transition is emphasized in guidance such as the Code of Practice on Special Educational Needs, the extent to which it is happening in practice in a meaningful way is unknown.
• Based on the findings, the report makes a series of recommendations relating to Education, Training and Employment, Health and Social Care, and Social Security, Leisure and Transport.

The full report and an easy-read report are available on the NICCY website.