People who can help you prepare for adult life

There are many professionals who can play a part in helping you plan for your future.

These pages will help you find information and contact details for some of the main ones.

If you have an education health and care (EHC) plan some of these people may take part in your annual reviews.

In year 9, your review is called the preparation for adulthood annual review and you will meet some of them then.

Education, health and care plan coordinators (EHCP coordinators) are responsible for case management for children and young people who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, or are having a statutory needs assessment for an EHC plan.

The EHCP coordinator works with parents/carers and young people. They make sure that children, young people and their families are fully involved in the assessment process, and that the child or young person is fully involved in any decisions made about him or her.

EHCP coordinators:

• Monitor progress, provision and placement through quality assurance and the annual review process
• Make sure these are carried out efficiently and happen when they should
• Make sure they follow the published Norfolk process and the SEND Code of Practice 2014

EHCP coordinators are part of children's services in Norfolk County Council. If you or your child has a EHC plan or is having a statutory needs assessment, this person will usually be the named officer in any letters.

Find out more about EHC plans and how to contact the EHC team.

The adult services sensory support unit provides social care assessments for people who are deaf or have a dual sensory loss. They also provide an assessment and rehabilitation service where sight loss has become a critical or substantial barrier to independent living.

They can also offer advice and training to carers, families and other professionals, depending on the need.

Find out more about the adult services sensory support unit and how to contact them.

Social workers work for a range of organisations - mainly local authorities, independent organisations and charities. Some also work for the NHS, mental health trusts and other community-based settings.

Find out more about social care support for children and young adults with SEND.

The preparing for adult life (PfAL) service is responsible for ensuring young people make a smooth transition in to adult social services.

Guidance advisers (GAs) support young people by providing careers guidance if they are not in education, employment or training (NEET). This includes young people with SEN, whether they have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or not.

GAs work with young people aged 16-18 (up to 25 for young people with an EHCP) but tend to start their work with young people towards the end of Year 11.

Not all young people need help from a GA. Some young people move on from school easily. They go on to their chosen course and eventually into work, training or other activities.

However, some young people may have difficulties that mean that they will leave school and become NEET if they don't get support from a GA. GAs will help them with their goals and aspirations and work out how to achieve them. GAs can also give NEET young people advice about education, training and employment with training eg apprenticeships.

If the young person has an EHCP, GAs can give advice to other professionals, including schools and colleges, about provision the young person might need when they leave school.

How to get support

If you are NEET or might become NEET, you can call the NEET helpline on 0344 800 80 22.

The preparing for adult life (PfAL) service is responsible for ensuring young people make a smooth transition in to adult social services.

We carry out assessments under the Care Act 2014, when it is likely that the young person will have needs for care and support as an adult. We also carry out Mental Capacity Assessments where appropriate.

The service works with young people to promote independence in relation to the four preparing for adult life outcomes from the Children and Families Act 2014:

• Employment
• Independent living
• Being as healthy as possible
• Being part of the community

Referrals

We accept referrals if:

• Your young person is 14-17-years old. They can be referred at 13-years-old, if the referral follows an education, health and care (EHC) plan review in Year 9.
• Your young person has a disability. This could be a learning disability, mental health needs, autism or physical disability.
• Your young person is likely to need support from adult social services (under the Care Act 2014), to achieve their outcomes of good health, independent living, employment, friends, relationships and community inclusion.

Making a referral

If your young person with SEND is 14 to 17 years old, ask their allocated social worker or family practitioner, if they have one, to make the referral.

Alternatively you or another professional can make a referral by calling 0344 800 8020.

If your young person is 18 years old or older, make a referral to adult social care services by calling 0344 800 8020.

PfAL conversations

For young people aged 14 to 16, the service will have PfAL conversations. This focuses on:

• getting to know the young person
• their aspirations and ideas about how they can work towards developing their independence
• the four PfAL outcomes

Often, a PfAL Planning Co-ordinator will carry this out.

We will do this on a yearly basis, unless otherwise agreed or we start a care act assessment.

PfAL workers will not usually be able to attend meetings about the young person between PfAL planning work.

Care Act assessment conversations

If the young person is likely to have care and support needs as an adult, we will carry out a transition assessment. This is in line with our duties under the Care Act 2014.

The timing of this will vary. This is because it needs completing at the time of most significant benefit for the young person. This is often when the young person is 17 years old.

We follow the adult social care living well approach, which is a strengths based approach. This means that we seek to connect the young person to resources such as universal services. We also make use of existing strengths and support to enable the young person to achieve their outcomes wherever possible.

If the support to the young person requires a commissioned service, we aim to have the care and support plan agreed, where appropriate, before they turn 18 years old.

How we allocate

We look at new referrals each week and will contact the referrer to advise whether we have accepted the referral, or to request more information if needed.

A PfAL practitioner or assistant practitioner will be allocated to the young person as soon as possible and appropriate. We send an introduction letter to the young person and/or their family when a worker is allocated, so that they know who their worker will be.

We usually allocate a worker based on where the young person goes to school or college to enable those education settings to build strong relationships with their link PfAL workers.

Types of work we do

PfAL conversations

For young people aged 14 to 16, the service we will have PfAL conversations. This focuses on getting to know the young person, their aspirations and ideas about how they can work towards developing their independence and the four PfAL outcomes.

We will do this on a yearly basis, unless otherwise agreed or a Care Act assessment is started. PfAL workers will not usually be able to attend meetings about the young person in between PfAL planning work.

Care Act assessment conversations

When we have identified that the young person is likely to have care and support needs as an adult, we will carry out a transition assessment, in line with our duties under the Care Act 2014. The timing of this will vary, as it should be completed at the time of most significant benefit for the young person, but often this will be when the young person is aged 17 years or older.

We follow the adult social care living well approach, which is a strengths based approach. This means that we seek to connect the young person to resources such as universal services or make use of existing strengths and support to enable the young person to achieve their outcomes wherever possible.

If a commissioned service is required to support the young person, we aim to have the care and support plan agreed, where appropriate, well before the 18th birthday.

Parent/Carer Assessments

The PfAL practitioner/assistant practitioner will consider the needs of any family members or others who are informal carers or young carers for the young person. Carers Matter Norfolk (CMN) can provide support to both adult and young carers and PfAL staff should make all carers aware of the support that they offer. If an adult carer's assessment is needed under The Care Act, then the PfAL Service will undertake this or if appropriate refer to CMN to do it.

How we work with other professionals

Our focus is on planning for what will happen when the young person turns 18. This means that professionals from children's services and education should remain involved if support is required for the young person's current situation. Given this focus, PfAL workers have to prioritise attendance at meetings for young people aged under 18 and will often need to send apologies and gather information from the minutes of the meeting.

Young people over 18

When a young person turns 18, the PfAL practitioner/assistant practitioner is the responsible worker for your young person in relation to care and support. If there are any safeguarding concerns involving your young person, these too will be dealt with by the PfAL team.

If the young person needs ongoing support from adult social care, then the case will remain with the PfAL worker until the young person's situation is stable and there is a clear plan in place as to how any future transitions will be managed (eg when the young person leaves education). At this stage the PfAL team will transfer the young person's case to the relevant adult social care team.

New referrals for young people who are already 18 or over should be made direct to adult social care.

Duty line

The team operates a daily duty telephone line which can be used by young people, parents/carers and professionals who need to contact the team in the absence of the allocated PfAL worker.

PfAL Duty Line 01603 223910

A special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is a member of staff at a school or at an early years setting. They oversee the day-to-day provision for children with special educational needs (SEN).

Find out more about what a SENCo does.

You can ask your school or early years setting for a meeting with the SENCo. You can find contact details for all Norfolk schools on Norfolk Schoolfinder. The Norfolk Community Directory lists Ofsted registered childcare providers in Norfolk.

To find out about mental and emotional health support and services for 0-25-year-olds in Norfolk and Waveney, visit Just One Norfolk website.

Travel Independence Training across Norfolk (TITAN) offers young people with special educational needs and disabilities support to help them to become confident independent travellers.

They offer a range of opportunities for young people aged 10 (Year 6) to 25, both in school and the community, supporting effective transition to travelling independently.

This is a free service.

Find out more about TITAN travel training and how to contact them.

The virtual school for looked after and previously looked after children team promotes the education of all Norfolk's looked after children and young people, wherever they may be placed.

The team also offer support and guidance to care leavers and the staff supporting them.

Find out more about the team and how to contact them.

The virtual school sensory support (VSSS) team offers a wide range of support to sensory impaired, Vision Impaired and Deaf children and young people, from the age of 0 - 25 years, including those in post-16 education.

Find out more about the VSSS team, including who they support, what they do and how you can contact them.