Education
Educational opportunities and lifelong learning for adults with Down Syndrome
Post 16 Options
- The One in Five Podcast | UniTasterDays.
- Disabled Students Allowance - Learn about eligibility.
- Barnet Education and Learning Services (BELS) - BELS offers a variety of Post 16 services to support young people aged 13 to 24 with the information, advice, and guidance they need to succeed in the classroom and in their careers. Tel 020 8359 2011.
Apprenticeships
Preparing for Adulthood
The preparing for adulthood section is the PfA protocol for health, education and health.
Barnet Multi-Agency Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) Protocol First Review 2020-2023: The planning process to support transition from adolescence into adulthood for young people with complex learning difficulties, disabilities, additional needs or mental health needs.
Introduction
This Protocol details the responsibilities of the agencies involved in the Transition planning process for young people with complex learning difficulties, disabilities, additional needs and/or mental health needs in Barnet.
Preparing for Adulthood means preparing for:
- Employment - This includes exploring different education and employment options, such as support for becoming self-employed, apprenticeships, internships and college courses.
- Independent living - Young people having choices, rights and control over their lives, their support, and their accommodation and living arrangements, including supported living, educational and residential settings.
- Participating in society - Having friends, supportive relationships and opportunities for participating in and contributing to the local community.
- Being healthy - Being as healthy as possible in adult life.
Further resources can be found at the Preparing for Adulthood website.
What is a good transition?
Young people making decisions and taking the lead, or being supported by people who can advocate for them.
Young people know what the criteria are to get support from different agencies.
Young people being able to access services that help them; Young people being able to try things out and being free to change their mind.
Young people and their carers have known points of contact through the transition process and receive consistent messages.
Young people and their carers are supported and have access to understandable information.
Transition includes
- Transition from Children's to Adult Services.
- Transition from school to FE college, higher education or employment, training or apprenticeship.
- Transition from residential schools to semi / independent living, higher education or employment, training or apprenticeship.
- Transition from college or training to employment and or Adult Services.
- Transition from paediatric to adult health services; leaving care.
- Transition from living at home.
Who does the protocol apply to?
This protocol describes how services of health, education and care work together to support the transition of children and young people between the ages of 14 and 25 who have disabilities and/or complex needs, including:
- Those young people who have an Education, Health & Care (EHC) Plan.
- Those eligible for Children's social care services.
- Those who are likely to meet the eligibility criteria for Adult social care services (in line with the Care Act 2014). Those with Continuing Healthcare needs.
- Those who would benefit from support in planning for adult life but do not have an EHC Plan (for example, those leaving care or with high-functioning autism or social/emotional/mental health difficulties/ill health).
- Carers and parents of young people preparing for adulthood, and young carers who are themselves preparing for adulthood.