Moving from children’s to Adult Social Care

Cheshire East Preparing for Adulthood Vision

All Cheshire East young people with special educational needs and disabilities will benefit from a seamless transition process, building on the goals and aspirations of young people as they prepare for adulthood. 

If you are likely to have needs for care and support once you turn 18 years of age, you can make a request for a Care Act assessment. This is regardless of whether you currently receive support from children's services.

Preparing for adulthood - adult social care booklet (PDF, 809KB)

Preparing for adulthood - adult social care - accessible doc (MS Word, 53KB) 

This will apply to you if you are: 

• under 18 years old and you have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• under 18 years old and are currently receiving support through children’s services
• under 18 years old and are likely to have needs for adult care and support when you turn 18
• a child’s carer
• a young carer

What a Care Act assessment involves

The assessment will be carried out with you, your family and any other professionals that you are involved with. The purpose is to identify eligible care and support needs in line with the outcomes set out within the Care Act. The assessment will consider the following areas: 

• what your needs are
• what your needs are likely to be when you have turned 18
• what is important to you
• what you want to achieve in your life
• what types of adult care and support may be of benefit to you (this can include care and support for independent  living, training, employment, good health, and having friends)
• what other informal support is available that may help you to achieve your goals

The Care Act assessment may not always result in commissioned services, but whatever happens, we will provide information and advice about universal services which can support you and your family to meet any identified needs, as you prepare to enter adult-hood. This will build on information included in your Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if you have one.

Planning for your transition into adulthood will start when it’s the right for you. In most cases Care Act assessments are undertaken between the ages of 17-18, however workers from adult social care will start attending EHCP meetings from year 9 onwards, in order to share information and advice on what to expect in adult social care.

If you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan

You will have started to prepare for adulthood through your EHC Plan annual review from Year 9 onwards. Good practice would be for you to start working towards developing your independence, in line with your Preparing adult hood goals at the earliest opportunity. Within the Year 9 EHCP review, you will have the opportunity to talk about what is important and what you would like to happen in the future. You will be supported with this discussion by your parents/ carers, school and other professionals who know you.

This information discussed will be put into a preparing for adulthood plan and will be updated every year at the school review/ EHC Plan review. 

If you have an EHC Plan and are over 18, the ‘care’ part of your plan will be provided for by adult services, under the Care Act 2014.

After we have completed your transition assessment

We will share your assessment with you to give you an indication of the sort of support that you can expect. This will include: 

• what care and support you will be eligible for from adult social care (some services that are currently provided by children’s services may not be provided by adults social care)
• advice and information about what can be done to meet or reduce any needs you are likely to have
• advice and information on what you can do to stay well

Assessment for young carers

If you are a young carer, we will assess your needs as you approach age 18. We will consider how we can support you to prepare for adulthood and how we can plan with you to raise and fulfil your aspirations such as going to university or gaining employment.

We will consider the impact on the other members of the family of the person you care for. We will identify anyone who may be part of the network of the person you care for, for example your siblings. 

The assessment will also consider how any care and support plan for the person you care for would change as a result of the change in your circumstances. 

Assessment for carers 

When there is a likely need for support for your child after they turn 18, we will assess your needs as a carer, but only when the time is right for you. This may help you to remain in employment once your child has finished school. Please refer to the Preparing for adulthood booklet which will provide details of the carers hub.

How your current care and support may change 

If you are currently receiving support from children’s services, this will continue whilst the Care Act assessment is completed and eligibility for care and support under the Care Act 2014 is determined. If a young person is deemed to have eligible needs then we will discuss relevant support options to meet the eligible needs and then a support plan will be formulated and this will be shared with the young person, their family and professionals identified, to deliver the care and support. If you are deemed not eligible for a commissioned services from adult social care, we will sign post you to universal services who maybe able to provide support

The costs of adult care and support

You may be asked to make a contribution towards the cost of your care services. The amount you may be asked to pay will depend on your financial circumstances. Cheshire East Council operates a charging policy which meets the Care Act 2014 statutory regulations issued by the Department of Health. You will never be charged more than you can reasonably afford to pay and we will also offer you advice on getting all the benefits due to you. You will be referred for a financial assessment to determine your assessed client contribution towards your care.

Contact details

If you are already receiving support from children’s services please contact your worker about making a referral to adult social care for a transition assessment. If you are unsure who your worker is please contact ChECS - Cheshire East Children's Consultation Service  or call 0300 123 5012

If you or the person you care for are not currently receiving support from children’s services and want to make a referral to adult social care see Assessment of your care needs (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Or call adult social care on 0300 123 5010

Page last reviewed: 13 November 2023