Moving from children’s to Adult Social Care

Cheshire East Preparing for Adulthood Vision

All young people in Cheshire East with special educational needs and disabilities will benefit from a smooth and well‑coordinated transition into adulthood, building on their goals and aspirations as they prepare for the future.

If you are likely to need care and support once you turn 18, you can request a Care Act assessment. This applies whether or not you currently receive support from children’s services.

 Preparing for adulthood - adult social care booklet (PDF, 2MB)

Preparing for adulthood - adult social care - accessible doc (MS Word, 55KB) 

You may be eligible for a Care Act assessment if you are:

• under 18 and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• under 18 and currently receiving support from children’s services
• under 18 and likely to have care and support needs when you turn 18
• a child’s carer
• a young carer

What a Care Act assessment involves

The assessment will be completed with you, your family and any professionals involved in your support. Its purpose is to identify any eligible care and support needs in line with the outcomes set out in the Care Act. The assessment will look at: 

• 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

A Care Act assessment may not always lead to commissioned services. However, we will always provide information and advice about universal services that can support you and your family as you prepare for adulthood. This will build on any information already included in your Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), if you have one.

Planning for your transition into adulthood will begin when the time is right for you. Most Care Act assessments take place between ages 17 and 18. However, adult social care staff will usually start attending EHCP meetings from Year 9 onwards to provide information and guidance about what to expect from adult social care.

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

You will begin preparing for adulthood from Year 9 onwards through your EHC Plan annual reviews. It is considered good practice for you to start developing your independence as early as possible, in line with your Preparing for Adulthood goals. During your Year 9 EHCP review, you will have the opportunity to discuss what is important to you and what you would like your future to look like. You will be supported in this conversation by your parents or carers, your school, and other professionals who know you well.

The information discussed will be used to create a Preparing for Adulthood plan, which should be updated each year as part of your school review or EHC Plan review.

If you have an EHC Plan and are over 18, the social care element of your plan will be delivered by adult services under the Care Act 2014.

After we have completed your transition assessment

Adult social care will produce a copy of your completed assessment to evidence the outcome of the assessment and eligibility for support under the Care Act 2014. Following this, there will be discussions around appropriate next steps. This will include:

• Information about commissioned support, you may be eligible for a commissioned package of care from Adult Social Care to meet any identified eligible needs.
  (Please note: some services currently provided by Children’s Services may not be available through Adult Social Care.)
• Information and advice about other support options, including community and universal services, that could help you manage or reduce any identified needs.
• Advice on how to stay well and maintain your wellbeing.

Assessment for young carers

If you are a young carer, we will carry out an assessment of your needs as you approach your 18th birthday. This will help us understand how we can support you in preparing for adulthood and work with you to explore and achieve your aspirations, such as going to university, starting employment, or pursuing other goals.

We will also look at how your caring role affects other members of your family and identify anyone who forms part of the wider support network for the person you care for, such as siblings.

As part of the assessment, we will consider how the care and support plan for the person you care for may need to change as your circumstances change.

Assessment for carers 

When completing a Care Act assessment for your child as they approach the age of 18, adult social care can also carry out a carer’s assessment with you at a time that feels right. This assessment explores how your caring role impacts your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, as well as your work, education, relationships and daily life. This helps us make sure you receive the right support at the right time, enabling you to continue in your caring role.

For more information, please refer to the Preparing for Adulthood booklet above, which includes details about the Carers Hub. The Carers Hub is a commissioned service in Cheshire East that carries out carer assessments and provides information, advice and support for carers.

How your current care and support may change 

If you are currently receiving support from children’s services, this will continue while your Care Act assessment is completed and your eligibility for adult care and support under the Care Act 2014 is determined. If you are assessed as having eligible needs, we will discuss suitable support options with you, and a support plan will be developed. This plan will be shared with you, your family, and the professionals involved in delivering your care.

If you are not eligible for commissioned adult social care services, we will signpost you to universal services that may be able to offer support.

The costs of adult care and support

You may be asked to contribute towards the cost of your care services. The amount you pay will depend on your individual financial circumstances. Cheshire East Council follows a charging policy that complies with the statutory regulations of the Care Act 2014. You will not be asked to pay more than you can reasonably afford, and we will offer advice on any benefits you may be entitled to. You will also be referred for a financial assessment to determine your assessed contribution towards the cost of 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. Alternatively, you can contact adult social care directly on 0300 123 5010.