Information and learning from the Aiming High for Disabled Children Transition Support Programme

Title: Information and learning from the Aiming High for Disabled Children Transition Support Programme

Date: November 2011

Author: Council for Disabled Children/National Transition Support Team 

Full report

Executive summary

Description of resource: The report was written by the Council for Disabled Children in order to summarise and reflect on the experience from the Transition Support Programme (TSP). The report focuses on learning from success and identifying key principles and actions supporting positive change for children, young people and families.

A bit more about it: The Transition Support Programme (TSP) was a three-year national programme initiated to support service improvement at strategic and operational levels across England. The programme involved work with specialist and universal services across health, education and social care and with voluntary sector agencies to raise awareness of and embed minimum standards of service provision and encourage good practice, thereby improving the experience of transition into adult life for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.  The programme built on existing good practice and the previous activity of the Transition Information Network and many other individuals and agencies. The TSP was part of the Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) programme, which in 2007-11 expanded Short Break and Childcare provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, focused on palliative care and encouraged the development of parent and carer forums.

Key points in relation to principles:

The TSP identified five focus areas as a basis for local activity in addressing the challenges of providing transition support. The five focus areas were:

  1. Strategic joint partnership working
  2. Participation of disabled young people and their families
  3. Effectiveness of personalised approaches
  4. Joint assessment processes within children's trusts and with adult services 
  5. Realistic post-16 opportunities for living life

The report draws  together the key points from each focus area.