Area 11: Preparing for Adulthood

This area of the framework recognises the importance of supporting children and young people to prepare for their lives after compulsory education. This might include preparing for further study, employment or for children with complex needs, identifying the most appropriate settings for them to transition into. The contents of this area need to be taken into consideration throughout the child/young person’s life, to ensure that everything is in place for them to have a successful transition into adulthood. Whilst children/youth specialist services might not provide direct support as the young person enters adulthood, the focus on preparation for adulthood will ensure that the young person and their family are equipped for participating in their next settings.

For more information regarding this element of the framework, please download the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) and accompanying guidance.

Examples of targeted intervention approaches

• Providing support in preparation for key post compulsory education transitions, e.g.:
  • Further Education
  • Higher Education
  • Seeking and participating in employment
  • Assisted living
• Specialist input to careers education, information and guidance, including supporting volunteering/work experience opportunities, searching for and applying for jobs, disclosing vision impairment, preparing for interviews, supporting work experience placements.
• Supporting young person taking personal responsibility; recognising their rights and responsibilities.
• Entitlement and benefits (including transitions between child and adult systems).
• Supporting direct engagement between health professionals and social services personnel and young adults as they transition to adulthood.
• Managing certification of vision impairment.
• Community access, such as banks, libraries, and doctors’ surgery.
• Housing.
• Wider relationships: house sharing, romantic relationships, preparing for parenthood.

Use of resources in practice

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Externally Linked Resources (by topic)

• Transition to post compulsory or post 16 education
• Careers, Work Experience and Volunteering
• Rights, entitlements and benefits