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Growing up is hard to do, but Gloucestershire County Council and its partners are finding ways to make sure that young people with disabilities have the same chance to reach their goals in adulthood as everyone else. A host of agencies have come together with parents to develop a transition pathway that will be launched at The Heart of the Forest Community Special School, Speech House, Coleford, from 1pm on Friday, October 10th. The new Gloucestershire Multi Agency Transition Pathway will ensure that the transfer from child to adult life for young people with disabilities is as carefully planned and as smooth as possible. It places them at the heart of the process and supports them to live their lives the way they want to as they grow up. The new pathway has been developed by a multi-agency group of professionals and parent carers. It is the result of a determined commitment from all involved to improve transition for young people in all aspects of their life. The process will begin in school Year Nine (age 14 plus). There is an information pack for parents and young people. The pathway clarifies the roles and responsibilities of professionals involved in the transition process and helps young people and their families to be better informed about their options. The pathway, which was piloted in the Heart of the Forest School at the end of 2007, will be implemented for those young people who attend special schools from October 10th, 2008. The intention is to roll the pathway out to those who attend mainstream schools the following year. The pathway will help young people with disabilities and their families to plan for all aspects of their adult lives and ensure that they are able to participate in the same activities as everyone else, including going to college, deciding where they will live, and finding a job, with support from the county council's Community and Adult Care team where appropriate. Gloucestershire County Council's Commissioning Project Manager (Aiming High for Disabled Children), Alison Cathles, said: "The transition from child to adult can be a difficult and exciting time in which young people, including those with disabilities, have to deal with many changes. "These include leaving school, taking up new leisure activities, transferring from child to adult services, starting training or college, finding employment and moving towards independent living. "In Gloucestershire, we aim to work together with young people and their families to ensure that this period of change is a positive experience for all concerned." Cllr Jackie Hall, Gloucestershire County Council's Lead Member for Children's Services, said: "All young people should be encouraged to reach their full potential, to fulfil their hopes and aspirations, and to plan their path through life. "This new pathway will help the county council and its partners to guide them through the change from childhood to adulthood and ensure that young people and their families have the confidence and control to make informed choices." Cllr Tony Hicks, Gloucestershire County Council's Lead Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "The pathway will mean that the county council and its partners are all pulling in the same direction as it clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each agency in the transition process. "Young people and their families will be able to see at a glance what the professionals are doing for them and when. It is a completely open, transparent process." Peter Chamberlain, county councillor for Coleford, said: "I think it is fantastic that the Heart of the Forest Community School was picked to pilot this new transition policy and that their real-life experiences of it and their feedback have played such a major part in informing the way the policy has been put together. It is so important to listen to the young people and their families that this policy is designed to help and take on board their comments and suggestions." The pathway can be found at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=13166 Transition Launch Agenda 1pm: Buffet lunch made by young people from The Heart of the Forest School, Speech House, Coleford. All ingredients will be locally sourced or Fair Trade. 1.30pm: Welcome to the school by headteacher Howard Jones. 1.35pm: The launch will be officially opened by Mark Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean. 1.50pm: Presentation on 'What is the Gloucestershire Transition Pathway?' by Fran Dancyger and Chris Sholl, who worked on the original transition pathway in the West Midlands. 2.20pm: The Transition Pilot with parent carers Dawn Rooke and Pauline Mulford, and Heart of the Forest teacher Howard Eason. 2.35pm: Question time 2.50pm: Making It Work with Gloucestershire County Council's Margaret Sheather and Jo Davidson (Group Directors for Community and Adult Care and Children and Young People). 3.10pm: What next? - with Alison Cathles (Gloucestershire County Council's Commissioning Project Manager, Aiming High for Disabled Children and Young People). 3.20pm: Closing remarks by Gloucestershire County Council Lead Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Cllr Tony Hicks, and Lead Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Cllr Jackie Hall. Media opportunity: You are invited to send a journalist/photographer to the launch of the Gloucestershire Multi Agency Pathway at The Heart of the Forest Community Special School, Speech House, Coleford, at 1pm on Friday, October 10th. Notes to editors: The Gloucestershire Multi Agency Transition Pathway is a resource that is split into five parts. Section one contains an introduction, guidance and a process map, section two contains transition planning documents, section three gives additional guidance for Looked After Children, section four contains samples of completed documents and section five lists websites and other useful resources. The agencies involved in the new pathway include two Gloucestershire County Council directorates - Community and Adult Care and Children and Young People - parent carers, Connexions, the Star College, the Learning and Skills Council, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, the Primary Care Trust, special schools and housing services. The statutory duties for transition can be found in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice, 2001. http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=20044 |
