National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy for young disabled people: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

1. Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) Summary

Type of proposal:

Decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children

Name the proposal, its overall aims and intended purpose:

National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy for Young Disabled People, 2025 - 2030.

When young people develop from children to young adults, this is called the transition to adulthood. It is a process of growing up which takes place over many years and involves many different changes.

The Strategy aims to ensure that all young disabled people, nearing, or going through the transition to adulthood (age range 14-25 years) can have a good transition into young adult life.

We have heard that young disabled people’s experiences of the transition to include can often include:

• stress and uncertainty
• difficulties moving from child to adult services
• changes in eligibility for services and support
• a sharp drop in support
• not enough planning or clear information about transitions
• lack of communication between services
• young people not being listened to
• stress for the family members.

The aim of the Strategy is to make young disabled people in Scotland feel confident in their transition to adulthood and are empowered and supported to control their own path to success. The strategy includes actions to help make sure there is a joined-up approach, with the intention that all young disabled people can experience a supported and positive transition to adult life.

Start date of proposal’s development:

The Scottish Government committed in the 2021 Programme for Government to develop a Transitions Strategy. The Strategy was published on 30 June 2025.

The Strategy committed to various actions to improve transitions for young disabled people and committed to publish an initial progress report on the Strategy’s impact by the end of 2026.