National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy for Young Disabled People

Building Blocks

This strategy recognises that we are not starting from scratch. It has been designed to reflect and recognise the wide range of activity already being delivered across Scotland, and seeks to build on many years of progress in policy, development and investment which have sought to improve young disabled people’s experiences of their transition to adulthood.

It has looked for ways to learn from, and further embed, what we have heard is already having a positive impact for young disabled people making the transition to adulthood, as well as identifying where the greatest need for change and improvement remains.

Facilitating meaningful participation and engagement, where young disabled people, their families and others who support them have been empowered to influence the development of this strategy, has been an integral element of our approach. Our intention has been to amplify seldom heard voices, and engage with as many young disabled people, parents, carers and other family members and practitioners from across Scotland to support the development of this strategy.

The following timeline shows some of the most significant milestones which have provided the foundations on which this strategy has been built:

May 2004 – Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) received Royal Assent. This legislation sets out timescales for post-school transition planning.

June 2006 – Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) implementation plan published. GIRFEC is Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to provide all children, young people and their families with the right support at the right time, so that every child and young person in Scotland can reach their full potential. GIRFEC policy and guidance recognises that well planned and supported transitions are key for children and young people.

April 2009 – Association For Real Change (ARC) Scotland’s Scottish Transitions Forum established, with support from Scottish Government. Through the Scottish Transitions Forum, ARC Scotland provides information and networking for parents, young people and professionals around transitions for young people with additional support needs in Scotland.

June 2009 – Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 as amended received Royal Assent. This amended the 2004 Act to strengthen the rights of young disabled people and enhance the responsibilities of education authorities.

April 2013 – ARC Scotland’s Principles of Good Transitions first published. This provided a framework to inform, structure and encourage the continual improvement of support for young people with additional needs between the ages of 14 and 25 who are making the transition to young adult life.

March 2014 – Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 received Royal assent. Part 3 of the Act sets out the legal framework for children’s services planning in Scotland.

April 2014 – Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 received Royal Assent. This legislation aims to improve the integration of health and social care services in Scotland by allowing local authorities and health boards to enter into integration schemes. It also made provision for shared services, strategic planning, performance reporting, and other related matters.

May 2014 – ARC Scotland’s Principles of Good Transitions 2 published.

January 2017 – ARC Scotland’s Principles of Good Transitions 3 published, endorsed by a Ministerial foreword.

December 2017 – The Scottish Government’s Independent Living Fund Scotland Transitions Fund launched to support young disabled people to make a smoother transition from childhood into adulthood by promoting independence, community participation, social inclusion and confidence through grants of up to £4000.

December 2017 – Updated statutory guidance to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended published. This guidance provides a chapter on transitions which includes preparing for adulthood.

March 2019 – ARC Scotland’s Principles of Good Transitions 3 (2nd Edition) published, endorsed by Scottish Government and national bodies. This sets out the current seven Principles of Good Transitions.

January 2020 – Updated Statutory Guidance on Children’s Services Planning published. This encourages consideration of the transitions between children’s and adult services by integration authorities, local authorities and health boards, in order to achieve the statutory aims prescribed for both a Strategic Plan and a Children’s Services Plan.

January 2021 – ARC Scotland’s Principles into Practice Trial Programme launched in 10 Local Authority Areas. This programme, funded by and delivered in partnership with Scottish Government, supported participating areas to identify, design and test changes to improve the planning and delivery of support for young people who need additional support as they transition to young adult life.

September 2021 – National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland and Practice Insights published. These publications include practice considerations and guidance on how positive child protection practice relates to the principles of good transitions for young disabled people as they move towards and enter adult life and services. Both publications were subsequently updated in August 2023.

February 2022 – the Coming Home Implementation report was published setting out the Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint ambition that the human rights of everybody with learning disabilities and complex care needs are respected and protected and they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else. Local Dynamic Support Registers were introduced in May 2023, backed up by a Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Government and COSLA. The local Dynamic Support Registers record information about people with learning disabilities and complex care needs who are in hospital and in out-of-area placements. Public Health Scotland collects and publishes this data.

March 2022 – Hear Our Voices, Respect Our Choices Conference – put together and presented by the Divergent Influencers and ARC Scotland’s Parent and Carer Network based on topics from the Experiences of Young People with Additional Needs Leaving School, a consultation by the Divergent Influencers among young people across Scotland.

June 2022 – Scottish Government re-formed an internal cross-policy working group to facilitate greater communication and co-ordination of the breadth of work across Scottish Government which contributes to improving outcomes for young disabled people as they transition to young adult life.

September 2022 – Scottish Government published refreshed GIRFEC policy and practice guidance materials to provide practitioners with the clarity and practical support to continue to embed GIRFEC.

December 2022 – Getting it right for everyone (GIRFE) Design School launched. Eleven Health and Social Care Partnerships commenced an intensive programme of training and support to co-design GIRFE. One of the five thematic areas included families with multiple and/or complex needs; and young people in transition from GIRFEC to GIRFE.

February 2023 – Literature review of existing Scottish, UK and International evidence on the experiences faced by disabled young people during their transition to adulthood published.

March 2023 – Conclusion of the Principle into Practice Trial Programme.

March 2023 – Scottish Government established an External Strategic Working Group to support the development and implementation of a National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy. This group is comprised of key representatives of parents/carers, the third sector, local authorities, education, employment, health and social care.

May 2023 – ARC Scotland Principles into Practice Impact Report published providing information about the progress, impact and learning through the trials of ‘Principles into Practice’.

June 2023 – Launch of ‘Compass’ – a suite of web-based applications, funded by Scottish Government and developed by ARC Scotland with young people, their parents and carers, and professionals who support them. The Compass tools provide individual guidance to help navigate the transitions journey and signpost to tailored information and support.

June 2023 – Launch of ARC Scotland’s ‘Principles into Practice’ - a national framework that offers practical guidance and evaluation measures to improve planning and delivery of support for young people aged 14-25 who need additional support as they make the transition to young adult life. Based on the seven Principles of Good Transitions, it helps to embed these in policy, planning and practice across Scotland.

August 2023 – Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland publishes the resources and the learning report ‘Seen Heard Included’ from the third sector project commissioned and funded by Scottish Government. It captured what matters to disabled children and young people whose needs are complex and whose voices are rarely heard, and their families within the context of effective planning and effective support, to contribute to the design and development of the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy.

September 2023 – Transitions to Adulthood: Statement of Intent published summarising the research and engagement to date on Scotland’s first National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy. It also set out what the Scottish Government had heard it should focus on in order to improve the lived experiences of transitions for Scotland’s disabled young people.

September 2023 to November 2023 – Consultation on the Transitions to Adulthood: Statement of Intent. 151 online survey responses received and nine engagement events held (six online and three in person) to gather feedback on the Statement of Intent.

October 2023 – Education, Children and Young People Committee’s Stage 1 Report on the Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill published.

October 2023 – GIRFEC Child’s Plan Practice Statement published. The GIRFEC child’s plan can be used to support quality transitions by enabling those involved to effectively plan for changes together, and in time, to ensure co-ordination and continuity of support.

December 2023 – Concluding report of CELCIS Children’s Services Reform Research Study published bringing together key themes and learning from across the study’s findings and determines that there are a range of elements which contribute to creating the optimal conditions for implementing effective, sustainable change to improve support and outcomes for children, young people and families, including the need for seamless transitions between children’s and adult services.

December 2023 to April 2024 – Public consultation on the proposed Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill sought views on a range of topics including young people’s transitions to adulthood.

January 2024 – UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 received Royal Assent. The intent behind the Act is to deliver a proactive culture of everyday accountability for children’s rights, including the rights of disabled children, across public services in Scotland.

May 2024 – National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy: Analysis of engagement on the statement of intent published providing analysis of feedback received on the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy: statement of intent.

May 2024 – August 2024 Scottish Government solution-focused engagement to support development of the strategy. During this time 36 sessions were held (both online and in-person, with some held by third sector partners), reaching approximately 500 people including professionals, parents, carers and young disabled people themselves.

July 2024 – Refresh of the Health and social care – strategic plans: statutory guidance published, focussed on integration authority strategic plans, including guidance to ensure correlation with Children’s Services Plans and other local priorities, policy direction, service provision and improvement activity, and transitional arrangements between children’s and adult services.

August 2024 – Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill consultation analysis published.

October 2024 – First Compass Annual Data Report published detailing findings from 437 parents and carers of young people with additional support needs in Scotland who used Compass between June 2023 and July 2024 and establishing a baseline to measure future trends.

December 2024 – GIRFE ‘Team around the person’ Toolkit made available, including a specific tool to support young people transitioning from children’s to adult services alongside other tools to support co ‑ ordination and planning of care in adult services.

January 2025 – ‘Moving On’ from care into adulthood: consultation analysis published. The consultation considered the package of support available to young people, including those with additional support needs, moving on from care into adulthood.