Transition Planning For Young People With Complex Health Needs Or A Disability, UK

Main Category: Caregivers / Homecare
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 19 Mar 2008 - 1:00 PDT


Ivan Lewis, Care Services Minister today announced the publication of good practice guidance for health professionals and their partners on the transition planning for young people moving into adulthood.

Transition from children's to adult health services is recognised as an important issue. More children are now surviving into adult life with conditions which once would have been fatal in early childhood. Many of these conditions will be unfamiliar to health professionals working in t adult service and often the young person needs care from a number of different specialities. The coordination of care which they have received in children's services all too often fades away when they transfer to adult care. Young people with a neuro-disability such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy are the least well served when the time comes to move on to adult care.

The Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families are today publishing a good practice guide for health professionals and their partners. The guide will help ensure that the young person and their family are better prepared for the move to adult care and that the adult care team has been involved in planning for the transfer.

Ivan Lewis, Care Services Minister, said

'Young people and their families tell us of the uncertainty they face about their future support when they reach 18 years of age. All too often, they feel unsupported which is why we have made improving the transition experience of young people a Government priority.

Health and social care professionals have an important role in working with other agencies to support young people with the most complex health needs through the transition period. This good practice guide offers suggestions on how this can be done.'

Andrew Adonis, Schools Minister said:

"Transition is recognised as an area for improvement in Aiming high for disabled children and we are investing £19m over the [next] CSR period to initiate and develop a transition support programme. This good practice guide for health professionals will be an important contribution to that programme."

-- The importance of a good transition to adulthood is recognised in Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, a joint report from the PM Strategy Unit in 2005.

-- Transition: getting it right for young people was published by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health in 2006. DCSF and DH published a transition guide for all services, key information for professionals about the transition process for disabled young people in 2006. It can be viewedelectronically via the following link (pdf)
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-- Or single hard copies can be ordered from: DCSF Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park, Annesley, Nottingham NG15 0DJ tel 0845 60 222 60; Fax: 0845 60 333 60; Textphone: 0845 60 555 60 quoting reference 00776-2007DOM-EN

http://www.dh.gov.uk

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