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
When using resources signposted via or downloaded from RNIB Bookshare, consideration should be given to any health and safety risks that might be involved and it is the responsibility of the user of these resources to undertake an appropriate risk assessment where applicable. RNIB assumes no responsibility or liability to the extent permitted by law for any injury, loss or damage incurred as a result of any use or reliance upon the information and material contained within or downloaded from RNIB Bookshare.
Resources:
Transition to post compulsory or post 16 education
- RNIB: Bridging the Gap (External). RNIB, in partnership with VICTAR, has produced transition guidance for young people who are blind or partially sighted. The guide outlines the support and services available to assist young people through their journey from school, through further and higher education, and into employment. QTVIs, other professionals, and parents.
- RNIB: Moving on - Preparing young people with vision impairment for post‑16 transitions (External). A workshop pack for professionals and organisations supporting young people with vision impairment.
RNIB: Choosing a college (External) Information to support young people in their choice of college, be it mainstream or independent specialist.
RNIB: College support for blind or partially sighted students (External). Information on the support available at colleges.
- NATSIP: Just Enough Support (External) Guidance (2017) for supporting young people with sensory impairment in Further Education.
- NATSIP: Transition to University (External). Online guidance for young people with VI on transition to university produced by RNIB/VICTAR at Birmingham University (2016).
- VICTAR and University of Birmingham: Lost in Transition? (External). Final report from the 11 year longitudinal study into the Post-16 transition experiences of young people with visual impairment.
Visual Impairment Network for Children and Young People (VINCYP)/NHS National Services Scotland (External) A post school transitions checklist for Health, Education Services, Habilitation, Social Care and Local Societies and organisations for those working with young people with a VI.
Visual Impairment Network for Children and Young People (VINCYP)/NHS National Services Scotland (External) A questionnaire to be completed by the student, with assistance as required, that forms a personal file of all key information and resources that the student might need after leaving school.
Look UK: Advocating for your needs when you transition to Further Education (External). Tips from a young person regarding transition to further education. The page also includes a question and answer video lead by young people.
Uni In Sight: Thomas Pocklington Trust (External) Advice and resources exploring the opportunities that university has to offer outside the lecture room. It contains information on getting out and about, getting involved in sport, getting financial ready and looking after mental health.
Careers, Work Experience and Volunteering
- RNIB: Bridging the Gap (External). RNIB, in partnership with VICTAR, has produced transition guidance for young people who are blind or partially sighted. The guide outlines the support and services available to assist young people through their journey from school, through further and higher education, and into employment. QTVIs, other professionals, and parents.
- Perkins School for the Blind: Education for Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired - (External). Karen Wolffe, Ph.D. describes the importance of career education for students who are blind or visually impaired. QTVIs and other professionals.
- The Routledge Handbook of Visual Impairment: Book chapter - career education for students with visual impairments (External). Chapter by Karen E. Wolffe.
- APH Connect Center: Transition Hub (External). Guides for Teachers and Transition Specialists Working with Students who are Blind or Vision Impaired in the USA. AFB CareerConnect develops and presents a wide variety of resources for professionals working with young people with vision impairment. QTVIs, other professionals, and parents.
Thomas Pocklington Trust: Seven steps into work experience (External). A guide to preparing effectively for undertaking work experience, including choosing the right work experience, approaching and employer and getting the right support in place.
LOOK UK: Organising Work Experience, Volunteering and Careers Advice (External) A videoed panel interview (30 mins.) with young people with a vision impairment discussing organising work experience, volunteering and careers advice.
Look UK: Writing the perfect CV and honing your interview skills resource page (External). A videoed panel interview (30 mins.) with young people with a vision impairment. The aim of this resource is to learn about the journey of securing employment; the application process, building a CV and mastering interview techniques.
Rights, entitlements and benefits
See also Area 1: Facilitating an Inclusive World
- Preparing For Adulthood: Guide on funding for students aged 16-25 with SEND (External). Information on the way the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and, in some cases, local authorities will calculate and allocate funding to institutions who provide education to young people with SEND. QTVIs and other professionals.
- SEND Disagreement Resolution: Children and Young People Guide (External). For young people aged 16 to 25 who want to know who to talk to if they are unhappy with the help they are getting for their special educational needs or disability at school or college. QTVIs, other professionals, parents and CYPVI.
- IPSEA: Support for young people (aged 16-25) (External). IPSEA offers independent legally based advice, support and training to help get the right education for children and young people with SEN up to the age of 25. Website includes resources and support. QTVIs, other professionals, parents and CYPVI.
- Fightback for Justice: Support with DLA and PIP applications (External). Specialised, expert advice and help on various welfare benefit claims; from advocacy and representation at court to guidance with forms for PIP, ESA, DLA & UC. QTVIs, other professionals, parents and CYPVI.
- RNIB: Bridging the Gap (External). RNIB, in partnership with VICTAR, has produced transition guidance for young people who are blind or partially sighted. Entitled "Your future, your choice: bridging the gap", the guide outlines the support and services available to assist young people through their journey from school, through further and higher education, and into employment.
- Thomas Pocklington Trust: Housing guide for people with sight loss (External). Covers everything from student housing and tips for living in a shared house to the moving process, assistive technology and support for living independently and more. Co-produced with people with sight loss. Useful suggestions and signposts to over 100 sources for further advice.
- Council for Disabled Children: Help with Money (External). Details on the budgets, benefits and support payments that people with disabilities can access to help them to live independently.
Sight Scotland: Travel concessions and travel cards for blind and partially sighted people (External) A summary of some travel concessions and travel cards and the eligibility criteria which apply.
Disability Scotland: Disabled Students in Further Education and Higher Education (External) Information about the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) which is the Government funding for which students with disability can apply to support them in further and higher education. The page contains links to an overview of the rules relating to DSA for all four home nations.
RNIB: Access to Work scheme (External) A overview of the Access to Work (ATW) grant scheme, with links to the Government’s website where there is further information about eligibility and applications can be made. The RNIB page includes two factsheets: one for the employee (which also details how to contact a RNIB employment specialist) and one for the employer, which explains the scheme
Thomas Pocklington Trust: Access to Work (External) A overview of the Access to Work (ATW) grant scheme, with links to the Government’s website where there is further information about eligibility and applications can be made.