Moving from children’s social care to adult social care

Find help and support for young people moving into adulthood and adult social services.

How we can help

Until the age of 18, services for young people with long-term health conditions and disabilities are provided by child health and social care services.

Between the ages of 16 and 18, plans will start to be made with the young person to prepare them to move to adult services. This is known as a transition.

This should involve all the services that support areas like:

  • health and social care
  • mental health
  • education
  • financial benefits for the young person and their family
  • work
  • housing

To make sure we can provide the support needed in this time, we'll do a social care transition assessment with the young person and their family. 

This will help us to see what support a young person will need as they approach adulthood and help them to make plans for their future care arrangements.

If a young person receives children's services or an Early Help Plan (EHP), they will continue to receive this until the adult services are in place to take over.

Ask for an assessment

When a young person is close to their 18th birthday, they can ask us for a transition assessment.

A parent or carer can also ask for an assessment, as changes in the child's situation may mean the carer's needs may change too.

The assessment should provide advice and information on:

  • what can be done to meet or reduce the young person's needs
  • what the young person can do to stay well and prevent the development of needs
  • budgeting and any benefits the young person may be entitled to

To ask for an assessment or to make a referral, call our Adult Social Care Team on:

0113 222 4401 (weekdays 9am to 5pm, Wednesdays from 10am)

If you can't get an assessment

If we don't think you or your child needs to have an assessment, we will write to you to explain why we have made this decision.


Use this form to give us your comments. Do not use it to give us personal information - please contact us if you need to get in touch.