When you turn 18 years old, any social care help you need from us will come from our adult social care services.
The Preparing for Adulthood team can help you think about what kind of support you might need. Social care workers will support you to live a healthy and independent life, make friends, continue your education and find work. We will talk to you and your parents, carers and any others working with you.
The team can help you with, or point you in the right direction for:
- living arrangements
- health services
- further education, training, and employment
- careers advice
- paying for care
- legal frameworks
- Direct Payments
- access to independent support for young people
- other support services
We can also help your parents, guardians, or other carers:
- write an assessment of their needs as a carer
- find support and services that will help them care for you
- develop a plan in case of an emergency
How we help
In Year 9 or Year 10, a school review will look at your care and support needs. If the Preparing for Adulthood team is able to support you, one of the team will be at this review to give you more information.
In Year 11, at age 17, a Preparing for Adulthood team worker will meet with you and your Children’s Social Care worker if you have one, to talk about your future.
The team worker will help you and your support network to write an assessment that focuses on your strengths. This assessment will be used to decide whether Adult Social Care services will be able to help you. We use The Care Act 2014 as a guide to this assessment. A version of The Care Act 2014 that is easy to read is available from GOV.UK.
A financial assessment officer will also work with you to complete a financial assessment. This will be used to decide how much you will pay towards the cost of your care and support.
If after the assessment you do not move into adult social care, we have advice and support for young adults leaving care.
Contact us
You can contact or visit the Adult Social Care team to find out more.
You can also contact the Preparing for Adulthood team by:
- telephone on 01202 127 878
- email on preparingforadulthoodteam@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
If you want to know more about education and work experience options between 16 and 18, please see our learning and training information.
You can also contact Dorset SENDIASS, a support service working across Dorset for young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disability (SEND), as well as their parents and carers.
Carers can find additional support on our BCP Carer Support site.