Support to prepare for adulthood

SENDIASS

The Shropshire SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is a free, confidential and impartial service for children and young people with SEND living in Shropshire and aged between 0 and 25 years, and their parents.

PACC Preparation for Adulthood Navigators

The PACC Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) Navigators are available to help SEND families understand the options available for young people with SEND on their preparation for adulthood journey.

This includes providing information and guidance about:

  • Post-16 education options (including supported internships)
  • Managing finances and benefits
  • Working towards employment and volunteering opportunities
  • Mental capacity and a parent carer’s role in decision making
  • Social care and PFA - opportunities to experience time away from family environment and support
  • The importance of friendships and peer relationships; being part of the community
  • Staying healthy - annual health checks, screening, activity levels and healthy eating
  • Support planning and thinking ahead
  • Support and self-care for parent carers
  • Who can help when things become difficult?

The PFA Navigators will:

1/ Create peer support opportunities:

  • Delivering a healthy parent carer course for PFA parent carers
  • Developing mechanisms for parent carers supporting young people between the ages of 14 and 25 years to connect with each other (both virtually and face to face)
  • Sharing parent carers stories of PFA to develop a sense of community, belonging and hope

2/ Support parent carers to be able to think ahead and actively participate in decision making relating to their young person’s next steps through:

  • Information provision
  • Creating a training offer
  • Providing a listening ear and gathering feedback
  • Developing effective working relationships with local PFA services and SEND practitioners

To contact the PACC PFA Navigators:

The PACC PFA Navigators Project started in Sept 2022 and is currently funded for three years, via the learning disability and/or autism programme delivered by the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System.

Shropshire Carers

Our Shropshire Carers team offers comprehensive suport to carers across the county.