Councillors are due to receive an update on how children and young people with a range of additional needs are receiving support into adulthood.
Brighton and Hove City Council is in the process of creating a “transition strategy” for young people with disabilities and complex health needs and those in care as they move from child to adult support services.
An update report is due to be presented to the council’s People Overview and Scrutiny Committee after councillors asked to be involved in the development of the transition strategy.
The strategy is intended to help children and young people needing support in five key areas
These are children and young people with
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disabilities and complex health needs
- Mental health needs
- Neurodiversity and people who may also be autistic (with and without disabilities
- Children in care and approaching leaving care
The report said: “The strategy aims to advance equality of opportunity for young people who have a range of additional needs and challenges and who are significantly disadvantaged from attaining fulfilling adult lives in respect of their ability to gain suitable accommodation, employment, access to healthcare and support to build meaningful relationships.
“This strategy is to support the successful transition of these groups of young people with additional needs to adulthood and independence.
“As part of the development of this strategy, those with specific needs and challenges have been consulted to ensure that all groups have been considered such as LGBTQ+, those who are neurodivergent, have learning difficulties, physical disabilities and/or mental health needs and those who are leaving care.
“Feedback from these groups have been used to form actions to resolve the issues they face.
“By co-producing this strategy with children and young people, their parent carers and a wide community of voluntary and community groups, public and private sector organisations, the strategy aims to promote inclusivity, addressing the inequality that many children and young people with additional needs experience.
“The collaborative approach will promote community cohesion through building social and support networks across the city and provide further support to those with caring responsibilities.”
So far, the council has identified gaps in service through feedback and is contacting other councils and organisations to see what they offer.
The next steps are to develop a plan by gathering data from 14 to 18-year-olds, bring together a multiagency task and finish group and use the information to predict future need.
The People Overview and Scrutiny is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm next Tuesday (18 March). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
