Unique service for disabled launched in Carmarthenshire
A unique service to help disabled young people move from childhood to adulthood will be launched in Carmarthenshire next week.
Carmarthenshire County Council will launch the Transition Service at Llanelli’s Coleg Sir Gar on Wednesday, June 23.
The first of its kind in Wales, the service will help bridge the gap between social care services for children and adults.
A new multi-disciplinary team of key workers has been established to support young people with special educational needs from the time they reach year nine at school, guiding them through careers advice, assessments and care plans, until they turn 25 when their care needs will be fully met by adult social care teams.
The Transition team works with other teams and services to assess the needs of young disabled people.
The key-workers take the lead in drawing up plans to meet assessed need, and monitor and review the progress of the plan.
Transition team manager Jonathan Hughes said: “This is an important new service which works across adults and children’s services.
“The transition from leaving school to adulthood is a time of opportunity, change and challenge for young people. Young people with additional needs will be enabled and supported to make the journey into adulthood so they can live the socially valued lifestyle of their choice.
“Each disabled young person is valued as an individual, enabling young people to make decisions about their own lives.
“This service will help to provide the same opportunities as any other young person living and working in Carmarthenshire.”
The launch will be supported by partner organisations including Careers Wales, People First, Disability Wales and Dyfed Powys Police. Also present on the day will be West Wales Adult Placement, which supports young people to live with approved carers, and COASTAL, a unique project which aims to help thousands of economically inactive people overcome barriers to employment.
During the event a new DVD will be shown for the first time which shows disabled young people talking about their experiences of transition.
It also explains the various services available to make transition easier, including Supported Lodgings and respite.
Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge, council executive board member and champion for young people, said: “For any young person, the move from childhood to adulthood can be a challenging experience. I am proud that Carmarthenshire is leading the way in supporting disabled young people to make this transition.”
Carmarthenshire County Council will launch the Transition Service at Llanelli’s Coleg Sir Gar on Wednesday, June 23.
The first of its kind in Wales, the service will help bridge the gap between social care services for children and adults.
A new multi-disciplinary team of key workers has been established to support young people with special educational needs from the time they reach year nine at school, guiding them through careers advice, assessments and care plans, until they turn 25 when their care needs will be fully met by adult social care teams.
The Transition team works with other teams and services to assess the needs of young disabled people.
The key-workers take the lead in drawing up plans to meet assessed need, and monitor and review the progress of the plan.
Transition team manager Jonathan Hughes said: “This is an important new service which works across adults and children’s services.
“The transition from leaving school to adulthood is a time of opportunity, change and challenge for young people. Young people with additional needs will be enabled and supported to make the journey into adulthood so they can live the socially valued lifestyle of their choice.
“Each disabled young person is valued as an individual, enabling young people to make decisions about their own lives.
“This service will help to provide the same opportunities as any other young person living and working in Carmarthenshire.”
The launch will be supported by partner organisations including Careers Wales, People First, Disability Wales and Dyfed Powys Police. Also present on the day will be West Wales Adult Placement, which supports young people to live with approved carers, and COASTAL, a unique project which aims to help thousands of economically inactive people overcome barriers to employment.
During the event a new DVD will be shown for the first time which shows disabled young people talking about their experiences of transition.
It also explains the various services available to make transition easier, including Supported Lodgings and respite.
Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge, council executive board member and champion for young people, said: “For any young person, the move from childhood to adulthood can be a challenging experience. I am proud that Carmarthenshire is leading the way in supporting disabled young people to make this transition.”
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