Choices After 16

Colleges should be involved in plans for young people to leave school and enter college, so they can be prepared to meet their needs. They should give young people the chance, before they enter college, to say whether they have SEN or a disability which might affect their learning. Colleges should then discuss with young people and explain how they will provide support to meet their needs.

If your son or daughter has SEN, the college needs to use its best endeavours to give them the support they need. Support for most young people will be provided through SEN support. This might include support from outside the college. The college should keep the support it provides under review and discuss it regularly with you and your son or daughter. They should keep records of your son or daughter’s progress and the support they receive up to date and keep you all informed of progress.

At age 16, and beyond, young people will often become increasingly independent and may want to exercise more control over the support they receive for their SEN. Colleges, the local authority and others who provide services for young people when they are over compulsory school age are expected to communicate directly with the young person. You should talk to your son or daughter and agree how best you can be involved and how much support they will need as they get older. Once you have agreed arrangements which work for you, your son or daughter should let their college know so that you can receive the information and support you need as a parent to continue to give your child the support that they need from you.

If a college, despite its best endeavours, can’t meet a young person’s needs then a young person, with support from their parents, should consider whether they need an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment, which might lead to an EHC plan. If you think your son or daughter needs an assessment, you should both discuss this with the college. A request can be made for an EHC plan up until a young person reaches the age of 25.

If you have any questions about the choices open to your child after 16, Positive Steps can provide help and advice to you and your child.