Social care

Moving to Adult Social Care

Some young people with SEND living in Stoke-on-Trent will need social care support as an adult. The Transitions Team will work with you to see if you are eligible for support from Adult Social Care.

For more information about needs assessments click here.

Some people who get adult social care services pay towards the cost of their support.

The transition from children’s to adult social care

We will refer you to a transition worker at age 16. Your transition worker will assess you to see what help you’ll need when you turn 18. They’ll make sure this help is in place. Your help will stay the same until the new support is in place. If you receive support from adult social care, by law, we can charge for this service. For more information please see the social care charges

Your transition worker may work with you, or they may refer you to a specialist team, depending on your needs.

If you have an EHC plan, you’re more likely to need support when you turn 18. Your transition worker will work with children’s social care and education services to write your EHC plan. They will also go to your EHC plan reviews to check you’re still getting the right help.

Important information

Here are some things you need to know about when you are transferring to or beginning to receive support from Adult Social Care.

Mental Capacity

Understanding the Mental Capacity Act 2005

Many people live with conditions which may impact their decision-making capacity.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is concerned with the human rights of individuals whose decision-making capacity may be impaired. It supports parents, carers and the professionals who work with them to protect the rights of individuals and promotes dignity and respect and their best interests.

The Mental Capacity Act exists to help make sure that people who may lack the capacity to make decisions on their own get the support they need to make those decisions.

When they are not able to make their own decision, the Mental Capacity Act determines that a decision must be made ‘in their best interests’.

It is important to remember that a person may have capacity for some decisions but not others or they may have capacity at some times but not others. This means all capacity decisions must be regularly reviewed.

Mental Capacity Toolkit

Bournemouth University has produced a toolkit to help support health and care professionals working with individuals whose decision-making capacity is limited, fluctuating, absent or compromised.

Mental Capacity Toolkit

Mencap – The Mental Capacity Act

Mencap has lots of useful information about assessing mental capacity and the Mental Capacity Act on their website. They have also produced a useful resource pack.

Mencap: The Mental Capacity Act

Mencap: Mental Capacity Act resource pack (PDF 1.76 MB)

Involve Me

Involve Me was a project about ways of involving people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) in decision-making and consultation. They have produced a summary booklet, an evaluation and a practical guide.

PMLD – Involve Me

Deprivation of Liberty

Deprivation of Liberty is when a person who may lack mental capacity is deprived of their liberty which means they are not free to come and go as they choose. This might be done so that they can be given care and treatment in a specialist environment such as a hospital or care home.

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) will be replaced by the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS). They are contained within the Mental Capacity Act to protect people in these circumstances.

If a person’s right to liberty is deprived in other settings, an authorisation must be obtained from the Court of Protection.

More help and information

Useful links

Organisations and services directory