This section below covers barriers to change and how to address these barriers that all young people.
A preventative approach that considers individuals’ long-term needs can help reduce the risk of unmet needs escalating over time. When lower-level needs are not addressed, there is a risk of deterioration or crisis, which may occur without prior engagement with services.
Early and appropriate support can lead to better outcomes for individuals and their families, and may also reduce the need for more intensive—and often more costly—interventions later on
I have somewhere to live that I can call home.
Barriers to finding somewhere a young person can call home include a shortage of suitable housing, especially supported or adapted accommodation; private rental sector barriers (e.g., affordability, reluctance from landlords); social housing waiting lists and prioritisation issues.
These barriers can be address by developing more supported housing options in partnership with housing associations and charities; working with private landlords to encourage more inclusive housing options, offering incentives or guarantees, expanding shared living schemes (such as Shared Lives or supported lodgings), using discretionary housing funds to support young people with deposits or rent shortfalls. Working with young people and their families in partnership to explore ownership / shared ownership options. See Partners in Care in Health recent documents on these themes: Housing for people with a learning disability or autistic people; Considering and meeting the sensory needs of autistic people in housing; Home ownership for people with long term disabilities.
The new government has launched a strategy to build more social housing and has announced that there will be an annual pot of funding of £1.6 billion for supported housing. Some local authorities are beginning to explore how they will take forward these opportunities.
I have ambitions for my future and know how to get support to achieve them.
Barriers to supporting young people during their transition out of children’s services can include a reduction in support and a lack of clear pathways or shared responsibilities across council departments and partner organisations, such as education, social care, housing, and employment. Families may experience uncertainty during this period, often needing to take on additional responsibilities to bridge gaps in support, which can impact their own wellbeing or ability to maintain employment.
These barriers can be addressed in different ways, for example by implementing transition passports (sometimes also known as communication passports or health passports) which are tools used to support individuals with learning disabilities and or autistic people during transitions, helping them and their support network communicate needs and preferences. They are particularly useful in healthcare settings, schools, and other environments where new people may need to quickly understand an individual's needs.
I am part of a community that makes sense to me
Many young people struggle with social connections, leading to isolation. As was highlighted in the coproduction workshops that were part of developing this guide:
‘We find it hard to see people and never know how we are supposed to behave so we just stay at home.'
There can be a lack of neurodivergent-friendly social opportunities. Transport and accessibility barriers can also prevent young people from engaging in social or community activities.
These barriers can be addressed by expanding social groups, peer networks, and mentoring programmes for young people with additional needs, promoting neurodivergent-friendly adaptations to leisure, sports, and arts activities, offering travel training programmes to improve confidence using public transport and developing befriending or buddy schemes to connect young people with peer support and working with voluntary sector organisations to increase community engagement.
There are tools that can help with social inclusion such as the Inclusion Web and the Inclusion Traffic Light.
Access to local voluntary opportunities
Voluntary organisations often operate independently, and councils may not always have the most current information about available services. Smaller organisations, in particular, may have limited online visibility, which can make them more difficult to identify and connect with.
These barriers can be addressed by maintaining a regularly updated local directory of voluntary organisations on the council’s Local Offer website. The local offer refers to the information about the services and support available in a particular area for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Established under the Children and Families Act 2014, the Local Offer is designed to be comprehensive, providing details about the education, health, and social care services available, as well as guidance on how to access these services.
Councils can also build relationships with voluntary sector networks to stay informed about available services, providing training for council staff on voluntary sector support and how to match young people with relevant organisations and standardising referral and signposting processes, so all professionals give the same advice.
I can be myself in relationships and feel loved and safe
Many young people with learning disabilities or autistic young people struggle to find social groups, dating opportunities, or inclusive spaces. Mainstream social groups, youth clubs, and dating services are often not designed with neurodivergent needs in mind. There is often an assumption that people with disabilities don’t want romantic relationships, leading to a lack of support. Some professionals and families may overprotect young people, preventing them from forming relationships.
These barriers can be addressed by working with voluntary organisations that have a focus on personal relationships people with a learning disability or autism and supporting young people to access inclusive friendship and dating groups. For example, Safe Soulmates is a user-led friendship organisation for neurodivergent and disabled adults, including those with learning disabilities and autism.
At risk of online abuse, financial exploitation, or coercive relationships
Councils have a role in safeguarding young people from exploitation, abuse, and harmful relationships, while also respecting their right to form personal relationships.
Barriers can be addressed by providing education on healthy relationships and consent in easy-read, neurodivergent-friendly formats, training professionals and families on balancing protection with autonomy, offering accessible workshops on online safety, managing money in relationships, and recognising signs of abuse. It’s important to ensure safeguarding policies respect the rights of young people to have relationships unless there is clear evidence of risk.
Not prioritising relationships and emotional wellbeing
When supporting young people with a learning disability and autistic young people.
These barriers can be addressed by training social workers, housing officers, and support workers to understand the importance of relationships and inclusion and providing support for families and carers, helping them discuss relationships in an open, supportive way and encouraging peer-led groups, where young people with lived experience mentor others on relationships and socialising.
LGBTQ+ young people with learning disabilities and autistic young people
They may struggle to find inclusive spaces where they feel safe and accepted. Some support services focus only on heterosexual relationships. LGBTQ+ youth with disabilities face a higher risk of isolation and mental health struggles.
These barriers can be addressed by ensuring relationship education includes diverse relationship types and providing safe spaces and peer-led support groups for LGBTQ+ young people with a learning disability or autism. One example is Consortium LGBT.
I have access to healthcare support that makes sense
Challenges in recognising and communicating personal needs, or understanding healthcare information, can affect how young people engage with health services. In some cases, healthcare providers may have limited training in supporting autistic young people or those with learning disabilities, which can impact the quality of care. Extended waiting times for assessments or treatment may also contribute to increased stress or worsening health conditions.
These barriers can be addressed by using communication aids and prompt cards to facilitate better interactions between patients and healthcare providers, offering training programs to improve healthcare providers’ understanding of the needs of young people promoting more effective and empathetic care, developing clear pathways to reduce waiting times for assessments and treatments, ensuring timely access to necessary healthcare services. Environmental factors can be huge in enabling people to have the healthcare they need. Considering adjustments to communications, lighting, appointment times, noise in waiting areas, speed of speech, etc. can be key to allowing people to attend and benefit from appointments.
When I need support with my mental health, I know how to get it
Many autistic young people and young people with learning disabilities may face mental health challenges, but services are sometimes not adapted to their needs. There can be long waiting times for autistic -specific mental health support. Young people may not meet the eligibility criteria for adult mental health services after leaving CAMHS.
These barriers can be addressed by ensuring reasonable adjustments in mainstream health services. Promoting neurodivergent-friendly mental health support, including talking therapies adapted for autistic individuals. Council staff can work with NHS Learning Disability and Autism Teams to ensure specialist support continues after transition. Encouraging social prescribing and linking young people with community-based wellbeing activities can be helpful. Providing mental health training for social workers and housing officers, ensuring early intervention.
I know where to get support if I want more education or to get a job
Education
Barriers may arise from limited collaboration between educational institutions, training providers, and employers, which can result in fragmented support for young people. Additionally, the complexity of the system can make navigation challenging. A lack of understanding or training among staff in educational and workplace settings may also affect how supported and accepted young people feel.
These barriers can be addressed by developing formal partnerships and communication channels among all stakeholders to ensure coordinated and comprehensive support for young people during their transition; implement training programmes for educators, employers, and support staff to increase understanding of the needs of autistic people and those with a learning disability and by promoting inclusive practices.
Jobs
Employment barriers can include limited awareness among some employers about the strengths and capabilities of people with learning disabilities and autistic individuals, which may affect recruitment practices. Traditional application processes—such as CVs and interviews—may not fully reflect an individual’s abilities, as they often focus on verbal self-presentation rather than practical demonstration. Access to supported employment schemes, apprenticeships, or internships may also be limited, and not all workplaces provide reasonable adjustments, which can make it more difficult for young people to thrive in employment settings.
These barriers can be addressed by partnering with local employers to promote Disability Confident employment schemes and create inclusive work opportunities. Increased access to supported internships, apprenticeships, and traineeships tailored to young people with disabilities. Providing appropriate job coaching and employment mentoring to help young people prepare for and sustain work can be helpful. Ensuring reasonable adjustments in job applications, such as working interviews or alternative assessments helps too. Helping young people use Access to Work grants, which fund workplace adjustments and support is also beneficial. Looking for opportunities within the council to create jobs that allow people to demonstrate what they can offer, both as they start out and as they progress a career.
The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) is currently running a government funded programme in partnership with DfN Project Search and BASE. There is a One Stop Shop webpage with lots of resources, stories and information.
I know where to find advocacy and advice about my rights
Young people and their families may not always be aware of the community resources and rights available to them. High demand for appropriate advocacy services can mean that some individuals are left without advocacy support. Communication challenges—such as cognitive, sensory, or language barriers—can also make it harder to access advocacy that is well-suited to individual needs. In some cases, social stigma or cultural misunderstandings may affect engagement with services, and young people may need additional support to build confidence and develop self-advocacy skills.
Addressing these barriers involves taking a proactive and inclusive approach to advocacy. This includes commissioning a broad range of accessible advocacy and advice services, and ensuring clear, inclusive information is available about what support exists locally. Offering information through a variety of channels—such as online platforms, printed materials, and community outreach—can help reach more young people and families in ways that suit their needs.
Building strong partnerships with existing advocacy organisations, while also encouraging new advocacy leadership within communities, can help ensure young people can access the right support when they need it. It’s equally important to make all communication as accessible as possible, using plain language, visual aids, and translated materials where appropriate. Supporting young people to develop confidence in speaking up for themselves can also make a big difference. Investing in self-advocacy and life skills training, alongside creating opportunities for peer-led support, can empower young people to take a more active role in decisions about their lives.
Financial insecurity and barriers to benefits
Many young people lose financial support when they leave education or move out of the family home or children's services. The benefits system is complex, and young people may struggle to navigate or not have the paperwork required to apply for Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and housing support. There can be a risk of financial exploitation or difficulty managing money independently.
These barriers can be addressed by providing reasonably adjusted benefits and financial advice through transition support teams and advocacy organisations. Offer budgeting and money management training to young people and families from an early age. Encouraging families to help children open bank accounts, before adulthood and to get and save ID documents. Develop accessible guides on financial entitlements. Promote Direct Payments and Personal Budgets where applicable, allowing young people to arrange their own support.