Paving the way: a practitioner’s guide to supporting an autistic young person’s successful journey out of children’s services into adult life

A key feature of effectively planning for children and young people to move on from children’s health and care services is to begin early and regularly review plans. For young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), transition planning must start from Year 9 as per the SEND Code of Practice 2014, however many children and young people who do not have an EHCP will still benefit from early planning.

Starting this process early helps young people and their families to prepare for change. Crucially for autistic young people and their families, sharing information about what to expect before, during and after the point of moving on provides them with time to process this information and to ask questions, whilst also enabling them to give more informed contributions to the planning process. This can be especially important for autistic young people who may have had previous traumatic experiences and are therefore more likely to need time, space, safety and transparency to process and manage change [9].

For professional networks, beginning the process of moving on early enables joined-up assessment and planning, as well as clarification of roles and responsibilities, which reduces the risk of young people experiencing gaps in support during the moving on process [10]. In particular, the early engagement of health and care services for adults enables young people, their families and their professional networks to have a clear understanding of the likelihood of the young person being eligible for post-18 support, and to agree funding responsibilities in relation to this, which are key factors that shape transition planning [11].

Once established, plans need to be regularly reviewed with the young person and their support network to accommodate for changing needs and aspirations, as well as to hold everybody to account for their role in the plan. As per the SEND Code of Practice, for children and young people with EHCPs, reviews must occur at least annually, or more frequently if there are changes in the young person’s needs or aspirations. After the review, the outcomes should be shared with the young person and all of those involved in providing care and support to them.

Although early and continuous plans are an essential element of the move on process, it is also important that those around the young person do not lose sight of the fact that they are still a child. This means that practitioners need to find a balance between preparing young people for adulthood whilst allowing them to enjoy their childhood. Within this, it is important to hold in mind that focusing too much on potential challenges can lead to children and young people experiencing distress about the future. Instead, focusing on young people’s strengths and assets, whilst being realistic about challenges and planning ahead to address them, is a more constructive approach.

Person-centred planning emphasises individuality, respect and co-production, ensuring that young people are at the heart of decisions that shape their futures. Plans need to be tailored to the individual young person, recognising that what works for one autistic young person may not work for another. This is particularly important when considering differences in developmental maturity, cognitive ability, psychological needs, physical health needs, care needs, communication needs, or any other unique needs that a young person might have [12].

When working with autistic young people, it is crucial that plans are also adapted relative to the young person’s unique strengths and challenges. For example, whilst an autistic young person might have a strong memory, they may have challenges with sensory processing. Relevant needs assessments and reviews, direct work with the young person, and the views of the young person, as well as of those around them, can be used to help to identify their unique strengths and areas of challenge, and subsequently used to inform planning.

Once identified, it is important that young people’s needs are met within their plan. This will vary between young people, but examples of what this might look like include using sensory-friendly materials and environments, visual aids and alternative methods for communication. These needs have to also be understood and accounted for by any services, employment opportunities, or activities that the young person accesses both before and after moving on, so that reasonable adjustments can be made.

Person-centred plans will also be outcome-focused and based around the young person’s individual aspirations and goals. This requires practitioners to have an ambitious attitude and to empower young people to think about what they want in their future. When working in this way, it is important that practitioners remember that, with the right support, many of the goals that autistic young people set for themselves are realistic, and that even working towards goals that may not necessarily be achievable can still encourage and enable young people to develop knowledge and skills that will be important in adulthood [13]. It is also important to recognise that autistic young people’s aspirations for the future may be different to what the non-autistic definition of success, and that these aspirations are equally valid. As part of this, it is important that practitioners allow plans to evolve as needs and aspirations change.

These conversations must of course also be balanced with a recognition that long-term planning can feel overwhelming for some autistic young people. Therefore, practitioners are encouraged to find manageable ways to have these conversations with each individual young person. For some young people, this might look like gradually introducing the topic of moving on into conversations over time whilst breaking up conversations with movement breaks and other activities, whereas for others this might involve having more comprehensive conversations around planning as some autistic young people find having detail about new things helpful.

Having a named worker that acts as a single point of contact for moving on is frequently cited as being important by young people and their families in the transition process [14]. This ensures that young people have the opportunity to maintain a relationship with somebody who really knows them during the moving on process, which can create a sense of safety and increases the likelihood of the plan being tailored to the individual young person.

Moreover, for young people and their wider networks, having a named worker means that they have somebody that can answer questions about moving on, co-ordinate the process, and support the young person to build relationships with any new services that they may go onto access as an adult. Given the importance of this role, it is important that if the named worker leaves at any point during the move on process, there is a plan to ensure that the young person will have a new named worker that they have had the opportunity to build a relationship with prior to their previous named worker leaving.

The named worker in this context is one of the professionals involved in providing care and support for the young person, who is given the role of helping to co-ordinate this transition. In some areas, such as Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, specific resourcing is allocated for this role and professionals in these positions may have job titles such as key worker, transitions co-ordinator or transitions navigator.

Whilst having dedicated workers whose primary responsibility is to carry out this role can have a considerable impact, learnings from the model can still be applied creatively in areas that do not have this resource. Notably, the focus on relationships as a foundation for moving on is a key learning for all areas. Additionally, for young people who have a network of professionals around them, it may be possible for one member of the professional network to take on the role of named transition worker for the young person and carry out similar functions to the role as outlined above. This could for example be a health professional, social care practitioner or youth worker.

Autistic young people will often be supported by professionals from a range of services across health, education and social care, all of whom should be involved in their planning alongside professionals from any services that the young person is likely to go onto access as an adult. Particularly when moving on from children’s health and social care services, it is crucial that these services are co-ordinated and work together to ensure that young people receive joined-up and seamless support that considers the whole-person. This involves services developing a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to the plan, which will in turn enable services to work together to help young people achieve their desired outcomes.

Involving General Practitioners (GPs) in planning is a key early step to take. Providing that young people do not move area, GPs are one of the few services that do not have to change when young people move on from children’s social care and health services. Even for those young people that do move area, GPs still represent an anchor as they are a universal service that everybody has access to. It is therefore crucial that all relevant information about the young person’s health and care is shared with the GP prior to the point of transition. This is especially important for young people who do not go onto receive support from adult care services, or for whom there is a risk that they may face barriers to engaging with adult health services as well as young people with additional health needs.

“Transitions passports” can be a helpful tool for practitioners to use to support young people as they move on from children’s social care and health services. These passports can be co-produced with young people, their families and their professional networks, and shared with any services that the young person may go onto access in adulthood (subject to appropriate consent being given). Similar tools are used in different settings, for example health passports, communication passports and pupil profiles. Where young people already have a similar document, this can form the basis for their passport. Whilst the exact contents of the passport are likely to differ based on the needs of each young person, some items to consider are:

• profile of the young person
• young person’s aspirations
• young person’s history and relevant previous experiences
• young person’s care needs
• young person’s health needs
• young person’s educational needs
• young person’s communication needs.

Using these passports can reduce the need for young people and their families to repeat their stories and needs to different people, whilst simultaneously helping to ensure that any services that young people may go onto access have an accurate understanding of their needs. This also means that practitioners in services that young people may go onto access can focus their initial interactions on building a relationship with the young person, taking into account the insight into the young person that the passport provides them, instead of needing to prioritise asking young people to retell their stories for the purpose of assessment at the point of transition, which can be a barrier to forming an effective working relationship. Example transition passports are included in the ‘resources and support networks’ section at the end of this guide.

Young people are equal partners in the moving on process, and so it is important to respect their views. This means ensuring that young people are given enough information to have an informed understanding of their plan, and that those working with young people empower them to be involved in the decision-making process. If young people experience difficulties with being involved in their planning, efforts can be made to enable their participation and to ensure that their plan is co-produced. This might include support services such as mentoring, peer support and independent advocacy, as well as alternative methods for engaging young people, such as the use of the virtual world and assisted technology. The Council for Disabled Children have developed a decision-making toolkit to assist practitioners in supporting disabled children and young people and children and young people with special educational needs to make their own decisions and to participate as fully as possible in decisions made on their behalf.

Efforts can be made to explore whether young people would like their parent carers and/or other close adults to be involved in their planning. It is helpful for this to be reviewed regularly because young people may change their minds as to who they would like to be involved and in which areas of their plans they would like different people to be involved. Where young people are clear that they do not want to involve their parent carers and/or other close adults in their planning and decision-making, and they do not lack capacity to make this decision, it is important that independent advocacy services are offered to the young person.

Similarly, when a young person’s parent carers are involved in their planning process but there are contrasting views between the young person and their parent carers, independent advocacy can be an important way of ensuring that the young person’s wishes and feelings are understood. Even when young people would like their parent carers and/or other close adults to be involved in their planning and decision-making, it remains important to offer young people the chance to have conversations about their plan away from their parent carers, including with an independent advocate, as there may be contributions that the young person would like to make when their parent carers are not present.

When involving young people and their families in planning and decision-making, consideration must be given to the young person’s mental capacity and the legislative frameworks applicable to different age groups. For those under the age of 16, assessments of capacity are made using the Gillick competence standard, which sets out whether a child has sufficient ability to make an informed decision. For those over the age of 16, capacity is assessed using the Mental Capacity Act (2005). This acts on the presumption that a person has capacity unless proven otherwise and provides a framework for assessing capacity and making decisions on behalf of those who do not have capacity.

When young people would like their parent carers and/or other close adults to be involved in all or part of their planning, or a decision has been made on the young person’s behalf that their parents should be involved in this planning, it is important for practitioners to make efforts to do so. This means ensuring that parent carers and other close adults have the information that they need to understand the process and what to expect, and that they are regularly invited to contribute to decision-making and planning. As experts in their children’s lives, and often the primary source of support and comfort for young people, parent carers can offer significant contributions to how plans are shaped and can also play a key role in supporting their children as they journey into adulthood. Where a young person’s parent carers face barriers to participation, such as having English as a second language or their own support needs, steps can be taken to remove or reduce these barriers. For example, translators may be needed to support parents with English as a second language.

It is important to remember that involving parent carers in planning is not just about their participation in decision-making, but also about recognising and addressing the needs of parent carers in relation to their child’s transition. As is the case for many young people, the process of moving on can be a destabilising, confusing and challenging time for parent carers. Efforts can be made to understand and meet the needs of parent carers, including making reasonable adjustments for parent carers who may themselves be neurodivergent or have other needs. What this looks like will vary between families, but it could include providing practical support through short breaks, connecting parent carers to mental health support, or helping parent carers to access services that build their confidence in supporting their child post-transition.

Parent carers of disabled children (under the age of 18) have a right to a Parent Carer Needs Assessment under sections 17ZD-17ZF of the Children Act (1989) under which local authorities must assess whether the parent carer has needs for support and what these needs are. In addition, parent carers must be informed about how they will be able to access support for themselves and their child post-transition, such as through the council or local resources in the voluntary and community sector. This includes ensuring that parent carers are aware of their right under section 10 of the Care Act (2014) to an assessment of needs for support. Further still, under section 4 of the Care Act (2014), local authorities have a duty to provide an information and advice service to all people in their local area which includes the types of care and support available for both adults and carers, as well as how to access them.

Developing skills and providing experiences that support young people’s needs and aspirations

Before moving on from children’s social care and health services, young people will benefit from being given opportunities to practice and develop the skills that will enable them to pursue their aspirations for adulthood. What this looks like will differ between young people relative to their aspirations and needs, as well as whether or not they are likely to receive support from adult social care and health services. For instance, some young people might benefit from developing their practical skills such as managing money, cooking, using transport, accessing leisure activities, personal care, independent living, self-managing medication, and maintaining daily routines. Alternatively, other young people may benefit from developing skills that foster different forms of autonomy and independence, such as maintaining relationships, decision-making and being able to self-advocate. Over time, supporting young people to build on these skills can help to build their confidence to live independently.

A common aspiration for many autistic young people, regardless of whether or not they will go onto receive support from adult social care and health services, is to find further education or employment. With the right support, these goals are wholly realistic. Access to services that support with careers advice, mentoring or interview preparation are often beneficial to young people with these aspirations. For this to be effective, it is important to raise awareness and understanding of autism for careers advisors, as evidence suggests that only 57 per cent of autistic young people said careers advisors understood their needs [17], although it is important to highlight that steps have been taking to improve this, aided by resources such as the Transition to Employment Toolkit from the Autism Education Trust.

Similarly, connecting young people to work experience, vocational training and accessible employers and educational settings can be helpful. For young people with EHCPs, supported internships can also provide vital learning opportunities. Such services can ease the transition into employment, whilst creating opportunities for young people to practice skills that will be helpful for them in education, employment and other areas of their lives. However, it is important to remember that the provision of any such support has to be tailored to the young person’s individual aspirations and needs, rather than simply being offered because it is available.

Learning and developing new skills requires time and practice, and young people will have different ways of learning new skills. Along the way, risks are taken, mistakes are made, and unique challenges arise. When managed sensitively and safely, the consequences and management of such risks, mistakes and challenges can be important opportunities for learning. It is therefore important that young people are given adequate time and opportunities to practice new skills in spaces and with people that feel safe and supportive. Furthermore, if and when young people experience barriers, those around them can reflect with them about why these challenges might be arising, and, alongside the young person, act to remove any identified barriers.

As young people become increasingly more skilful and independent, adult support can gradually begin to reduce. When planning for this, it is important to take measured steps so that a balance can be found between enabling independence on the one hand and ensuring that the young person’s safety and welfare is being kept paramount on the other. For some autistic young people, the use of visual routines and checklists as a scaffold for reducing adult support can help to build independence and confidence.

Such an approach enables risk to be managed in a way that does not attempt to completely remove it, thereby creating space for growth and learning. In contrast to this, parent carers spoke about how when children are not given the opportunities to learn, practice and embed new skills, they often find themselves having to step in to support their children and can find it more difficult to enable their children to take risks. This can place strain on families and often means that there are fewer opportunities for children to practice their skills during teenage years.

Moving on from children’s social care and health services can be a challenging experience for many young people, and it is not unusual for this to have an impact on their mental health before, during and after the point of moving on. For many young people, this can be exacerbated by the risk of social isolation after moving on, and so it is important to consider how both sets of needs can be met for young people.

To meet young people’s social needs with them, it is important that practitioners adopt an approach which promotes social inclusion and ensure that plans consider how young people will be supported to access social and leisure activities. This might for example involve encouraging young people to take part in social or community activities, such as structured Community Circles, or arts-based activities. For many young people, connecting them to their community through a network of trusted and familiar people in their lives, such as friends, family and professionals, can be a helpful way of enabling them to develop the confidence to attend events on their own, or may alternatively mean that they are able to attend these events in the long-term alongside a familiar and safe person.

Young people can be supported to access relevant assistance for their emotional wellbeing prior to moving on, and plans can be put in place for this to continue post-transition where needed. In addition to NHS mental health services, local areas are likely to have voluntary and community sector area resources that young people can access. Whilst some young people will benefit from more formal therapeutic support, it is also important for practitioners to recognise the role that other forms of support such as access to trusted adults, mentors and peer support, can be equally as beneficial for young people’s mental health.

Regardless of whether young people are accessing support for their social and emotional needs at the point of moving on, it is important that they and their families are signposted to services that could meet these needs if they would like to access them in the future. This is particularly important for young people who do not go onto receive support from adult social care and health services.

The point of moving on from children’s social care and health services can be a time of increased risk for autistic young people. This can particularly be the case for autistic young people who have spent time in the care of the local authority, who have been involved with the youth justice system, or who have experienced other forms of adversity and trauma in their childhoods [18]. Parent carers said that, without suitable support, autistic young people can find themselves in unsafe situations (such as involvement with gangs), because these environments provide clear structure and expectations that are not always offered by the professional services that support young people.

Alongside this, research tells us that autistic young people and adults can be at greater risk in certain areas than their non-autistic peers. For example, 75.4 per cent of autistic adults reported experiencing sexual harassment compared to 56.4 per cent of non-autistic adults, and 58.5 per cent of autistic adults reported experiencing physical violence compared with 36.4 per cent of non-autistic adults. Another example is that autistic young people are statistically more likely to experience challenges with eating than their non-autistic peers, and these challenges indicate an increased risk of eating disorders as children move into adolescence.

Alongside this increased risk, there are significant shifts in how safeguarding and risk are described between the Children Act (1989) and Care Act (2014). Notably, Section 42 of the Care Act (2014) sets out that adult safeguarding enquiries will only take place when an adult is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect, and as a result of their care and support needs are unable to protect themselves against abuse or neglect. This focus on risk as a result of care and support needs is not present in Sections 17 or 47 of the Children Act (1989), where the need for intervention in the context of abuse or neglect is not conditional on the child’s care and support needs. However, it is important to highlight that there are preventative safeguarding responsibilities in the Care Act (2014) to support those who don’t meet the Section 42 threshold, including through Section 2 which requires local authorities to prevent, delay or reduce the development of needs for care and support, and Section 4 which creates a duty to provide information and advice about relevant support for adults and carers.

It is important that practitioners working with autistic young people are aware of these changes in the law leading up to and when young people reach 18 so that they can appropriately support young people and those around them to understand and manage risk to the best of their ability, as well as so that they can appropriately transfer responsibility to relevant adult safeguarding partners if the young person meets the threshold for this. Similarly, it is important that those working with young people understand how assessment of capacity changes when young people reach the age of 16, as set out in the ‘Involving young people and families in planning and decision-making’ section above.

Capacity and consent can be particularly challenging topics for parent carers, particularly as their children grow older. For instance, professionals may not share information with parent carers about young people’s contraception, sexual relationships or medication if the young person has capacity and does not consent to this information being shared. This can understandably create worry for parent carers. For some young people, there can be value in exploring the potential benefits of open communication with their parent carers about these matters, or elements of them. Outside of this, even when young people may not consent to information being shared with parent carers, this does not prevent practitioners from sharing broader advice and signposting in relation to relevant topics if this is requested by parent carers.

To keep young people safe when moving on, the services around them can be proactive in identifying and addressing potential risks. These risks need to be considered and managed based on the individual young person and their needs as the nature of risks and the best way to address them will significantly vary between young people. Parent carers can provide important insights into this process, and it is also vital that they feel confident in their ability to keep their children safe after the point of transition, especially for young people who do not go onto receive support from adult social care and health services.

Effective safety planning which encapsulates what the risks are for the individual young person, how the young person and/or those around them might notice the emergence of these risks, and what will be done and by whom is one way of managing future risk in a way that can empower parent carers and practitioners. Where possible, it is important that safety plans are co-produced with young people and their families. Alongside this proactive risk management, it is crucial that if and when concerns of a safeguarding nature are raised, these are appropriately shared with the network around the young person in accordance with their local policies and procedures.

Despite awareness and management of risk being an important part of the moving on process, it is important to highlight that reducing risk shouldn’t deprive young people of their autonomy and the ability to take some risks, as this is counter-productive to the idea of preparing for adulthood. For instance, some young people are prohibited from accessing social and leisure activities that they enjoy because of risk associated with these, which limits opportunities for young people to practice skills for adulthood and to reduce the risk of social isolation.

In such circumstances, a more nuanced and proportionate approach to managing risk can be taken. For example, the young person could initially be accompanied to the activity, a proactive safety plan could be put in place around the activity, or an agreement could be made for the young person to check-in with a trusted adult partway through the activity. This is also the case for activities such as online gaming, which can be seen as increasing the risk of exploitation to children and young people, but which can also be an important way to develop friendships and practice a variety of skills when managed in a safe way (a topic which is covered further in this video from Spectrum Gaming).

Of course, this notion of proportionate risk taking will vary dependent on the individual needs and circumstances of each young person. Within this, a key consideration for practitioners to hold in mind is whether young people are able to actively take steps to keep themselves safe in real-life situations, or whether they are only able to tell those around them what they would do outside of these situations. In the latter scenario, steps can be taken to enable the young person to be able to apply their knowledge in practice where they are able to do so, but where young people do not have the capacity to do this, additional steps should be taken to promote their safety and welfare.

Council for Disabled Children

The Council for Disabled Children offer a range of guides and toolkits to support practitioners in preparing young people for adulthood. This includes topics such as housing, employment, education, and EHCP annual reviews.

National Development Team for Inclusion

The National Development Team for Inclusion’s Preparing for Adulthood Programme contains a number of tools and resources for practitioners. This includes topics such as independent living, friends, relationships and community, and person-centred planning.

Local Government Association

The Local Government Association hosts a range of tools and resources on preparation for adulthood. This includes case studies, advice and guidance on relevant legislation and guidance, and links to other relevant services.

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Provide a collection of guidance and resources focusing on effective transition from children’s to adults’ health services

Ambitious about Autism
A national charity providing specialist education services and employment programmes, including supported internships.

National Autistic Society
Offers guidance on work experience, volunteering, apprenticeships, and support to help autistic individuals find or prepare for employment. This includes a partnership with IBM to offer free professional development opportunities for autistic people.

Autism Education Trust
Offers a Transition to Employment Toolkit for autistic young people, including guidance on job applications and workplace adjustments.

Exceptional Individuals
A space to browse job opportunities and explore organisations that meet neurodiverse-friendly standards.

Access to Work 
The Access to Work grant offers practical and financial support to help overcome barriers to starting or keeping a job if you have a disability or a long-term physical or mental health condition.

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
The DSA is a grant which helps students with additional costs they may face in Higher Education because of their disability.

Propel by The Mason Foundation
Supports young people aged 13–25 with learning disabilities or who are neurodivergent, helping them flourish within a diverse and inclusive workforce.

NHS Autism Support
Provides information on autism support services, including guidance on accessing physical health services tailored for autistic people.

Daisy Chain Project
An award-winning charity supporting autistic and neurodivergent people and their families, offering various services to promote physical health and wellbeing.

Sports Buddies
Sports Buddies matches volunteers with people with a learning disability and/or autistic people who like the sane exercise or sport as them. The Sports Buddies meet regularly to be active, have fun and develop their skills together.

YoungMinds
Collaborates with other organisations to provide resources and guidance on supporting the mental health of young autistic people.

Mind
Offers information and support for autistic people experiencing mental health challenges, including advice on accessing appropriate services.

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
This organisation develops and delivers pioneering mental health care. They offer resources and support for young people, parents, and professionals to promote mental wellbeing.

Rethink Mental Illness
Rethink provides expert, accredited advice and information to everyone affected by mental health problems. They offer support services and resources tailored to individuals with various mental health needs.

The National Autistic Society's Youth Groups
These groups offer social opportunities for autistic young people to meet others, share experiences, and engage in activities in a supportive environment.

Ambitious Youth Network
A community that helps autistic young people aged 16–25 connect with each other, share experiences, and access support.

KIDS – Young People’s Hub
KIDS is a charity that provides a wide range of services to disabled children, young people, and their families. Their offerings include playgroups, learning opportunities, and support programmes designed to foster development and inclusion.

Gig Buddies
Gig Buddies is a project by the charity Stay Up Late which pairs people with a learning disability and/or autistic people with a volunteer who shares their interests, such as in music, sport, culture, or eating out.

National Autistic Society
Provides a wealth of resources and support for parents and carers of autistic children, including guidance on navigating transitions and accessing services.

Contact
Contact provides guidance, resources, and assistance for families, including during preparation for adulthood.

National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF)
NNPCF provides guidance, resources, and support for families, including ensuring parent carers have a voice in shaping services.

Autism Central
Offer a range of resources, one-to-one support and events to support parent carers and families of autistic people

Local Government Association (LGA) offers a comprehensive collection of transitional safeguarding resources.

Research in Practice: Transitional Safeguarding Knowledge Briefing
This briefing discusses the importance of transitional safeguarding, focusing on the health sector's role in supporting young people during their transition to adulthood.

National Autistic Society: My Health Passport
Ensures that essential information about preferences and requirements is easily accessible during medical appointments.

Communication Matters: Communication Passports
A personalised booklet that compiles information about individuals with communication difficulties, serving as a practical tool to convey preferences, needs, and support strategies across different settings and transitions.

NHS Wales Executive: Young person’s transitions passport
A comprehensive passport that can be co-created with children and young people.

ADASS/IMPOWER, 2025, Preparing for adulthood

ADCS, 2024, No wrong doors: Working together to support young carers and their families

Autism Education Trust, 2019, Good Autism Practice Report: Practitioner Guide

CQC, 2014, From the pond into the sea: Children’s transition to adult health services

LGA, 2019, Improving transition from children to adult mental health services

LGA, 2023, Preparing for adulthood: Young people with a learning disability and autistic young people

National Autism Project, 2017, The autism dividend: Reaping the rewards of better investment

NICE, 2016, Transition from children’s to adults’ services

Ofsted and CQC, 2024, Preparation for adulthood arrangements in local areas: a thematic review

Ofsted, 2021, SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps

Research in Practice, 2018, 21^st century social work with children and young people with disabilities: Evidence review

SCIE, 2021, Involving parents and carers in decisions made about young people

The Health Foundation, 2019, Young people’s suggestions for the assets needed in transition to adulthood

[1] National Autistic Society, Masking

[2, 3] BASW, 2016, The autism employment gap: Too Much Information in the workplace

[4] NHSE, 2023, Clinical guide for front line staff to support the management of patients with a learning disability and autistic people – relevant to all clinical specialities

[5] DHSC and DfE, 2021, National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026

[6] National Autism Project, 2017, The autism dividend: Reaping the rewards of better investment

[7] DWP, 2024, The Buckland Review of Autism Employment: report and recommendations

[8] DWP, 2024, The Buckland Review of Autism Employment: report and recommendations ; National Autistic Society, 2021, new shocking data highlights the autism employment gap

[9] Spectrum Gaming, 2024, Understanding autism and trauma

[10] Research in Practice, 2018, 21^st century social work with children and young people with disabilities: Evidence Review

[11] NICE, 2016, Transition from children’s to adults’ services

[12] NICE, 2016, Transition from children’s to adults’ services

[13] Research in Practice, 2018, 21^st century social work with children and young people with disabilities: Evidence Review

[14] CQC, 2014, From the pond into the sea: Children’s transition to adult health services ; NICE, 2016, Transition from children’s to adults’services for young people using health or social care services

[15] CQC, 2014, From the pond into the sea: Children’s transition to adult health services

[16] Autism Education Trust, 2019, Good Autism Practice Report: Practitioner Guide

[17] Ambitious about Autism, Careers Education Framework

[18] NICE, 2013, Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management

[19] The Health Foundation, 2019, Young people’s suggestions for the assets needed in the transition to adulthood