Mencap looks at transition services for young people

Over 80 people attended the ‘Getting a full life’ event at Hill Croft Special School in Newtownabbey to find out about opportunities that were available for young people with a learning disability and their families going through the transition process.

“A number of people shared their personal experiences, including a parent and young people with a learning disability. The North Eastern Education and Library Board and Northern Health and Social Care Trust explained their involvement in the process. It was also a chance for people to air their views on transition and ask questions during a Q&A session,” Aine O’Hare, Mencap community officer said.

The district event was delivered as part of Mencap’s Inspire Me! Programme, which operates across Northern Ireland, and Inspire Me!

Over 30 young people with a learning disability from six schools in the northern district area took part in the HYPE project (Helping Young People Enter Education and Employment) this year.

Representatives from the North Eastern Education and Library Board’s (NEELB) Transition service and Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) also spoke and explained their roles.

Pauline Cummings of the NHSCT said that one of the Trust’s key roles was to ensure that in the move into adulthood, people with a learning disability, family and carers received continuity of support during the transition period. “We understand that this is a very emotive time for families,” she said, “and we are committed to working together to improve it.”

With approximately 900 14-19-year-olds in the NEELB going through transition each year, Oonagh McCann of the Board’s Transition Service explained its role and said that they worked closely with each young person, their families, carers and school. Acknowledging that there was no such thing as a ‘perfect process’, she said that “we are working hard to improve and develop this evolving service.

“Mencap has a number of services that are designed to support and prepare young people for leaving school,” Aine O’Hare said. “We hope that the district event was a good opportunity for young people and their families to get the information they need to help them make informed choices about their future,” she said.