Benchmarking Practices for Transitions in Children's and Adult Social Care

Request for information on benchmarking practices for transitions in children's and adult social care. We are looking to gather insights and best practices from various authorities.

Operational     

Q1) Do you have a transitions team?

Q2) What age does Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) start, how is it evidenced, who is involved, and how is it recorded?

Q3) How do you identify young people who need to transition from children to adults?

Q4) What is your prevention offer (e.g., enablement worker)?

Q5) Who attends EHCP reviews? 

Team Structure             

Q1) What is the structure of your team (including roles)?

Q2) What is the size of the cohort you work with and average worker caseload? 

Support             

Q1) Do they have a Pathway to Adulthood plan, and what does it look like?

Q2) How do you measure progression and independence outcomes for young people?

Q3) Do you provide an information booklet?

Q4) If so, please can we have a copy?

Q5) What is your approach to Mental Capacity Assessments (MCA) and DOLS for ages 16 and over 18?

Q6) What types of support are available for life skills (e.g., cooking, budgeting, travel training)?

Q7) Who provides emotional and mental health support, and how is this delivered?

Q8) Are there peer support groups or networks for young people transitioning to adulthood?

Q9) How do you help young people access employment, volunteering, or further education opportunities?

Q10) Are there programs to teach young people about housing options and tenancy responsibilities?

Q11) How do you involve families or carers in the assessment process? 

Interface          

Q1) What is your interface with education (Schools and SEND Depts)?

Q2) What is your interface with health?

Q3) What is your interface with Care Leavers and Children in Care? 

Financials        

Q1) Financial information: How many need accommodation or residential placements (education)?

Q2) Do you have a Joint commissioning framework across children's and adults? 


Assessments & KPIs:  

Q1) What KPIs do you have, and what is the average timeframe for completing assessments?

Q2) What is the average length of time with the transitions team?

Q3) How do you measure progression and independence outcomes for young people, and how are they recorded? 

Q1. Do you have a transitions team?

As of June 2025 (time of this information request), Lincolnshire County Council operated a dedicated Transitions Team supporting young people with a learning disability who were eligible for adult care. This team primarily worked with individuals aged 16 to 25, although involvement could begin from age 14 where appropriate, while the young person remained in education. On 1st September 2025, this structure was revised with the establishment of the Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) Team, which now provides support to young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as part of a broader, integrated approach to transition planning

Q2. What age does Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) start, how is it evidenced, who is involved, and how is it recorded?

As of June 2025, Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) commenced from Year 9 and was recorded within each young person’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. Referrals to the service were made using the ‘Passport to Adulthood’ form, and a support plan was co-produced with all relevant stakeholders, setting out clear outcomes which were reviewed regularly. From 3rd November 2025, the referral process was amended: the ‘Passport to Adulthood’ form was replaced by the Adult Social Care Assessment Request, which was made accessible to all Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Teams.

Q3) How do you identify young people who need to transition from children to adults?

Children’s services officers can refer to the transition team by using the ‘Passport to adulthood’ referral form. Training is provided to teams to ensure familiarity with referral criteria and identifying suitable young people

Q4) What is your prevention offer (e.g., enablement worker)?

 

We have a maximising independence sub-team whose aim is to work with the young people. Focus is on their strengths which are used to build on with the aim to reduce the need for long term support.

Q5) Who attends EHCP reviews? 
 

All appropriate stakeholders including the young person (if appropriate), their parents or carers, educational setting, any other professionals involved, advocate if required and a SEND Caseworker
 

Team Structure

Q1) What is the structure of your team (including roles)?

The team consists of Social workers, Nurses and Community Care Workers.

Q2) What is the size of the cohort you work with and average worker caseload? 

Caseload for each officer is around 30.

Support

Q1) Do they have a Pathway to Adulthood plan, and what does it look like?
 

We are currently in the process of updating our documents. However, currently there is a support plan which identifies the young person’s needs with outcomes co-developed with the young person and a plan to support the young person to meet those outcomes.

Q2) How do you measure progression and independence outcomes for young people?

The team collect data regarding long term or voluntarily employment/education as an internal metric. Individuals have their needs assessed with commensurate outcomes in place which are then assessed. Outcomes are reviewed annually.

Q3) Do you provide an information booklet?
 

Not at present but our advice is currently undergoing a review, and a working group has been organised to develop this. Information on our transitions pathway can be found on our local offer

Q4) If so, please can we have a copy?

Please see the local offer - https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/send-local-offer

Q5) What is your approach to Mental Capacity Assessments (MCA) and DOLS for ages 16 and over 18?

If the young person are open to Children’s Services at the age of 16, Children’s services will carry out a MCA and will apply for a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DOLS) if appropriate. If open to Adult Services, they will then feed into this from 18. Once with adults will review DOLS every year as per court instructions.

Q6) What types of support are available for life skills (e.g., cooking, budgeting, travel training)?

All aspects of life skills can and are covered depending on need. Maximizing independence Workers will work with the young people to identify individual needs as well as their aspirations/interests and develop a plan to work on these.

Q7) Who provides emotional and mental health support, and how is this delivered?
 

Anybody that is working with the young person who also make appropriate referrals to mental health support colleagues should this be required. We also have a Learning Disabilities hub within our LPFT.

Q8) Are there peer support groups or networks for young people transitioning to adulthood?
 

Yes, there are a variety of support groups and networks available to YP in Lincolnshire. These can all be accessed via the Local Offer and include Lincolnshire Young Voices, Liaise, PAACT, Parent Carer Forum amongst others

Q9) How do you help young people access employment, volunteering, or further education opportunities?

Through our Maximising Independence Team or general practitioner knowledge. We also have dedicated support via an Employment officer that supports young people to engage with employment.

Q10) Are there programs to teach young people about housing options and tenancy responsibilities?
 

 Adult Social Care provides guidance on housing options, tenancy responsibilities, and related matters. We work through our Maximising Independence service to help young people build the knowledge and skills needed to manage these responsibilities effectively. Where appropriate, we also signpost to external agencies for additional support and resources.

Q11) How do you involve families or carers in the assessment process? 

Through our Maximising Independence Team or general practitioner knowledge. We also have dedicated support via an Employment officer that supports young people to engage with employment.

We follow a strengths-based, holistic approach during transition assessments, which actively involves families and carers. We ensure that carers are included in the assessment if they provide care, in line with the Care Act requirements. We recognise that parents and carers as part of the wider support network and involve them in discussions about the young person’s strengths, needs, and available community resources.

Interface      

Q1. What is your interface with education (Schools and SEND Depts)?

Our interface with education is integral to supporting young people with additional needs as they transition from children’s services into adulthood. This includes proactive collaboration with schools, colleges, education providers, and SEND teams to ensure a seamless move into further education, training, or employment. We work jointly to coordinate care and support plans tailored to individual needs, promoting continuity and positive outcomes throughout the transition process.

Q2. What is your interface with health?

Our interface with health involves working closely with NHS services, community health teams, and other healthcare professionals to support young people with complex health needs during their transition from children to adult services. This includes contributing to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), attending multidisciplinary team meetings, and ensuring continuity of care by coordinating with adult health services such as mental health, learning disability, and continuing healthcare teams

Q3. What is your interface with Care Leavers and Children in Care? 

Our interface with Care Leavers and Children in Care involves working collaboratively with Children's Services, social workers etc to support a smooth transition into adulthood. We help ensure that care-experienced young people have access to appropriate adult social care, housing, education, and health services. This includes contributing to Pathway Plans, attending transition planning meetings, and advocating for tailored support that reflects their individual needs and experiences

Financials       

Q1. Financial information: How many need accommodation or residential placements (education)?

We work in close collaboration with Children’s Services, commissioning teams, and providers to identify and plan for the number of young people who may require accommodation or residential placements, including those in education settings such as residential colleges or specialist provisions. While we contribute to forecasting and strategic planning, it’s important to note that we do not always have exact numbers in advance. Needs can evolve over time, and placements are often determined by individual assessments and changing circumstances. Our role is to ensure that flexible, appropriate, and cost-effective options are available to meet anticipated demand

Q2. Do you have a Joint commissioning framework across children's and adults?

Lincolnshire County Council does not currently have a formal Joint Commissioning Framework that spans both Children’s and Adults’ Services. However, there are established commissioning strategies within each service area, and collaborative working does take place—particularly around transition planning for young people with complex needs.

Assessments & KPIs: 

Q1. What KPIs do you have, and what is the average timeframe for completing assessments?

While Lincolnshire County Council does not currently publish a single set of KPIs specifically for assessments, performance is monitored through a combination of statutory frameworks, CQC assessments, and internal quality assurance processes. Key focus areas include timeliness, quality, person-centred planning, and multi-agency collaboration.

The average timeframe for completing an Adult Social Care needs assessment is approximately 15 days, with a target to be completed within 28 days.

Q2. What is the average length of time with the transitions team?

Young people are typically supported by the Transitions team from around age 14 and may remain open to the service for as long as they continue in education or training, which can be up to age 25. This means the average duration of involvement can range from a few years to up to eleven years, depending on individual circumstances, educational pathways, and the level of support required.

Q3. How do you measure progression and independence outcomes for young people, and how are they recorded?

In Lincolnshire, Adult Care applies the Maximising Independence approach to measure progression and independence outcomes for young people. This approach includes strengths-based assessments, life skills development, and clear recording of goals and outcomes within support plans. Within Transitions, we also use tools such as Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) reviews to monitor progress. Both services focus on enabling individuals to achieve greater independence, with outcomes tracked through case management systems and quality assurance processes. We are continuing to develop and refine our performance and quality assurance frameworks to strengthen consistency and improve reporting.