Transitions Bill

More About Transitions Bill

Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions)(Scotland) Bill: a proposal to improve outcomes for children and young people with a disability in the transition to adulthood

At present although every child is entitled to a Child’s Plan, under the Children and Young People’s Act 2014, there is no statutory requirement to put in place an ongoing and fully supported transitions plans for disabled children and young people in their transition to adulthood.  Nor do young disabled people have a right to ongoing support with their transition to adulthood after they have left school.

As a result, the transitions for many disabled children and young people are often extremely challenging, and consistently deliver poor outcomes for the children and young people.

The current lack of a statutory requirement to ensure children and young people with a disability are fully supported in the transition to adulthood is having a major negative impact upon the lives of many of these children and young people. Without ongoing and fully supported transitions plans large numbers of disabled children and young people are being deprived of opportunities to fulfil their potential, and to make the most of their lives. It is not only they who are being robbed of their potential, but we as a society who are being robbed of the contribution that they desperately want to make.

My proposal aims to place statutory duties on Ministers to introduce a National Transitions Strategy, and to assign to a member of the Scottish Government, or to a junior Minister, special responsibility in relation to the exercise of their functions under this Act.  The proposal also aims to give additional rights to support to disabled children and young people by placing a statutory duty on local authorities to prepare and introduce a transitions plan for each disabled child/young person within the local authority area to improve outcomes in their transition to adulthood.  The Bill would also create a statutory right to support in transition planning for disabled children and young people and their families.

The Transitions Plan should consider all  of the relevant aspects of a child’s/young person’s life including, but not limited to plans to, enhance opportunities including education, employment, training, health, financial affairs, housing, leisure, citizenship and independent living.  The National Transitions Strategy, and appointing a Minister with responsibility for transitions, will underline the priority being given by the Scottish Government to supporting disabled children and young people.