Lifelong Services adult teams work with all adults who have a lifelong disability and eligible social care needs, acquired before the age of 25 years. This can include physical, sensory, learning disabilities and autism. These people will typically have grown up with their disability, which has had lifelong effects.
The Lifelong Services Transition Team work with young people until they are settled in adult life or until they turn 26 years old, whichever is the sooner. At this point, if further support from Lifelong Services is required, the individual is transferred to the relevant Lifelong Services team.
Where a person had a lifelong or long-term condition before the age of 25 years, but did not have, or was unlikely to have, social care needs at that time, they are outside of the scope of Lifelong Services. These individuals, as well as those who acquired a disability when they were older than 25 years will be referred to their local adult community team.
Where a person's primary needs relate to mental health and ongoing support is needed from an adult mental health team, this is outside the scope of Lifelong Services.
The Sensory Services Team, which is part of Lifelong Services, works with adults of all ages with lifelong or acquired sensory loss, where specialist input is required.
The team works countywide and is split into three geographical areas.
North: Mid Sussex, Crawley, Horsham and East Grinstead areas
Coastal: Shoreham, Worthing and Littlehampton areas
Western: Chichester, Bognor Regis and Midhurst areas
If the young person needs access to a specialist health team, then referrals can usually be made by the young person's paediatrician or GP to:
- the local Community Learning Disability Team (a clinical, health-led team that work with people who have a diagnosed learning disability)
- the local adult mental health team
- other required team.
If the young person is known to Children’s Services, the legal framework requires that Children’s Services retains responsibility for providing services, and leads the coordination of a young person’s care until they turn 18 years old. A worker from the Transition Team will link with the young person, their family/carers and any involved Children’s Services professionals to assess and plan for post-18 years care and support. However, any case-related actions, decisions, safeguarding concerns, funding and case management will sit with Children’s Services until the young person turns 18 years old.
Young people need support from their networks to help them prepare for adulthood.
This includes encouraging the young person to take more responsibility in their care, wellbeing, decision-making and planning for the future.
Where there are concerns about the young person’s ability to make important decisions, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 must be applied and assessments undertaken in line with this legislation, to ensure future planning is carried out appropriately.
The first principle of the Mental Capacity Act is that everyone over the age of 16 years is assumed to have capacity, unless evidenced otherwise. The Act states that no one can give consent and make decisions for a person over the age of 16 years. If a person over 16 years lacks capacity to make a specific decision, a ‘Best Interest’ decision needs to be made on their behalf. A care manager can go through this in more detail with the young person.