Transition from Children's Services to Adult Services

Principles of Good Transition

Midlothian Transitions Fair

We work with ARC Scotland and the Scottish Transitions Forum to improve the experience of all young people with additional support needs going through transitions. 

We work to ARC Scotland's definition of transition that says it is "the period when young people develop from children to young adults. This is not a single event, such as leaving school, but a growing-up process that unfolds over several years and involves significant emotional, physical, intellectual and physiological changes.  During this period, young people progressively assume greater autonomy in many different areas of their lives and are required to adjust to different experiences, expectations, processes, places and routines.  Transitions also impact on the family or on those who care for the child or young person."

Principles of Good Transitions 

The Scottish Transitions Forum suggest 7 Principles for Good Transitions.  

  1. Planning and decision-making should be carried out in a person-centred way
  2. Support should be co-ordinated across all services
  3. Planning should start early and continue up to age 25
  4. All young people should get the support that they need
  5. Young people, parents and carers must have access to the information they need
  6. Families and carers need support
  7. A continued focus on transitions across Scotland

There are additional specialist supplements to these principles:

Principles into Practice

Principles into Practice is a framework to improve the experiences of young people aged 14-25 who need additional support to make the transition to young adult life, and their parents and carers. It helps everyone involved in supporting young people and their families to implement Principles of Good Transitions 3, which is Scotland's national benchmark for excellent practice.

It was tested in 10 local authority areas in Scotland over 2 years from 2021 to 2023. Midlothian took part in the trial and adopted the principles as a model of good practice.

Information, reports on the trial and case studies are on the Principles into Practice website.

Related pages