G attended a residential college 70 miles from home, and when the time came to leave, his parents assumed his college would guide and advise where he would be best placed and the level of care he would need.
However, the college were only helpful in saying G needed good care alongside a high degree of independence, but they were not able to offer any specific answers or concrete suggestions initially.
M attended residential college on a three year placement 160 miles from home. The family assumed that they would need to plan the move from college to the next phase.
M's parents discussed his future with college and with Connexions at his annual review at the end of his first year and at the beginning of his final years at college.
"Do everything you can to make sure all care assessment/support plans reflect your plan. You should always be presented with the draft. Read it carefully and don't be afraid to request changes/additions."
"Money is always at the bottom of any social services (i.e. lack of it!) and therefore any opportunity for them to tell us how well our young adults are doing is also a tick for them to say they need less care and therefore they cost less."
"Get clarification regarding terminology used i.e. what does ‘priority' mean? Your local authority may have a different interpretation!"
