CBF Delivers Open Letter to 10 Downing Street

Earlier this week, family carers and young people, supported by the CBF and children’s charity Kids, went to 10 Downing Street. The group delivered an open letter to the Prime Minister with 3 key asks to improve the experience of transition from children’s to adult services: 

• Introduce a national, cross-departmental plan for transition co-produced by young people with SEND and their families 

• Introduce a named Transition Coordinator to facilitate a person-centred and ambitious approach to transition 

• Amend the Care Act 2014 to introduce a statutory age to begin transition planning

When a young person turns 18, their rights and access to support can change dramatically. This, combined with significant changes to the legal rights of parents, delayed planning, and a lack of suitable community provision, means that the transition process can often feel rushed and lack thorough communication between families and different services. 

Currently, the Care Act 2014 states that local authorities are obliged to carry out an assessment of young people’s support needs and how to meet these needs if they are likely to continue beyond the age of 18. However, there is no statutory age when this planning should begin. This often leads to transition planning beginning far too late, and young people receiving inadequate or inappropriate support. 

We firmly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to live and thrive in an environment that is the best for them and to live near to those they love. It is this belief that has motivated the letter. 

The 3 asks in the open letter were designed in partnership with family carers and the guidance of our Transition Subgroup. On our open letter webpage, you can learn more about these asks through 3 short reels featuring Lina, a family carer, her son Kaiden, Jacqui, and Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of Kids. 

The letter was signed by over 335 family carers, individuals with lived experience of disability, professionals, and organisations.

We are following up with key ministers and officials in the Department for Education, Department of Health and the Ministry of Housing.   

For more information about the open letter, including any responses we get back from government officials, please check our open letter webpage.

Support from the CBF 

Family Support Service 

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in the open letter, you can call the Family Support Service on 0300 666 0126  or email us at support@thecbf.org.uk 

We are open at the following times:  Monday – Thursday: 9am – 5pm | Friday: 9am – 3pm 

We offer information about challenging behaviour to anyone who provides support to a child, young person or adult with a severe learning disability. We can also signpost you to other specialist organisations and sources 

of information.  

Please note we are a small support service so you may not be able to get support straight away. We will support families with urgent concerns as a priority.  

Professionals are also welcome to contact the CBF.