The Planning for Life After 16 factsheets provide information for parents of young people with speech and language impairments in their teens and twenties.

This series of factsheets is designed to help you navigate a smooth path through your son or daughter’s teenage years and into adulthood.

At first glance, the outlook for young people with significant speech and language impairments can appear quite depressing. Parents are often shocked to discover that:

• There is no exact equivalent to replace statements, which are discontinued when young people leave school, most commonly at 16.
• There are no services specifically for adults with speech and language impairments – even local speech and language therapy services rarely cater for them.
• There is little awareness that speech and language impairments can affect adults, or any understanding of their impact.

But all is not lost. As ever, forewarned is forearmed, and you can help your son or daughter most by finding out in good time what your options are and how to make the Transition process work for you. These factsheets will help you do that.

PLANNING FOR LIFE AFTER 16 – 75p each (free download for Afasic members)

Education – a general introduction – 75p

Education – colleges – 75p

Education – colleges special needs support – 75p

Education – disability discrimation – 75p

Education – sources of further information – 75p

Education – schools – 75p

Education – making the school SEN system work for you – 75p

Further factsheets coming soon.
Education – higher education
Higher Education – the disabled students’ allowance
Higher Education – sources of further information

Please note that everybody’s situation will be different. The factsheets contain a range of general information and guidance likely to be useful to the parents of young people with speech and language impairments, but not all of it will apply to everyone and you will almost certainly find that some of it is not relevant to you.

If you need more help identifying the best way forward in your particular circumstances, or would just like to talk to a sympathetic ear, please contact the Afasic Helpline on 08453 55 55 77 or 0207 490 9420.