Transitions from care to adulthood: messages to inform practice

Transition is the process of moving from a child focussed system to an adult orientated system. It is complicated for all children and a well-recognised point of weakness in health care. For looked after children transition is more complex with movements from social worker to personal advisor, from foster care (or children's home) to independent accommodation, from school to work, further or higher education or to none of these. It is also a time when the young person moves from children's health services to adult health services. Looked after children navigate these transition points with less support than many other children. Coincidentally, it occurs at an age when mental illness most commonly emerges. This paper describes the transitions in detail, considers the legislative framework, pathway plans and the mental health transition.