What comes after education
National Star and Together Trust’s research highlights barriers young people with disabilities face in transitioning to adulthood. Help support our movement to make a positive impact.
A big part of growing up is leaving school and starting adult life.
Our charities, National Star and Together Trust, worked together on this research project that started in 2023. We wanted to understand what makes it hard for young people with disabilities to live happy and meaningful adult lives. We’ve seen that many young people and their families don’t get the help they need, and we wanted to change that.
Our research shows that young people with disabilities want the same things as everyone else. They care about the same things their peers do, such as choosing where they live and being part of their community. But they face more challenges. Many of the young people we surveyed don’t live where they want, feel lonely, or don’t get the help they need when they need it.
The results highlight that there needs to be changes made for young people to transition from education to adult life more successfully. But it’s not always clear what needs to be done. In the last few years, we’ve had the SEND Green Paper, the Disability Action Plan, countless consultations, pilots and working groups.
The report, due to be released in January 2025, shares what we’ve learned from young people and their families about what matters most to them. It gives data led recommendations about how to make the system better for young people with disabilities.
We’ve also created a plan for how to make these changes. It’s a guide for the government, schools, health workers, and everyone who helps young people. We believe if everyone listens and works together, things can get better.
Together we can support a movement to make a positive impact.