Please see below a range of organisations providing information, advice and, in some cases, support on the many aspects of transition from school to adulthood. Many of these websites also include their own pages of links to other useful organisations.

Action For Kids
Action For Kids (AFK) is a national charity working with children and young people with physical and learning disabilities and their parents and carers. They run work related learning in London for young people with disabilities.

The Association of National Specialist Colleges
Natspec is a membership association for independent specialist colleges that provide further education and training for learners with learning disabilities.

Autism Education Trust
AET are dedicated to co-ordinating and improving education support for all children and young people on the autism spectrum in England. They provide information for both young people and professionals including Person Centred Planning and a transition toolkit.

The British Association for Supported Employment
The British Association for Supported Employment is the national trade association representing hundreds of agencies involved in securing employment for people with disabilities.

British Institute of Learning Disabilities
At BILD they work to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families and carers. They have produced a book called Transition Toolkit which is a framework for managing change and successful transition.

Contact a Family
Contact a Family provides support, advice and information for families with disabled children, no matter what their condition or disability. As well as the information on the website Contact a Family also have resources on preparing for adult life and transition which can be downloaded from their website.

Council for Disabled Children (CDC)
CDC is running a programme called VIPER. VIPER is a three-year project funded by the Big Lottery Fund, to find out the best ways for young disabled people to participate in planning and running the services they use and how they would like to be involved.

Department for Education
In February 2012 the Department issued the new statutory guidance for Local Authorities in undertaking Learning Difficulty Assessments. The guidance is to help Local Authorities make consistent, effective and robust judgements.

Department of Health
At the Department of Health’s website you can access some useful publications. These include Transition: Moving on Well and Transition: Getting it right for young people.

Disability Rights UK
This is a national pan-disability organisation which has a disabled students helpline. They recently published Into Higher Education 2013, a higher education guide for disabled people. 

Dimensions
Dimensions is a not for profit organisation providing services such as housing, training and caring for people with learning disabilities and autism. They have several publications providing information on different aspects of transition to adulthood such as Lost in transition? A guide to finding your way through and lots of information on their website.

DirectGov
Information and advice for 13-19 year olds on careers, work, learning, health, relationships, money, housing, your rights and free time. It provides specific support for young disabled people, including how to make a transition plan and moving into adulthood.

Family Footings
Family Footings is a project to help families find a common language with professionals through person centred planning approaches.

Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
The Foundation work with people with learning disabilities, their families and the people who support them to improve services and share knowledge. The Foundation have published a booklet called We can dream! which aims to give young people and families ideas about leaving full time education.

Getting a Life
The Getting a Life programme ran from April 2008 up to the end of March, as part of the Valuing People Now employment work. It contains some useful resources, in particular a PDF called Pathways to getting a life. This report pulls together ten years experience through both the Valuing People and Valuing People Now regarding transition.

KIDS
KIDS is the national charity working with disabled children, young people and their families across England. The Making it Personal section on the KIDS website is a project funded by the Department of Education to provide support and advice to families about personalisation and personal budgets.

Mencap
Mencap is a learning disability charity working with people with learning disabilities and their families and carers to live the life they choose. In addition to the many fact sheets available on the website concerning transition, Mencap also have a transition guide.

National Audit Office
The National Audit Office has published a report called Supporting people with autism through adulthood which examines the range of services for adults with autism in England. It has also produced a report into value for money in special education for young people 16-25 called Oversight of special education for young people aged 16-25.

National Autistic Society
The NAS provide extensive information, support and services for both families and professionals including a comprehensive directory of services.

National Centre for Independent Living
This website is designed to be a resource on independent living, direct payments and personal budgets for disabled people and others working in the field who may find it useful.

National Transition Support Programme
The NTS team worked from October 2008 to March 2011 to identify good practice in transition planning for disabled young people, including those with autism. This website contains all the resources that were produced during this period.

Netbuddy transition info pack
Netbuddy has created a transition info pack to support the transition from childhood to adulthood for young people with learning disabilities.

Preparing for Adulthood
Preparing for Adulthood is a two year programme funded by the Department for Education as part of the delivery support for 'Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability' green paper. It has a wide variety of downloadable resources available for parents, professionals and young people.

Progress Magazine
The Progress Magazine website is a comprehensive guide for transition for 13 – 25year olds with additional needs. It provides information to support young adults, parents and carers and professionals. The Useful Contacts section carries an extensive list of organisations listed by category.

Project Search
The Project Search model helps disabled people secure and keep paid permanent jobs. It is particularly suited to people with moderate and severe learning disabilities or autism, and others who can benefit from partnership working to help them into work.

Think Local Act Personal
The Think Local Act Personal website is primarily aimed at service providers and commissioners families may find it of interest as well.

Transition Information Network
TIN are an alliance of organisations and individuals who come together with the common aim to improve disabled young people’s experience of transition to adulthood. There is a section on the website specifically for young people.

TIN: Transition Resources Online
TINTRO is a sources of information and resources for local areas working to improve their provision for disabled young people in transition to adulthood. In addition they have a self assessment tool which enables local areas to understand their current provision and provides guidance they may find useful.

VoiceAbility
VoiceAbility works with individuals and groups who have mental health problems, learning disabilities, physical or sensory impairments or are on the autistic spectrum. Their role is to support people to speak up about what they want, including information on what services they can access.

Working Families
Working Families is the UK’s leading work life balance organisation helping parents and carers and employers find a better balance between work and home. They have produced a guide to disability, transition and family finance, From child to adult.

Want to recommend a resource?

If you would like to recommend a resource, please email our Information Officer, Carol Detheridge on cdetheridge@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk