BROMLEY SEND LOCAL OFFER
Preparing for adulthood – Friends, relationships and community
Making and having friends, developing supportive relationships, taking part in the local community and having interesting things to do are all essential to having a well-balanced and good quality life. During transition planning, thought should be given to what needs to be done to support your child or young person to have opportunities to spend time with their friends outside of school and college, how to support them to develop and keep friendships and relationships, and how to ensure that they can access their local community feeling safe and confident.
Family and friends
Preparing for adulthood: Friends and family
The role of family and friends for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is important for emotional support, practical help, and a sense of belonging that every child and young person deserves.
There are times when things happen in families or with friendships that can cause extra stresses and problems. But there are people that can help your child or young person. As a parent, your support and guidance play a crucial role and there are people that can help your child or young person.
Problems with family
Your child or young person might worry about:
- arguments, being shouted at, or having different opinions or beliefs
- divorce and separation
- money problems or having to move
- alcohol problems
- being hurt or abused.
Childline provides a range of support, advice and help.
Friendships if your child or young person has a disability
Having a social life can sometimes be challenging, particularly if your child or young person has a disability or additional needs.
Accessibility barriers can make it difficult to join in with activities or stay included in friendship groups. These barriers could be social, physical or sensory. They could be other people’s attitudes or the activity itself.
But going to new places and having different experiences can help your child or young person find out what they can do, the support they need and what’s accessible. It can also help them learn how to deal with different social situations and challenges.
Top tips for making friends
If your child or young person wants to make some friends but doesn’t know how to get started, there are some things they can do.
Bromley Mencap have produced a useful guide with tips and ideas.
Find out more about making friends at Childline.
Get help with friendship problems
Friends can be there to enjoy the best times, and they can help us when we’re feeling down. But sometimes friendships have problems and it can be hard to know what to do.
Find out more about friendship problems at Childline.
Useful links:
Relationships
Preparing for adulthood: Relationships
Developing healthy relationships is an important part of growing up, but for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), it can present unique challenges. As a parent, your support and guidance play a crucial role. Talk with your young person about healthy relationships and what they include:
- Good communication: talking openly to their partner about things without feeling scared of what might happen or being judged for what they have said.
- Mutual respect: listening and respecting each other’s boundaries. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable, scared or humiliated.
- Trust: Trusting each other without getting jealous, including being able to spend time with other people.
- Honesty: Being able to say what they think and feel without worrying what might happen.
- Equality: Nobody in a relationship should have power over the other person, and it’s never okay for someone to force them to do something.
- Being themselves: Doing things they enjoy and spending time with friends and family outside of the relationship.
Your young person can read more about relationships at Bromley’s Local Offer for Young People.
More information:
Personal development
Preparing for adulthood: Personal development
Personal development is important for all children and young people including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It helps build confidence, manage emotions, develop social skills, and gain independence.
Encouraging your child or young person to take part in activities that boost their confidence will help them be more independent. Here are some programs designed to support personal development:
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE)
Choose the things you love to do or tray something completely new, help your community, test your limits, enhance your skills, and grow your confidence.
Find out more about the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
The King’s Trust
A set of programmes providing a helping hand to grow your confidence and skills, get a job that’s right for you or start your own business.
Travelling and getting out and about
Travelling and getting out and about
As children become teenagers, they may want to travel independently. Many young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) need extra support to do this safely. In Bromley we have services and support to help them gain confidence in travelling alone.
Education Travel Assistance
Travel training helps children and young people who are eligible for Education Travel Assistance develop the confidence and skills to travel safely and independently. The programme supports young people to become more independent, both now and as they prepare for adulthood.
Our experienced travel trainers work on a one-to-one basis with each young person, providing personalised support tailored to their individual needs, abilities and travel goals. Training is delivered in stages and progresses at a pace that is right for the young person.
Young people can build their confidence and independence using buses, trains and walking routes, developing practical skills such as:
- Road and personal safety
- Planning journeys
- Using timetables
- Buying tickets
- Knowing what to do if something goes wrong, such as a delayed or cancelled bus
- Understanding how and where to ask for help
- Travelling confidently within their local community
Independent travel training can help young people develop important life skills that support greater independence, access to education, employment opportunities and participation in community life.
You can find out more information and eligibility at Bromley Council’s Education Travel Assistance website page.
Young carers
If you are a child or young adult who spends time supporting a member of your family or a friend with everyday tasks that they cannot manage because of an illness or a disability, then you are a young carer, and there is support available for you.
Some of the ways young people care for someone are:
- Staying in the house a lot to be there for them
- Helping them to get up, get washed or dressed, or helping with toileting
- Doing lots of the household chores like shopping, cleaning and cooking
- Looking after younger brothers and sisters
- Managing the family budget and collecting prescriptions
- Providing emotional support or a shoulder to cry on
- Helping someone communicate or take the medicines
Finding support in Bromley
Being a young carer can affect a young person’s social life and even health. But young people can learn lots of useful skills by being a young carer. Young carers can be particularly vulnerable and in need of specialist support and advice.
Bromley Well provides support for young carers aged 4 to 19 .
Some of the services provided are
- Opportunities to meet with other young carers, have fun, discuss any worries and try out new activities
- Emotional support
- Counselling by a professional counsellor
- Training courses / workshops
- Online support
- Peer support groups
- Leisure activities
- A young carers forum
- Support for preparing for adulthood
Find out more about Bromley Well services for young carers.
Get in touch
To speak to a friendly advisor, no matter what your need, call freephone 0808 278 7898 or complete a form on their website.
Things to do
Visit the Young SEND Matters website or the Adult Learning Disability Hub for more information.
For free, impartial advice, contact Bromley IASS (Information, Advice and Support Service).