If you have SEN support, you and your parents/carers will regularly discuss your future support needs with your teachers, even if you don't have a Preparing for Adulthood Review.

• Connect with others

• Discover their passions

• Gain valuable work skill

  
  

For more details click here.

• Employment mentoring

• Help with overcoming barriers to work

• A wide range of adult skills development opportunities

These services are available to adults aged 19 and over.

For more details click here.

For more information about:

Work programmes & Youth Offer 16-24 years old, work coaches and Disability Employment Advisors click here.

External Places Jobcentre signpost:

• King's Trust - provide a number of national contracted Provision as well as adhoc non-contracted provision .

• Youth Federation - Better Start Programme in Winsford

• Evenbreak - Support customers with disabilities into work. Evenbreak also provide Career Hive

For more details click here.

Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16- to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an EHC plan. The core aim of a supported internship study programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach, within mainstream employment settings.

Supported Internships programme in Cheshire West and Chester

• Cheshire West and Chester - Supported Internship Programme

• New Ground

• Petty Pool

• Cheshire College South & West

• Warrington and Vale Royal College

• Reaseheath College

• Coleg Cambria

• Wirral Met

• Features over 1000 videos of people talking about their careers – explaining their job role, career path, and how different factors have shaped their direction.

• Videos can be filtered by job type or subject and cover a range of sectors and levels, encouraging young people to draw links between school subjects and jobs

• discover opportunities they may not have known about before.

• Aged 16 Years + with a learning disability and an EHCP

• The employer and provider must reasonably expect that the apprentice will be able to successfully achieve the vocational aspects of the apprenticeship requirements ie level 2 or above

• The provider must complete an assessment to ensure that the apprentice is able to complete Entry Level 3 qualifications in maths and English during their apprenticeship

  
  

• Find an apprenticeship

• National apprenticeship contact

• Support for apprentices with a learning difficulty or disability

• Working age young people and adults

• Special educational needs, learning difficulties and/or disabilities

• Primary/secondary mental health care

To find out more click here.

Prior to the young person turning 18, a Care Act Assessment can be completed to identify eligible needs for care and support. Under adult’s services, Adults in receipt of care and support receive a financial assessment to determine the amount that they will need to contribute to the cost of their care.

Direct Payments are monetary payments that people can receive to fund their own Care and Support Needs to meet their outcomes in a way that best suits them.

• Direct Payments for All Ages Policy

• NHS Personal Budget and Direct Payments 

The three elements of volunteering:

1. Free will - An act of choice, and entirely voluntary.

2. Unpaid - Without receiving a salary, stipend, or any form of material renumeration.

3. Making a difference - Doing something positive for someone, or something, beyond yourself (e.g your city, your community, your environment).

• The Cheshire and Warrington Volunteering Hub - this platform enables volunteers to search for an opportunity local to them, including by postcode, area of interest, and level of commitment.

• Social media - volunteering roles are often promoted via Facebook community groups, local forums, Linkedin etc.

• Word of mouth - voluntary organisations are often at the heart of a local community, enabling residents to spread the word about interesting volunteering roles.

• Leaflets/notice boards - this may be in local shops, cafes, libraries, colleges, or community spaces.

• Learning a range of new skills

• Gaining real work experience

• Enhancing your CV and employability

• Meeting new people

• Provides a sense of purpose and reduces social isolation

• Increased wellbeing and confidence

• Potential for accredited training (depending on the role)

• Connecting with your community and shaping how things are run for the better

Additional Resources:

• Volunteering and claiming benefits

• Volunteers and employment rights

• Find a volunteering role

• Volunteering can be one-off (or micro-volunteering), and doesn't always require open-ended commitment.

• Volunteer managers are generally accommodating and flexible with whatever time you are willing to commit.

• You won't be out of pocket - most organisations will reimburse volunteer expenses such as travel or lunch.

• Volunteering roles can be enjoyable, varied, and diverse.

• Volunteering is not the same as employment, and won't effect your entitlement to claim benefits, universal credit, or any other social security payments.

• Everyone has something valuable to offer.

Completed Projects

• 3 shared houses for LD and Autism [2 Northwich,1 E Port]

• 1 shared house for aged 16+ LD and Autism [Winsford]

• 2 fully accessible shared bungalows

• 8 Flats [Winsford] LD and Autism

• 14 flats [Chester] MH

There are pipeline projects across Cheshire West and Chester.

10 Year Prospectus:

The Council launched its new 10 year Housing Strategy in 2025 and is preparing a new local plan which will identify the type and location of new housing needed.

Our Housing Strategy aims to ensure that we have housing that local people need and can afford.

The council has a range of day opportunities with different providers across Cheshire west from building based services to personalised support

Agency Support: support at home or outreach

• Directory of Support

• Care Directory

• Integrated Access and Referral Team (I-Art)

• Disabled Children and Young People

• Moving from Children's Social Care to Adult Services

• The Transitions Service

In this section you will find a range of activities available in Cheshire West and Chester. You will also find information on short breaks that have been commissioned   

• Activities and short breaks

What SEND related Health Services area available?

• Annual GP Health Checks should be offered to you from age 14 if you have Learning Disabilities - for more information see our leaflet here

• You may see a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Mental Health professional or another health professional from any of the GP Surgeries

You must have a GP in the Cheshire West and Chester and to be able to use the service  

For more information see our service leaflets:

• An introduction to your local specialist Learning Disability Service Cheshire West

• Being assessed for a learning disability - Information for people who use our services

• Supporting people who are referred to the adult learning disability team for an Edibility Assessment - information for family, friends and carers

• Learning Disability Health Check 14+

• Young people and adults with learning disabilities or autism – 16+

• Under 16, by arrangement with school

The Bren Programme consists of:

Stage 1 – Profiling - Developing a personal profile and an initial action plan based on aspirations.

Stage 2 – In House Training – Bren Bikes - 8 weeks at Bren Bikes social enterprise in Chester, learning a range of skills and building confidence.

Stage 3 – Out on Site – External Placement - 8 weeks on placement with a suitable employer supported on a one to one basis by a Job Coach which can be withdrawn on a stage basis.

Stage 4 -  Evaluation and next steps - An in-depth look at what went well with the placement and where next.

The Bren Project

Email: admin@brenproject.org.uk

Telephone: 01244 313473

Bren Project – Case Study

The checklist has been designed to help make health appointments, training sessions, and employment meetings comfortable and accessible for neurodivergent people. 

The checklist focuses on five main areas: 

• Communication

• Health

• Environment 

• Change

• Knowledge 

• Tell us what you think of our new preparing for adulthood pathway here.

Support for young people:

• 1‑to‑1 mentoring and coaching: individual support focused on building confidence, motivation, and clear progression towards employment, training, or education.

• Personalised action planning: support to identify goals, break them into achievable steps, and regularly review progress.

• Employability and life skills development: practical support to build key skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and workplace readiness.

• Confidence and motivation building: activities and sessions designed to increase self‑belief, resilience, and positive decision‑making.

• Group work and peer support: opportunities to take part in group sessions that build social skills, confidence, and shared learning in a supportive environment.

• Ongoing engagement and support: continued support during employment, education, training, volunteering, or placements to help sustain positive outcomes.

• Barrier reduction: support to identify and address personal, social, or practical barriers that impact progression.

• Advice, guidance, and signposting: Information and referrals to additional or specialist services where appropriate