Post-16 Transitions: a Longitudinal Study of Young People with ...

those seeking additional information) and local council staff
(nine per cent of parents looking for additional information).
As with parents and carers seeking additional help on the
other issues, most received this help by way of:
• information
• an explanation of the options available, and
• help to plan additional support for the young person.
One in ten parents and carers however, reported that,
although they had sought additional help or support on social
security or housing issues, this support or help had not been
forthcoming.
Less than one in ten parents and carers (eight per cent) had
actively sought other published information and advice about
social security benefits or housing. Again, parents of young
people with statements of SEN and those attending special
schools were more likely to have done so than those without
statements and/or who had attended a mainstream school.
Parents of young people with sensory and/or physical
disabilities were also much more likely to have sought other
published information about social security and/or housing
than those with children of other SEN types. Most of these
parents had found this (largely useful) material at the Benefits
Agency (44 per cent of those seeking additional published
material approached this agency). Other sources of this type of
information included colleges, local councils, the Jobcentre
and the internet.
Just over one in ten parents and carers reported that they had
encountered some sort of difficulty obtaining services or
advice relating to social security benefits or housing. Once
again, these difficulties related to a lack of general information
or guidance (24 per cent of those encountering difficulties said
this was the problem). 16 per cent of those experiencing
problems trying to get support or advice said they had
encountered a lack of financial support. 13 per cent reported
that they received conflicting advice from staff in different
services whilst ten per cent said they felt that staff from
different services were not working together. A similar
proportion also complained that they had to wait a long time
for support to be provided.
6.3.4 Special educational need
One in five parents and carers had also sought additional
support and information about the young person’s special
educational need(s). Not surprisingly, parents of young people
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Post-16 Transitions of Young People with SEN: Wave 2