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

1. Introduction
This report presents the findings of a second wave of
longitudinal research with young people with special
educational needs (SEN) to record and track their progress as
they move from compulsory schooling to early adulthood. The
first wave of research with young people with SEN, and their
parents and carers, was undertaken by the Centre for
Formative Assessment Studies at the University of Manchester
in 2000/01. These young people had been on SEN Stage 2 for
two years or more, or were on higher SEN stages (regardless
of time), and were in curriculum Year 11 during that academic
year (these stages relate to the Code of Practice in force in
2000/01). This second wave of research involved going back to
these young people, and their parents and carers, in the
2002/03 academic year and has sought to build on, and
update the earlier study. This research was commissioned by
the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and was
undertaken by the Institute for Employment Studies in
partnership with MORI and Professor Alan Dyson of the
University of Manchester.
1.1 Aims and objectives of the study
The overall aims of the research have been to:
• Provide a comprehensive overview of the experiences,
achievements and attitudes of young people with SEN
during their post-16 transitions and beyond.
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of, and barriers to,
further education, higher education, training, employment
and independent living.
The key objectives for this second wave of research were to:
• Identify educational outcomes from school for young
people with SEN.
• Identify their activities on leaving school.
• Identify the support mechanisms available to young
people with SEN as they begin early adult life, and
Post-16 Transitions of Young People with SEN: Wave 2 1