Maidenhead & Windsor

The Royal Maidenhead Borough is continuing its bid to smooth the path from school to adulthood for young people with learning difficulties or additional needs with the launch next week of an innovative information pack full of helpful advice and facts.

The new transition pack will be launched at an open evening "Planning the Way Ahead" to be held on Wednesday January 18 from 7 – 9pm in the Town Hall, Maidenhead, for young people aged 13 – 24 with disabilities, and for their families and carers.

The launch of the 90-page ring-binder folder - produced by Maidenhead borough's Learning Disability Partnership Board and the Connexions careers support and advisory service - follows the success of the first open evening held in October 2004. The contents of the pack address the information needs highlighted by young people and their families at that first evening to help with the transition process to adulthood.

It is packed with information from Maidenhead Social Services and from local agencies including the Connexions Service and Ways into Work; from local colleges and leisure and day service providers; as well as information about activities and workshops for young people in transition and details of the transition process which starts in school Year 9.

All these services will feature in a range of workshops and short talks during Wednesday's open evening to highlight the opportunities and choices available to young people.

Cllr Pam Proctor, lead member for Maidenhead social services said: "We are delighted to be able to launch our new information pack which has been compiled as a result of the feedback from our first information evening – and hopefully reflects the kind of information our young people and their families want to help them through a potentially stresful stage in their development.

"The move from school life to adulthood can be particularly stressful for young people with learning difficulties, and anything we can do to improve this move is really worthwhile.

"Hopefully this one-stop information pack will be a useful and very practical tool for families in need of support and practical help. And we also hope the information they will obtain by coming along to the open evening will go some way towards helping young people appreciate the opportunities that are available."

For further information about the Maidenhead open evening and the information packs contact Sandra Driver, person-centred planning and transition officer, on 01628 503338.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead