Transition

    Fast facts

    1. 1
      The process of preparing and planning to move from children’s (paediatric) to adult health services is called transition
    2. 2
      There are many areas of transition in life, such as moving from education into work, or moving out of home. The transition from paediatric to adult services is another step towards being an adult
    3. 3
      There’s no fixed age for transition to start
    4. 4
      Usually by the age of 18 you will have transferred from paediatric to adult services
    5. 5
      If you’re diagnosed close to the age of 18 you might be seen by adult services straightaway
    6. 6
      The Ready Steady Go transition programme is used by some NHS Trusts. It is a programme that supports young people and their parents with transition

    Ready Steady Go

    Ready Steady Go is a programme to help you gain the knowledge and skills to manage your condition. It’s designed to help people with the transition process and learn what they can about managing their long-term health condition. It’s for young people with any long-term condition that are moving into adult care.

    If your hospital doesn’t use the Ready Steady Go programme, it’s still possible to use the resources that are part of it for free. Looking at the questionnaires might help you with any questions you have about the transition process.

    The programme was developed by Southampton Children’s hospital. Their website has more about Ready Steady Go, including the questionnaires to download.

     

    Headshot of a teenager in school uniform smiling

    Tops tips

    Be kind to yourself, transition is a period of change. It involves getting used to a different service and learning about the skills you need to manage your epilepsy. It can take time to adjust.

    Stories by you

    Have you a story to share about your experience of transition? Get in touch

    Watch

    • Transition from child to adult health services

      By Barts Health NHS Trust.

    • Transition - the journey to adult care

      By The Walton Centre.

    • Ready Steady Go

      Experiences of the Ready Steady Go programme.

    Do something

    Moving away from a team of doctors and nurses that you have got to know can be unsettling. Hopefully, by getting involved in the transition process, you will feel more confident and happier about the move. Looking through this website is a good way to help yourself learn more about epilepsy.

    What questions do you have about your epilepsy? Make a note of them.

    Updated 12 May 2020
    Review 12 May 2023
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