Under the ALN Act 2018 and the ALN Code a young person will become a young person once they reach the end of compulsory school age (i.e. the last Friday of June in the year the young person turns 16).
This law says that parental rights in relation to the young person’s ALN education will automatically transfer to the young person themselves once they reach 16.
This means that local authorities and colleges must normally engage directly with the young person rather than their parents.
If the young person provides consent, parents and carers will continue to be involved in discussions; however, the final decision regarding consent to having an Individual Development Plan (IDP) prepared and maintained rests with the young person.
