Lost in Transition: the 16-18 Support Vacuum

“It feels like you’re meant to be an adult, but nobody’s told you how.” Student, aged 17

The Invisible Years in Education

In education, we pride ourselves on preparing young people for their futures and intend that our input helps to ensure these futures are brighter than they would otherwise have been. Yet, there is one group often overlooked within the system: not intentionally, but structurally. Young people aged 16 to 18 occupy a unique and complex position. They're neither children nor fully-fledged adults. They straddle two worlds: legally capable of consent, employment, and independent decision-making, and yet still maturing neurologically, emotionally, and socially.

This phase is not just a bridge to adulthood; it is a crucial time of transition. I have written in previous posts about the transitions of this phase, but this blog has a wider focus. Whilst I consider the 16-18 phase to be the most exciting stage of education for so many reasons, for significant numbers of vulnerable young people, it is also sadly a time when they face arguably more barriers than ever before.  I hope to summarise some of the key issues and provide some hopeful recommendations for the future so that all young people have the opportunity to see the excitement of this important chapter in their lives.

The 16–18 Vacuum: When Systems Fall Away

At 16, statutory school support ends. At 18, most social care and mental health services withdraw. For many young people, this double exit creates a support vacuum: a cliff-edge where known (and potentially only just starting to be trusted) professionals disappear and new systems are difficult - if not impossible - to navigate.  This is particularly true when we consider that those having to navigate this new realm are some of our most vulnerable young people.

In this vacuum, risks escalate:

• Mental health needs often go unmet. 

  
  

There is significant research supporting this, often focusing on the transition from CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services) to AMHS (adult mental health services): ‘CAMHS transitions are often poorly managed with negative outcomes for young people’ (Dunn, 2017); ‘Young people who fall through the gap have reported anxiety and frustration caused by a lack of continuity of care, especially at a time where they are likely to experience several concurrent life transitions’ (Appleton et al., 2022). This leads to 42% of eligible young people not being transferred to adult services (Singh et al., 2010). If you have ever supported a young person and/or their family with this type of transition, these descriptions no doubt resonate. 

Arguably, harder still is accessing support for young people of this age who do not have a history of involvement with CAMHS. Joining the CAMHS waiting list is often futile as the young person will likely reach adulthood before they access support. It often appears that unless a child of this age is in acute crisis, there is no immediate support available. If your school or Local Authority has access to an NHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST), this can be a useful avenue to pursue – even if you cannot gain support directly, they can often signpost to the most appropriate service for the young person. This support is not yet available nationwide, however, and so the vacuum continues. It is sadly essential now that schools can provide either their own in-house counsellor or buy in a counselling service for students in this phase.

• Education disengagement spikes.

  
  

The 2008 Education and Skills Act first introduced the concept of raising the participation age (RPA) in education to 18.  A recent report by Edge Foundation found that ‘Most young people make a post-16 transition but large numbers drop out and fail to re-engage in learning/work or connect with local support services until they hit the benefit system at 18’ (Dickson et al., 2025, p. 2). With 8.9% of 16-18 year olds in England NEET (not in education, employment or training), the RPA target is clearly not being met. 

Add to this the lack of national tracking of educational attendance data at 16-18, and the picture becomes very grey indeed.  Many schools that operate up to age 18 see a drop in attendance for students in Years 12 and 13, but the absence of centralised reporting of attendance data post-16 means that it is very difficult for professionals involved to provide adequate support.  I have tried several times to report children over 16 ‘missing from education’ throughout my career.  The Local Authority always responds to say that the child does not ‘count’ as CME (child missing education) as they are over ‘compulsory school age’.  The government guidance on this states: ‘A child continues to be of compulsory school age until the last Friday of June in the school year that they reach sixteen.’  So, young people must be in education, employment or training until 18, but nobody at a government level is tracking whether they actually attend for the final two years (nor are they doing anything about it if it is flagged that they are not). Coupled with this, 16-19 funding guidance states: ‘Institutions must ensure that students are withdrawn from a programme where they have not attended classes for 4 continuous weeks, excluding holidays. Withdrawals must be actioned in a timely manner, and where a student has not been withdrawn but has been absent for more than 4 weeks, there must be auditable evidence of an intention to return.’ Yet another vacuum.

Often, however, this disengagement may actually happen within education.  Young people may truant lessons or disengage when they are in class.  It takes teachers and support staff with strong expertise to address these sorts of issues, and often, the disengagement is due to serious matters beyond school or college that, no matter how skilled the practitioners, the disengagement will persist.

This blog does not seek to specifically explore disadvantage and its impact at post-16, but it would be remiss not to mention the fact that students who might fall into some of the categories discussed may also have their experiences exacerbated by other forms of disadvantage.  The Education Policy Institute has done excellent work on measuring ‘the disadvantage gap’ in recent years, and it is worth exploring their latest analysis alongside the points raised here.

• Housing instability and exploitation increase.

  
  

Housing is fundamental to young people’s educational success. Without safe and secure housing, students simply cannot achieve their potential.  It is not unusual for schools and colleges to be asked to provide support for housing applications - I have certainly seen a significant increase in these sorts of requests in recent years. Often, the 16-18 year old in the family might be relied upon by parents to liaise with services due to language or educational barriers.  This increased pressure on the young person can lead to their withdrawal in other areas.  Whilst schools and colleges can support families via the Early Help route, these additional meetings with professionals can have a negative impact on the young person, making them associate school with home stressors, which can, in turn, lead to disengagement.

The statistics are really quite alarming.

• During 2022–23, 6,500 young people aged 16 or 17 presented as homeless to authorities; of those not unaccompanied, only 40% were accommodated. Just 39% of these placements were under Section 20 (looked‑after status), meaning many did not receive full statutory support (Barton et al., 2025).

  
  

The situation is even more concerning for care leavers, and, if a young person is taken into care just before their 18^th birthday, securing care leaver support can be extremely challenging.

• 7% of care leavers aged 17 years; 3% of care leavers aged 18 years and 6% of care leavers aged 19-21 are in accommodation considered to be unsuitable (Home for Good)

  
  

If a 16-18 year old becomes estranged from their family, it is usually their school or college that they turn to for support.  This is not an everyday occurrence (thankfully), but when a young person comes to you asking for support in this situation, it is natural to feel an obligation to find ways to help.  This often involves staff ‘going above and beyond’ to research options for the young person.  We all know how much schools and colleges run on the good will of staff – this is never truer than when we are confronted with a young person at risk.

Similarly, this age group are subject to further risk via crime and exploitation (either by committing crime themselves or by falling victim to it). Most crime statistics group all children together (under-18s), so it is difficult to differentiate, but there are some statistics that are particularly concerning (I have selected only a few from a very long and depressing list).

• In the year ending March 2024, there were approximately 35,600 proven offences committed by children, that resulted in a caution or sentence at court. Youth aged 15-17 are responsible for a large portion of these offences, comprising 80% of children who received a caution or sentence in 2021-22, despite being a smaller demographic (36% of the 10-17 population). (Catch 22)

• Women aged 16 -19 are more likely to be victims of Domestic Abuse (DA) than women aged 25 years and over. Similarly, men aged 16 – 19 were most likely to experience DA than at any other age. (Office for National Statistics, 2020)

• 94 per cent of children involved in serious incidents of child criminal exploitation were males between the ages of 15-18. (Centre for Social Justice, 2025).

• At least 27,000 children are at risk of involvement in county lines across England. Boys aged 14–17 are often recruited via social media and coerced into carrying drugs or weapons. (Children’s Commissioner for England, 2023 County Lines Briefing)

Supporting students who are victims of crime in this age group can be particularly challenging.  Issues around consent to share information (particularly with families) can be tricky for schools and colleges to manage.  Consulting all professionals involved about the best approach in this regard (always prioritising student safety, of course) is key.

• And critically, safeguarding frameworks become less clear.

  
  

Although still legally children in some respects, 16-18s are frequently treated as autonomous adults by housing providers, health services, and even safeguarding leads in many organisations. Yet they remain highly vulnerable – in some ways (due to the lack of safety net services) more so than they might have been pre-16.

Often disclosures made by young people in this age group are serious and complex. As educators, we may witness the warning signs - withdrawal, erratic attendance, unsafe relationships - but our ability to intervene is often constrained by a system that seems to have quietly stepped back.  It can be very frustrating to try and secure support for students and often feels like a battle.  It takes real persistence and tenacity to get answers and often feels like (severely stretched) services simply don’t see young people of this age group as a priority.  It is therefore incumbent on all professionals working in post-16 to ensure that safeguarding issues are followed up as robustly as they would be for younger students.

From Disengagement to Empowerment: What Works

Thankfully, a growing body of research highlights practical, positive interventions that make a real difference for this age group:

·       Transition Planning

Young people who helped design their own post-16 plans had 20% better outcomes in education, employment, or training (Effective Transitions Fund, 2024).  Working with students in Years 10 and 11 can really help to prevent some of the risk factors later on.

·       Trusted Adults

Having a dedicated keyworker or mentor during transition increased service engagement by 50% after one year (Dunn, 2017). Relationships really do matter (especially for those students who do not have stable relationships at home), and not just until GCSE results day.

·       Tailored Safeguarding

Models that extend safeguarding into early adulthood, including supported accommodation and digital safety education, have the potential to reduce vulnerability to grooming, radicalisation, and mental health crisis.

The Role of Education: Holding the Line

Schools and colleges are often the last consistent adult presence in a young person’s life before full independence. That makes our role not just academic, but protective, and essential.

We must:

• Ensure continuity of support beyond Year 11 (and even provide further support for vulnerable students prior to this): through keyworkers, career guidance, and/or mentorship.

• Build strong multi-agency links, especially with mental health support and housing teams.

• Reframe safeguarding as post-16 inclusive, not post-16 exempt.

• Equip staff with more training specific to the vulnerabilities of this transitional age.

  
  

This isn’t about wrapping 17-year-olds in cotton wool. It’s about recognising that adolescence doesn’t end with a date of birth, and neither should our duty of care.

The 16-18 phase isn’t a waiting room for adulthood; it’s a launchpad. It can, and should, be the most exciting phase of students’ education to date – a time for them to choose their direction beyond full time education and enjoy the freedom of the endless possibility of their adult life ahead. But, this can only happen if we scaffold it correctly. By empowering young people with stable relationships, proactive planning, and robust safeguarding, we create not just safer schools, but stronger futures.

As I am about to undertake a huge transition of my own, from being a Director of Sixth Form in a wonderful large 11-18 school to the Post-16 Policy Specialist for ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders), I hope to contribute to work that sees the sector commit to the 16-18 phase not as an afterthought, but as one of education’s greatest priorities, and indeed opportunities.

Reference list

Appleton, R., Loew, J. and Mughal, F. (2022) ‘Primary care support for young people who have fallen through the mental health transition gap: a qualitative study’, British Journal of General Practice, vol. 72, no. 719, p. BJGP.2021.0678 [Online]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp.2021.0678.

Barton, C., Greaves, F. and Wilson, S. (2025) Youth homelessness [Online]. Available at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2024-0083/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

Dickson, M., Maguire, S., Jose Ventura Alfaro, M., Laczik, A., Dabbous, D., Newton, O. and Thomson, D. (2025) Keeping young people in learning until the age of 18 - does it work? Evidence from the raising of the participation age in England. [Online]. Available at https://www.edge.co.uk/research/projects/research-reports/keeping-young-people-in-learning-until-the-age-of-18-does-it-work/.

Dunn, V. (2017) ‘Young people, mental health practitioners and researchers co-produce a Transition Preparation Programme to improve outcomes and experience for young people leaving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)’, BMC Health Services Research, vol. 17, no. 1 [Online]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2221-4.

Education Policy Institute, https://epi.org.uk/publications-and-research/breaking-down-the-gap/ (2018) Breaking down the gap - Education Policy Institute.

Effective Transitions Fund evaluation | Institute for Employment Studies (IES), https://www.employment-studies.co.uk/resource/effective-transitions-fund-evaluation (2024) Effective Transitions Fund evaluation | Institute for Employment Studies (IES) [Online].

Gomes, M. and Audley, J. (2023) Understanding violence in young people: explanations, approaches and resources [Online]. Available at https://www.catch-22.org.uk/resources/understanding-violence-in-young-people/.

Home For Good, https://homeforgood.org.uk/statistics/england?filter=care-leavers (n.d.) National statistics for fostering and adoption.

Office for National Statistics (2020) Domestic abuse victim characteristics, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics [Online]. Available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabusevictimcharacteristicsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2020.

Parliament.uk, https://committees.parliament.uk/event/18861/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/ (2023) 4 July 2023 - Child exploitation and county lines - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament.

Singh, S. P., Paul, M., Ford, T., Kramer, T., Weaver, T., McLaren, S., Hovish, K., Islam, Z., Belling, R. and White, S. (2010) ‘Process, outcome and experience of transition from child to adult mental healthcare: multiperspective study’, British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 197, no. 4, pp. 305–312 [Online]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.109.075135.

The Centre for Social Justice, https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/lost-boys (2025) Lost Boys.