23/09/2026
I keep hearing the same sentence from parents further down this road than me.
“You think it’s hard now. It doesn’t stop at 18.”
And I don't think we talk about that enough.
Because your child turns 18.
But their needs don't turn 18.
They don't suddenly need less reassurance, less advocacy, less help navigating the world or less support to stay safe.
And you don't suddenly stop being their carer.
If anything, some parents describe reaching adulthood and discovering that the world around their child gets smaller.
School ends.
College eventually ends.
Children's services end.
Familiar professionals disappear.
Eligibility changes.
Thresholds change.
And suddenly there can be this enormous space where everyone spent years talking about preparing for adulthood…
but nobody seems terribly clear about what adulthood is actually supposed to contain.
Research backs up what families have been saying for years. Ofsted and the CQC have described a “cliff edge” in support. Research has found parents continuing to advocate, coordinate services and make transitions happen long after childhood has officially ended.
Meanwhile, the caring continues.
The appointments.
The forms.
The phone calls.
The worry about what happens next.
The fight for meaningful days, friendships, work, activities, independence, care, safety and somewhere to belong.
And perhaps one of the hardest questions of all:
“What happens when I can't do this anymore?”
So this post is for the parents ahead of me on this road.
The parents of 18-year-olds.
25-year-olds.
35-year-olds.
50-year-olds.
The parents who didn't graduate from being a SEND parent when their child graduated from school.
I see you.
And I think the rest of us need to hear much more about the world you're navigating.
Because support shouldn't have an expiry date simply because childhood does.
