Basic idea

• Under the prefecture (government ordinance city), relevant parties should cooperate to ensure young people's smooth and prompt transition while fulfilling their respective roles. The relevant parties include municipalities, child guidance centers, residential institutions for children with disabilities, consultation support offices, and adult services.
• In doing so, it should be noted that the parties concerned should support the decision-making process of the children with disabilities and should respect the person's choices to the maximum extent. They should not neglect the aspect of the enhancement of the person’s current life.

1. A new framework for transition coordination led by prefecture

• Firstly, residential institutions for disabled children (welfare and medical) will start supporting programs for all residents aged 15 and over who are transitioning to adult services.
• The prefecture (or the government ordinance city) will set the space for discussion as the entity responsible for coordinating the transition of the relevant children living in the entire area under its jurisdiction. For cases whose smooth transition is challenging, the transition coordination is promoted with the cooperation of the parties concerned, such as child guidance centers, consultation support offices, residential institutions for disabled children. When the next accommodation has been decided to some extent, the prefecture will hand over the case to the municipality, which will decide on the adult welfare services after the transition.

2. Securing a place for transition/development of a new facility

• In light of the situation of the children and their parents, returning them to their own homes, moving them to group homes or other local facilities should be duly considered. In addition, as many children are living with specialized and complex support needs, prefectures must identify the necessity to develop new accommodation facilities such as group homes and the specifics of such facilities, based on medium- and long-term projections of the number of children aged 15 and over who are in need of transition support.
• Depending on the circumstances of the individual institution, transformation can be an option for a certain period. For example, a facility for children with disabilities is likely to transform into one for adults with disabilities or divide the facility into zones for children and adults. However, it is first necessary to ensure that each child has an appropriate environment, support, and care. The institution's capacity as a local safety net should be re-examined when reviewing the welfare plan for children with disabilities.
• It is important to develop hard and soft infrastructures (training of supporters) for people with severe challenging behaviors. In addition, a separate study needs to be carried out in preparation for the revision of remuneration in 2024.

3. A new system to support the transition to adult services

• For young people with disabilities around the age of 15 living in an institution, it is necessary to establish a support system. It is likely for institution staff (such as social workers) to support young people to make decisions, and consultation support offices provide consistent support during the transition until they settle in adult life.
• Prefectures, which have the authority to decide on the placement and benefits of using residential facilities for children with disabilities, need to make an integrated and comprehensive decision on the trial of consultation support and group homes, which are necessary for transition planning as part of the treatments.
• In view of the fact that there may be cases where young people over a certain age are not yet ready to make the transition, or where strong behavioral challenges become apparent nearer the age of 18, and it is not appropriate to transition them at 18, it is necessary to put in place institutional measures to allow those persons to continue their stay in the current residential facility until their 23rd birthday after a decision has been taken in consultation with the prefectures.