What is preparing for adulthood?

Preparing for adulthood (often called PfA) is all about helping you get ready for life as a grown-up. It’s a chance for you to start thinking about what you want your future to look like and helping the adults around you understand how to support you.

Even though schools usually start focusing on PfA around age 14 (Year 9), preparing for adult life actually begins from birth. As you grow up, you learn lots of small skills that help you become more independent later on.

Some of these skills include things like:

• choosing what you want to wear
• helping tidy up at home
• making friends and joining clubs

When you’re around 14 years old (Year 9), people working with you will start talking with you about your hopes, goals and ideas for the future. 

These will fall into 4 key areas:

• education, training and employment
• independent living
• health and wellbeing
• friends, relationships and being involved in the community

You won’t be expected to learn everything on your own. There are lots of people who can help you build these skills as you grow. Preparing for adulthood is about you, your choices, and your future, and everyone around you, your school, your family, and the professionals who support you work together to help you feel confident and ready for your next steps.