The transition from school to adult life is one of the highest-risk moments in any young person's NDIS journey. Services that worked through school don't automatically transfer. Adult services have different eligibility, different providers, and different processes. And the planning needs to start well before the transition, not at it.

This article is for parents, school leavers themselves, and the educators and coordinators supporting them.

The school-to-adult transition challenge

When a young person finishes school, the support framework changes dramatically:

During school. The school system provides structure, social connections, and a level of support funded through education. Therapy may be school-based. Community access happens through school. The day is structured.

After school. The school-funded supports stop. The school day disappears. Social connections through school may not continue automatically. Community access becomes a different planning exercise. NDIS funding has to do work that was previously shared between school and NDIS.

For young people with significant disability, this transition can be particularly disruptive. Without deliberate planning, school leavers often face:

A "gap year" of unstructured time with limited engagement.

Loss of social connections.

Mental health decline.

Caregiver burnout when previously school-shared support shifts entirely to family.

Skills regression in areas that benefited from school structure.

Day program placements that aren't a great fit because they were the only option available at short notice.

The good news: with planning starting early, most of this is manageable.

School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)

SLES is a specific NDIS program for young people transitioning out of school. It's designed to help young people with disability prepare for or begin work, or develop their skills if work isn't immediately the goal.

SLES typically funds:

Structured programs running 3-5 days a week for 1-2 years.

Skill development (work skills, social skills, life skills).

Workplace readiness activities.

Work experience placements.

Capacity building toward longer-term employment or community engagement.

SLES sits in Capacity Building funding and is allocated for a specific time period, usually 2 years post-school. It's not for everyone — for some young people, more capacity-building work is needed before employment focus is appropriate. But for many, SLES provides crucial structure during the early post-school years.

To get SLES funding, the request usually goes in at the planning meeting before school exit (or at the next plan review post-exit). Strong advocacy from family, school transition team, and any existing NDIS providers helps.

Post-school options

Beyond SLES, the main post-school pathways for young people with disability are:

Open employment with DES support. For young people work-ready, Disability Employment Services (DES) helps with finding and keeping jobs. DES is funded separately from NDIS but works alongside.

Supported employment / Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs). Workplaces specifically employing people with disability, with support included. ADEs have their place but have been controversial — some are excellent, some have been criticised for low pay and limited integration.

Day programs. Structured group programs running 3-5 days a week. Some focus on skill development, some on social engagement, some on community participation. Quality varies.

Further study. TAFE and university courses, sometimes with NDIS-funded support for accessibility, study skills, and capacity building.

Open community participation. For young people with very high support needs, individual community participation rather than group programs.

Gap year / year off. Some young people benefit from a year of decompression after school, especially if school has been stressful. Worth considering, with planning to ensure the gap year has structure.

The right path varies significantly by individual. The goal of planning is identifying the right path early enough to set it up.

NDIS planning timeline for school leavers

A reasonable timeline:

Year 10 (15-16 years old). First conversations about post-school directions. NDIS plan goals start including transition-relevant elements. Start visiting potential post-school options.

Year 11. Concrete planning for post-school directions. SLES exploration. Visit programs. Plan reviews start including specific transition supports.

Year 12. Final post-school planning. SLES applications submitted. Day program placements arranged if relevant. NDIS plan reviewed before school exit.

Last 6 months of school. Specific post-school services confirmed. Transition supports active. Final paperwork in place.

Post-school. New supports active immediately. Transition coordination at higher intensity for first 3-6 months.

This timeline assumes someone is doing the planning work. In practice, this falls to either parents (who may be overstretched), the school's transition coordinator (whose role and funding varies), the existing NDIS support coordinator (if they have one), or no one.

If no one's actively driving the transition, the gap usually widens. A specialised support coordinator with experience in school transitions is valuable in the year or two before exit.

What parents should start doing at 15

For parents of children with disability approaching the transition:

Talk to the school's transition coordinator if they have one. Find out what they offer.

Start visiting post-school programs to get a sense of options. Not to commit, but to see what's available.

Engage your support coordinator in the transition specifically. If you don't have a coordinator, this might be the time to add one.

Update NDIS goals to include post-school directions. Plans built around school may not transfer well.

Build the young person's capacity. Independence with daily living tasks, transport, money management, social skills — all become more important post-school.

Connect with other families who've been through the transition. Their experience is invaluable.

Pay attention to your young person's preferences. This is their transition, not yours. What do they want to do? What energises them? What scares them?

Frequently asked questions

My child has high support needs. Are there real post-school options?

Yes. Day programs for young people with high support needs exist in most regions, though variety is limited. Some young people benefit from individual community participation rather than group programs. Talk to your coordinator about options.

What if my child wants to work but isn't job-ready?

SLES programs are designed for exactly this — building work readiness over 1-2 years before pursuing open employment.

Can my child still get NDIS therapy after school?

Yes. NDIS-funded therapy continues post-school, often delivered privately rather than through school. Capacity building funding for OT, psychology, speech pathology continues based on need.

What about university or TAFE — does NDIS help?

Yes — NDIS can fund disability-related supports during further study, including support workers, accessibility software, study skills support, and travel to study venues. These supports are different from what the educational institution provides.

My child finished school six months ago and we still haven't sorted out a structured day. Help.

Contact a coordinator urgently. Six months in is recoverable but not ideal. Identify what's available locally, prioritise immediate engagement (even if not perfect), and build from there.

If you have a young person approaching the school-to-adult transition and want help planning, contact Seareal. Our coordinators across Queensland have experience with school transitions and can help you think through the path.