The transition from secondary school can be challenging for many young people with learning disabilities. Previous research findings indicate that friendships can be difficult to maintain during this phase of transition, with some young people reporting feeling increasingly socially isolated. Transition to adult life is a critical stage of development for young people with learning disabilities and requires appropriate targeted support to address the ongoing challenges with friendships and loneliness in adulthood.

We worked in partnership with adults with learning disabilities, family carers, and teachers to co-design an intervention to support the friendships of young people with learning disabilities across school transition.

We carried out a series of co-production workshops to understand what helps people to sustain friendships during transition, what are the challenges, and what other support is needed. We worked in direct collaboration with adults with learning disabilities, family carers, and teachers to map out the content and structure of this intervention.

The intervention was piloted in three secondary schools in central Scotland. At the end of the intervention, we interviewed a sample of young people and parent carers about their experience of taking part in the programme. We also interviewed the facilitators who delivered the intervention.

Analysis of our pilot study is ongoing. Initial findings indicate this intervention to be feasible to deliver and acceptable for young people with learning disabilities and family carers.  

Project information last update April 2026.