What happens after compulsory school for a child with significant support needs

Terms used

• PTVA — The PTVA is a post-16 transition programme that prepares young people with significant support needs for adult life.
• Centro ocupacional — A centro ocupacional is a social services day centre offering therapy and work skills to adults with disabilities who cannot work.
• Centro especial de empleo — A centro especial de empleo is a company where most staff have a disability, offering adapted paid work.
• ESO — ESO is secondary school in Spain, covering ages 12 to 16.

Key rules

• Regional rules: Names, age limits, lengths and places for every route differ by region, so confirm locally.
• Disability certificate: Centros ocupacionales and centros especiales de empleo need a certificate of 33% or more.
• Special school: Special education schools generally serve pupils up to age 21.
• Start early: Begin 2 to 3 years before leaving school, because assessments and waiting lists are slow.

The short answer

There are four main routes after compulsory school: a transition programme, adapted vocational training, a centro ocupacional (day centre) and a centro especial de empleo (supported workplace). Which ones exist near you, and from what age, depends on your region. Education is run regionally, so names, age ranges, lengths and numbers of places all differ. Cities usually have more choice.

The decision block below helps you compare the routes. The timeline, documents and checklist cover the steps.

Staying on at school

Compulsory schooling runs from age 6 to 16. A pupil with special educational needs can often stay in ESO for one extra year. Your regional education department sets the exact extension, so ask the school what applies to your child.

If your child attends a special education school, they can generally stay until age 21. Staying longer is exceptional.

Transition programme (PTVA)

A Programa de Transición a la Vida Adulta (PTVA) is a post-16 programme in a special school or an ordinary centre. It teaches personal autonomy, social skills, work habits and taking part in the community.

• It usually covers ages 16 to 21 and lasts about 1 to 3 years. The region sets the exact length.
• Entry needs an educational needs assessment and a decision by the regional education department.
• The name differs by region.

Adapted vocational training

Basic vocational training (Ciclos Formativos de Grado Básico, or FP Básica) is open to pupils aged 15 to 17 whom the school proposes and whose family agrees. Pupils with special needs can join with adaptations, such as changes to the curriculum, support staff and extra time.

Some regions also offer adapted programmes, such as Programas Formativos Profesionales, for young people with greater needs. Ask the school's orientation team whether your region has one.

Centro ocupacional

A centro ocupacional is a social services day centre. It offers occupational therapy, work skills and personal and social development to adults who cannot currently work in ordinary or supported employment.

• You normally need a disability certificate of 33% or more. Many centres also look for a higher level of support need.
• Users must be of working age, usually from 18 (in some places 16) to about 65.
• You apply to the regional social services or dependency department. It assesses your child and allocates publicly funded or subsidised places.
• Waiting lists are common. Fees and criteria vary by region.

Centro especial de empleo

A centro especial de empleo is a company where most of the staff have a disability. It offers paid work adapted to the person and can be a bridge to ordinary employment.

• At least 70% of staff must have a recognised disability.
• Workers need a disability certificate of 33% or more.
• Workers have an ordinary employment contract, with a salary at least equal to the minimum wage, pro rata for part-time hours.

When to start

Start looking 2 to 3 years before your child leaves school, from around age 16 to 18. Apply 6 to 12 months before the end of the course. Disability certificates and dependency assessments can take many months, so start them early.

Finding options near you

• Ask your regional education department's special education or orientation service.
• Ask the regional social services office.
• Contact disability associations such as Plena Inclusión and ONCE.

What changes at 18 and 21 is covered in the warning below.

Choosing between options

Which route fits your child after compulsory school?

• Stay on in ESO for an extra year: Your child still benefits from school and a regional extension is allowed, which can keep them in school up to about 18 or 19.

• Transition programme (PTVA): Your child is 16 or older and needs to build personal autonomy, social skills and work habits. It usually lasts about 1 to 3 years, and entry needs an educational needs assessment.

• Adapted vocational training: Your child is aged 15 to 17 and can work towards a trade with adaptations, and your region offers an adapted programme.

• Centro ocupacional: Your child is an adult with a disability certificate of 33% or more who cannot currently work in ordinary or sheltered employment. Apply to social services 6 to 12 months before school ends, as waiting lists are common.

• Centro especial de empleo: Your child can do paid work with adaptations and has a disability certificate of 33% or more.

Choose by what your child can do now and what your region offers. Use paid work if they can hold a job, a centro ocupacional if they cannot work yet, and a transition programme or extra school year to build skills first.

Timeline and deadlines

• Compulsory schooling ends and ESO stay can be extended for pupils with special educational needs by one extra year: at age 16, with an extra year possible up to about 18 or 19 depending on the region

• Leave a special education school: generally by age 21, with the upper limit varying by region

Documents you need

• Disability certificate showing a degree of disability of 33% or more, issued by the regional body that assesses disability. You need it for a centro ocupacional place and to work in a centro especial de empleo.

• Dependency assessment from the regional social services or dependency department. A centro ocupacional often asks for a higher degree of support need, and the department uses this assessment to allocate places.

• Application to the regional social services or dependency department for a centro ocupacional place, submitted 6 to 12 months before the end of the school course.

• Ordinary employment contract (relación laboral especial) with a centro especial de empleo, signed once you are offered a job. It must pay at least the minimum wage, pro rata.

Checklist

• Ask your regional education department what the upper age limit is for your child's special education school.

• Ask the school's orientation team which routes after school exist in your region: a transition programme, adapted vocational training, a centro ocupacional or a centro especial de empleo.

• Check that your child has a disability certificate of 33% or more, which a centro ocupacional normally requires.

• Ask the regional social services office about the age range, fees and waiting list for a centro ocupacional place.

• Confirm which place or programme you want to apply for and how the regional department allocates places.

What changes at 18 and 21

• Special school ends around age 21: Special education schools generally serve pupils up to age 21, and staying longer is exceptional. Many regions then direct young people to adult services such as occupational centres or day centres. A year or two before, ask the school's orientation team which adult services your region offers. If you want a longer stay, ask the school to request it from the regional education department.

• The family benefit needs a new application at 18: The benefit for a child with a disability changes at 18. It becomes a monthly allowance for adult children with a disability of at least 65%, and it is higher if the person needs help from another person. It is not paid automatically. It is incompatible with a pension, and the alternative is a non-contributory pension, which has income limits. Apply to the INSS, Spain's social security office, when your child turns 18. Ask which option suits you better.

• Children's health services stop: Paediatric care usually ends at 14, or up to 16 or 18 in some regions. Child and adolescent mental health units usually discharge or transfer patients at 18. Care then moves to a family doctor and adult mental health centres. Ask the current doctor or unit about a transfer plan well before the birthday, and ask whether your region has a transition programme.

• Legal capacity and Dependencia are separate topics: At 18 your child is an adult in law, which raises questions about legal capacity and about the Dependencia care system. These are covered in their own topics. Read those topics before your child turns 18.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child take a vocational course if they have significant support needs?

Yes, basic vocational training (FP Básica) is open to pupils aged 15 to 17 whom the school proposes and whose family agrees, and it can be adapted. Adaptations include curricular adjustments, support staff and extended time. Some regions also run adapted vocational programmes for pupils with greater needs.

How do I find transition programmes or adapted courses near me?

Start with your regional education department's special education or orientation services, and ask the school's orientation team. The regional social services office and disability associations such as Plena Inclusión and ONCE can also point you to local options. Cities usually have more choice than rural areas.

What is a centro especial de empleo and who can work there?

A centro especial de empleo is a company where at least 70% of staff have a recognised disability, and you need a disability certificate of 33% or more to work there.

How long does a transition programme (PTVA) last?

A Programa de Transición a la Vida Adulta usually lasts about 1 to 3 years, with the exact length set by your region. It covers young people from 16 to 21 and teaches personal autonomy, social skills and work habits.