Breakfast briefing – transition support
We’ve kickstarted 2025 on a powerful note, hosting our Kids Breakfast Briefing at the inspiring Fair Shot Cafe in London.
The event was centred around developing fresh thinking and urgent action for supporting disabled young people as they transition into adulthood.
The journey from childhood to adulthood can be daunting for anyone, but for young disabled people, it can often feel like stepping off a cliff edge. Our recent report, On the Cliff Edge, highlights the challenges faced by many disabled young people as they navigate this critical stage of life.
This breakfast briefing provided a great platform to further discuss these challenges, fostering the development of solutions-focused ideas and actionable steps towards meaningful change.
Insightful words from our speakers
We had an outstanding panel of speakers who shared their professional expertise and personal experiences. Each speaker brought a unique perspective, sparking thought-provoking discussions rooted in our shared ambition to transform outcomes for disabled young people.
Celia Chartres-Aris
A multi-award-winning disabled government special advisor, campaigner, and policy designer, who has dedicated her career to ensuring disabled people are at the heart of legislation.
John Heritage
Chief Executive of David Lewis, a modern forward-thinking charity providing outstanding education, residential services, and skills development for disabled young people.
Diane Lightfoot
CEO of the Business Disability Forum, a not-for-profit organisation supporting businesses in recruiting and retaining disabled employees and serving disabled customers.
Bianca Tavella
Founder and CEO of Fair Shot Cafe, a social entrepreneur committed to fighting for equality and diversity in employment.
Oliver Rodriguez
An employee and Cafe All Rounder at Fair Shot Cafe who graduated from the cafe’s inclusive work programme.
Fair Shot Cafe: A beacon of opportunity
Fair Shot Cafe provided the perfect location for this important discussion. It is more than a coffee shop; Fair Shot transforms the lives of young people with learning disabilities and/or autism by offering real-life work experience.
Each year, 15 young adults aged 16-25 gain invaluable skills through a supported internship programme and are matched with inclusive employment partners. Fair Shot’s vision of a society where disabled people have an equal chance at employment and opportunities is one we wholeheartedly support.
Policy priorities
Creating meaningful change requires multiple ingredients, and with so much to address, it’s essential to prioritise. We’ve identified 11 key policy areas that could significantly improve transition support.
We invited guests at the briefing to vote on which policy changes they think would have the most impactful difference for young disabled people and their families. These insights will help shape our next steps as we focus on driving meaningful change.
A heartfelt thank you
We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the day’s success. Special thanks to Frances Prenn for funding this wonderful event and to all our speakers for their invaluable insights.
We look forward to continuing these important conversations and driving meaningful change to ensure young disabled people have the same opportunities as anyone else and get the support they need to thrive.