Implementing Inclusiveness Realising
Potential
Annex C
The Wider Context
This annex sets out the wider context in which The
Committee developed its recommendations.
Current Arrangements
Special Educational Needs
Education authorities have a duty under section 1 of the
Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to secure the adequate and
efficient provision of school education for their area,
including adequate and efficient education for special
educational needs. Education authorities must establish
which children belonging to their area, who are 2 years of
age or over but under school leaving age, have pronounced,
specific or complex special educational needs which require
continuing review. They must open and keep a Record of
Needs for any such child who, following assessment, is
found to have such needs. In certain cases, the education
authority may continue the Record of Needs until a young
person has reached his/her 18th birthday.
Future Needs Assessment
The 1980 Act requires education authorities to undertake
a Future Needs Assessment of recorded pupils during the
period beginning two years before a child ceases to be of
school age (16 years) and ending 9 months before then. The
aim is to help maximise a pupil's potential, to extend the
choice of post-school routes available to recorded school
leavers, and to enable plans to be prepared for the
transition from school to other education or training, or
to employment. Assisting pupils with special educational
needs to prepare for the transition from school to
post-school provision has been highlighted as a priority
area for project funding in the Government's new SEN
Innovative Grants programme aimed at voluntary
organisations and other agencies working in partnership
with local authorities in the special educational needs
area.
Role of Careers Service
The statutory role of the careers service is to assist
those in "relevant education" to decide what employment,
education and training will be suitable for them, through
the provision of information, advice and guidance; and to
assist clients to obtain such employment, education or
training. The framework of guidance to providers of careers
services demands the provision of a confidential and
impartial service, centred on the needs of the individual;
equality of opportunity and accessibility of the service
are emphasised. The framework prescribes that services
should be made available without charge to individuals of
any age with disabilities, including learning disabilities;
and to 16 and 17 year olds who have left education. Careers
service companies are encouraged to work in strategic
partnership with other bodies to meet the needs of
clients.
A section of the framework is devoted particularly to
the relationship with clients with special education and
training needs. Careers advisers are encouraged to act as
advocates for disadvantaged clients who may need additional
support to obtain a suitable placement. Where clients have
special educational or training needs, specialist
assessment should be available to the Careers Guidance
practitioner, for example, from the educational
psychologist or the employment medical advisory service.
Careers service companies are required to make a
contribution to the Future Needs Assessment. They are also
required to collaborate with their Local Enterprise Company
to help plan the provision of Skillseekers; identify the
special training needs of some young people; and endorse
them, in liaison with the LEC, for the provision of
additional support as required to meet those needs. Careers
service companies are also required to provide supporting
services to parents, employers schools and colleges.
Further Education: Provision in FE Colleges for
Students with Learning Difficulties and
Disabilities
The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992
placed a duty on the Secretary of State, in ensuring
adequate and efficient provision of further education, to
have regard to the requirements of persons over school age
who have learning difficulties. A similar duty is placed on
college Boards of Management. SOEID Circular 3/93 is the
key statement on how colleges should meet the needs of
students with disabilities or learning difficulties
Colleges are required to draw up personal learning and
support plans for students who attend Special Courses or
receive Extended Learning Support. There are 3 broad
categories of provision: special programmes; learning
support; extended learning support. Special programmes
include "extension" courses which last for one or 2 years
and cover core skills, personal or social development and
work experience, and are usually delivered through the
National Certificate modules or college developed units
(new National Qualifications and units will be available
under Higher Still from August 1999). Students may have
physical disabilities, moderate or severe learning
disabilities, mental health problems and often have social,
emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Extension courses also include school link programmes
and programmes for adults who are clients of Social Work
Department Adult Resource Centres. Learning support is a
service provided by the majority of colleges to help
students on mainstream courses to get additional help with
study. Examples of help provided include study skills,
communication and numeracy, help with specific subject
areas, and pre-entry courses and summer schools. Extended
learning support is provided for people who have
difficulties in gaining access to a mainstream curriculum
which might otherwise be suited to their abilities and
aspirations. Examples of extended learning support include
technological aids, additional staffing, such as sign
language interpreter and in terms of help with specific
learning difficulties, such as dyslexia.
The Further Education Strategic Framework published in
March 1999, encourages colleges to increase participation
of young people from under represented sections of the
community, and to develop learning and support arrangements
that enable them to participate and progress. The
Government will invest around £100m over the next 3 years
to remove barriers to participation and to support a
further 40,000 student places in FE from among
under-represented groups.
Scottish Further Education Funding
Council
In January 1998, the Government accepted the Garrick
Committee's recommendation that there should be two
separate funding councils in Scotland, one for further
education and one for higher education, but with a degree
of common membership and supported by a single staffing
structure and a single Chief Executive. The Scottish
Further Education Funding Council was established on 1
January 1999, as an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body.
The Council assumed responsibility for the funding of
Scotland's further education colleges, together with all
the other various functions and tasks associated with that
principal responsibility, on 1 July 1999.
Enterprise Network: Special Training Needs
Provision
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise
manage and deliver the national training programme for
young people, Skillseekers, through their networks of Local
Enterprise Companies. While the focus of Skillseekers
training is on assisting young people to achieve SVQ Level
II or above, there are a number of young people who do not,
at least initially, have the capability to achieve that
level of qualification. Such young people are "endorsed" by
the careers service as eligible for special training needs
(STN) provision. Some young people may pursue a SVQ Level I
or a pre-vocational training programme leading to a
qualification such as Wordpower or Numberpower, others
pursue SVQ Level II but with additional support. There are
variations across LECs in the numbers of young people
supported through STN provision and in the type and nature
of programmes available. One of the key elements of
Skillseekers is that all young people should have an
individual training agreement or plan which sets out their
identified learning needs and the qualifications for which
they are aiming.
Currently around 15 % of Skillseekers are in STN
provision. On average per capita spending for young people
on STN provision is estimated to be almost double the
spending for SVQ Level II or Level III. Many LECs use
operating surpluses to fund innovative approaches or seek
matching funding from ESF initiatives or from other
partners e.g. local authorities.
The Legislative Framework
Children (Scotland) Act 1995: Children's
Services Plans
The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 introduced a new legal
framework for assessment, services and support for children
with disabilities and their families. Section 19 of the Act
requires Local Authorities to prepare and publish plans for
children's services. The plan should focus on the needs
(both current and future) of vulnerable children. Local
Authorities are required to consult with the range of
authorities and organisations that provide services for the
welfare of children and their families e.g. Health Boards
and Trust, Voluntary Organisations, the Principal Reporter,
Housing Agencies. Social Work Departments have the lead
responsibility but they should work closely with education
services, housing, recreation and leisure.
Children's Services Plans will cover services for a
range of children including "Looked after Children";
children with disabilities; children or young people who
are homeless, in poor housing or living in a violent
environment; children who have emotional, behavioural or
mental health problems; and children who offend. This is an
illustrative but not an exhaustive list. The plans should
also cover those needs of the family which will impact on
the needs of the children.
In April 1998 The Scottish Office completed a review of
the first round of Children's Services Plans produced by
local authorities. One of the main areas of strength in the
plans was that different departments and agencies
collaborated in their production. Some local authorities
set up strategic planning groups to take the work forward
with representatives of all relevant departments and
agencies and with a view to promoting an integrated
provision of services. Many of the plans showed extensive
consultation with user and providers of services.
The NHS and Community Care Act
Since April 1993 local authority social work departments
have been required by the NHS and Community Care Act 1990
to assess social, health and housing care needs of
vulnerable adults, in conjunction with other statutory care
agencies where necessary and, to tailor appropriate
packages of care in order to meet those needs. Social Work
Departments are also expected to identify any educational
needs and should liaise with further education colleges to
identify appropriate provision.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
From 1 December 1998, the employment provisions of the
Disability Discrimination Act applied to employers with 15
or more employees (previously 20 employees or more). This
brought into coverage a further 45,000 employers and 70,000
people with disabilities. The Government announced on 9
June 1998, their timetable for the implementation of
further rights of access in Part III of the Act (the
provision of education is not covered by Part III).
From 1 October 1999 new duties under Part III will apply
to people who provide goods and services to the public.
Service providers will have to take reasonable steps
to:
- change practices, policies or procedures which make
it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled
people to use a service; and
- provide auxiliary aids or services which would make
it easier for, or enable, disabled people to use a
service; and
- overcome physical features which make it impossible
or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a
service, by providing the service by a reasonable
alternative method.
The second and final phase of the later rights in Part
III of the Disability Discrimination Act is due to come
into force in 2004. Service providers will have to take
reasonable steps to remove, alter, or provide reasonable
means of avoiding physical features that make it impossible
or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a
service.
The Disability Discrimination Act covers training both
as a service available to the general public (Part III of
the Act) and as part of a package of terms and conditions
which employers provide for their employees (Part II of the
Act). Employers with 15 or more employees have to consider
reasonable adjustments so that their work related training
activities can be accessed by disabled employees. From 1
October training providers will have to consider reasonable
adjustments so that their training can be accessed by
disabled people. The Disability Rights Task Force is now
undertaking a wide review on how to secure comprehensive
and enforceable rights for people with disabilities. The
Task Force is due to report in November 1999. They have
considered how disability discrimination legislation should
apply to education.
Recent Developments
National Special Educational Needs Advisory
Service
Children in Scotland have been awarded a grant for 3
years by The Scottish Office to provide a National Special
Educational Needs Advice service to parents, families and
carers of children and young people with special
educational needs across Scotland. The service will liaise
with specialist support services in the statutory and
voluntary sectors and will offer development and training
support to local networks providing advice services.
Children with severe low incidence
disabilities
In 1998 the Government announced the establishment of an
Advisory Committee, under the Chairmanship of Professor
Sheila Riddell, Professor of Social Policy, (Disability
Studies) at Glasgow University, to undertake a strategic
review of the co-ordination and provision of education for
children with severe low incidence disabilities in
Scotland. The Committee's report contains 22
recommendations on measures that could be taken by
Government, local authorities, health agencies and
voluntary bodies to improve educational and other services
for this group of children and young people. We understand
that the report of the Committee is about to be
published.
New Community Schools
The aim of New Community Schools is to meet each child's
need in the round: the key is integrated provision of
services - teachers, social workers, community educational
workers, health professionals and others working together
in a single team. In March 1999, 30 Local Authorities were
given funding for 37 pilot projects across the country.
Each will run for 3 years. Over 150 schools, nurseries and
family centres are involved and the total funding for the
year 1999-2000 is £6m. The objective is that every
authority will have 2 new community schools projects by
2001. The total investment over a 3 year period will be
£26m.
New Community Schools should address the fact that there
are many factors affecting achievement at school, and many
different meanings to achievement. Each New Community
School will work closely with families to raise their
expectations for their children and themselves. The schools
will also involve the local community as each project
develops.
Education Action Plans
Through the framework of Education Action Plans, the
Government is supporting measures to raise performance in
35 secondary schools which face major challenges. In a
number of cases, the Plans will also directly benefit
associated primary schools. Sixteen education authorities
are involved. £15m will be invested over the three
financial years from 1999-2000 through the Special
Programme of the Excellence Fund for Schools.
The Action Plans focus on teaching and learning in
schools and build on successful ways of raising attainment.
The intention is to fund innovative proposals which extend
and apply best practice. Key areas are adjustments to the
curriculum for particular pupils or groups of pupils to
ensure a better educational experience and the effective
use of staff in raising attainment. The contribution of
positive partnership with parents and with local business
is also important.
Alternatives to Exclusion
The Alternatives to Exclusion Grant Scheme provides
councils with funds to pilot innovative projects which
offer alternatives to exclusion from school. The scheme is
helping education authorities develop new initiatives
across Scotland to support pupils at risk of exclusion, and
those who have been already excluded. Eighteen out of the
32 Councils are receiving funding over 3 years until 2000
to pilot a range of schemes. The pilots involve
multi-agency working with organisations including social
work, education and voluntary organisations. These will
then be evaluated by HM Inspectorate so that best practice
can be disseminated and rolled out across the country.
£23 million will be made available to all education
authorities as part of the Excellence Fund to resource a
programme of alternatives to exclusion across Scotland. The
money will be distributed on a formula basis over 3 years
and will build on the pilot work being done under the
Alternatives to Exclusion Grant Scheme.
Education for Work
The Education for Work and Enterprise agenda is about
improving quality and coherence in the wide range of
activities designed to make better links between education
and the world of work. These activities include work
experience, mock interviewing, mentoring, and a range of
enterprise education activities. There is much anecdotal
evidence that many of these activities are effective in
re-engaging in learning some of those young people who are
at risk of dropping out, and at improving the future
employability of many students and pupils.
Higher Still
Higher Still will realise individual potential and
maximise participation. Courses at all 5 levels from Access
to Advanced Higher will mean that the whole age cohort can
work towards achievable qualifications. Students will be
able to progress from one level to another at their own
pace and, since courses are divided into units (usually of
40 notional teaching hours), they will have the incentive
of achieving success within a relatively short period. The
structure of Higher Still courses means that people
returning later to learning need not repeat the year for
which credits were obtained earlier. They can begin
straight away to complete any missing units.
Adult Guidance Networks
Adult guidance has been available through a number of
sources for some time, but across the majority of Scotland
there was a lack of co-ordination, leading to duplication
of effort and ineffective use of resources. To achieve
cohesion and co-ordination, and to raise awareness of the
availability of adult guidance among adults, in 1997 The
Scottish Office provided funding to create 17 adult
guidance networks across Scotland. These networks are
strategic partnerships, involving career service companies,
local enterprise companies, local authorities and higher
and further education bodies. They all have a co-ordinator
to be the contact with members of the network and to drive
forward recommendations by the strategic partners.
At this stage it is considered that the networks have
made good progress towards a more co-ordinated approach to
adult guidance, have raised the profile and have helped to
make guidance available to outreach areas.
Scottish University for Industry
The Scottish University for Industry will provide a
one-stop shop to connect individuals and organisations to
providers of the learning they need, via a telephone call,
e-mail, web connection or face-to-face at a learning
centre. The Scottish UfI will inform people about existing
learning provision, commission materials to meet gaps in
the market, assist with access to advice on choice of
learning and financial support, put people in touch with
relevant learning providers and ensure the quality of
products or services which it brokers or commissions.
People will be able to access learning through learning
centres, which could be at work, at a college or school, a
library, shopping centre or at home: whatever is most
convenient to them. The Scottish UfI will be launched in
2000.
Local Learning Partnerships
A network of local learning partnerships (LLPs) covering
most of Scotland, building in most cases on the Education
Business Partnership network, has been established to
promote and co-ordinate the delivery of lifelong learning
at a local level. Partnerships have been developed drawing
together a wide range of support from education, business
and local authorities. LLPs work closely with the adult
guidance networks. Funding has been allocated to establish
LLPs in 18 areas across Scotland: Argyll and Bute,
Ayrshire, Caithness and Sutherland, Dumfries and Galloway,
Dunbartonshire, Forth Valley, Glasgow, Grampian, Inverness
and Nairn, Lochaber, Lothian, Moray, Renfrewshire, Ross and
Cromarty, Shetland, Orkney, Skye and Lochalsh and the
Western Isles'.
Right to Time Off for Study or
Training
The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 places a duty
on employers to allow paid time off to 16 and 17 year olds
to pursue a course of study or training up to a Level II
qualification (broadly equivalent to 5 Standard Grades
(1-3), SVQ Level II or 5 Intermediates above Intermediate 1
Grade C). Employees who are 18 years old and who embarked
on a course of study or training leading to a relevant
qualification before reaching 18 are also entitled to paid
time off. The emphasis is on improving the young person's
future employability. The Right to Time Off will come into
force on 1 September 1999. Regulations setting out the
eligibility for Right to Time Off and the standard of
achievement to be obtained will also come into effect on 1
September 1999.
New Deal
The Government's New Deal for 18-24 year olds offers
young unemployed people full-time further education or
training, subsidised employment with training or
participation in voluntary or environmental work, also with
training.
One of the key elements of the New Deal is an increased
focus on the individual. On entering the Gateway phase,
young people have the support of a Personal Adviser to help
with job search and to identify any barriers or
difficulties in entering employment. The Personal Adviser
can refer people to a range of specialist provision which
might involve assistance with job search skills, careers
advice and guidance or short courses to develop confidence,
motivation and basic work skills. The Personal Adviser may
also refer young people to agencies which can help with
literacy and numeracy, housing, drugs and alcohol problems
that need to be tackled before an individual is ready to
progress to a job or a New Deal option.
New Deal for Disabled People
The New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) is a voluntary
programme aimed at improving opportunities for disabled
people who want to move into or stay in work. The main
client groups are people of working age with a disability
or long-term illness who receive Incapacity Benefit; Income
Support/Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit; or Severe
Disablement Allowance. A Personal Adviser service is being
piloted in twelve areas across Britain, including
Lanarkshire. Personal Advisers co-ordinate a range of local
services and provide a link with local employers, playing a
vital role in assessing, placing and supporting people into
work. In addition, 24 innovative schemes are receiving
funding through NDDP to explore how best to help people who
want to work. A total of 6 projects have some coverage in
Scotland including 3 Scottish-based projects in Thurso,
Edinburgh and Dundee.
In addition to the New Deal for Sick and Disabled People
other Government initiatives include:
- The reform of the All Work Test so that, as well as
assessing entitlement benefit, it also provides
information about people's capacities which can be used
to help them plan their return to work;
- The introduction of ONE which is a radical new
programme designed to offer individually focused advice
to benefit claimants to help them overcome barriers to
work. It will be piloted in 12 areas, including Clyde
Coast and Renfrew, starting from June 1999. All
unemployed people, lone parents and people with a
disability or long-term illness registering for benefit
in these pilot areas will be invited to participate in
a work-focused interview. They will then be allocated
their own Personal Adviser who will provide appropriate
guidance and support aimed at helping as many people as
possible to find work, take up training or undertake
activity designed to help them move towards
independence. Subject to the passing of the Welfare
Reform and Pensions Bill, the requirement to attend an
interview will become a condition of receiving benefit
in the pilot areas, from April 2000, unless
circumstances indicate that an interview would clearly
be inappropriate. With the exception of those claiming
Jobseeker's Allowance, claimants will not be required
to take any further action such as attending training
or looking for work;
- Training for Work is the Government's main training
programme for adults aged 25 or over who have been
unemployed for 6 months or longer. Those aged 18-24
with a severe disability and/or learning difficulty are
also eligible. The programme aims to help people
improve their work-related skills and to move into
employment through the provision of appropriate
training and structured work activity in line with
assessed needs. Early entry is available for those who
face particularly difficult barriers to employment,
including people with a disability.
New Futures Fund
The New Futures Fund was launched by the Secretary of
State in May 1998 to help "difficult" categories of
unemployed people and those suffering from serious
disadvantage. It is unique to Scotland. The NFF targets
young people aged 16-34 including those suffering from
substance abuse, those with family or relationship
problems, the homeless, those with learning difficulties,
ethnic minorities and the mentally and physically disabled.
The activities or projects will include social/leisure
activities to encourage participation, personal and social
development (perhaps including health and drugs advice,
welfare rights and life skills). Scottish Enterprise
manages the New Futures Fund in partnership with a range of
organisations who have appropriate experience with the
client groups in this area, through an Advisory Management
Team.
Social Inclusion Strategy
The Government is committed to tackling problems of
exclusion, disadvantage and poverty in Scotland, and is
taking forward a comprehensive and well-resourced programme
of action to promote social inclusion. In addition, the
Government, with the assistance of the Scottish Social
Inclusion Network, has developed and published a Social
Inclusion Strategy, setting out a programme of work to
ensure action to promote social inclusion is integrated,
evaluated and informed by new ideas and existing best
practice.
Under the Strategy, 5 Action Teams are developing
recommendations in key areas of social inclusion policy,
including what more can be done to tackle the exclusion
suffered by young people in Scotland. The output of all the
Action Teams will feed into the development of an
'Inclusion Plan', a joint statement of integrated action to
promote inclusion in Scotland on the part of all the major
national agencies.
Learning Disabilities Review
The Scottish Office Social Work Services Group, in
conjunction with the Department of Health, is taking
forward a review of social and health care for adults and
children with learning disabilities. Their remit recognises
the importance of accessing housing and education and
employment opportunities. The Learning Disabilities Review
is also looking at the nature of day activities and has had
a number of representations on this point.
Community Planning
Community Planning provides a process through which a
council and other organisations plan, provide and promote
the well being of their community. In 1997 a joint
Community Planning Working Group was established,
comprising senior management of The Scottish Office, COSLA,
local authorities and the non-elected public sector and
examined best practice in councils' partnerships with other
bodies in planning, providing for and promoting the
economic, social and environmental well-being of the
communities they serve. The resulting report recommended
that councils and their partners should take forward the
community planning process and produce community plans. A
number of "pathfinder" councils were identified to produce
early plans and would then share their experiences with
other councils and partner agencies. The five "pathfinder"
councils (Edinburgh, Stirling, Highland, South Lanarkshire
and Perth and Kinross) presented their plans at a Scottish
Office/COSLA seminar in March 1999. All councils will
develop community plans in 1999.
Community Education
The report on the development of Community Education in
Scotland "Communities: Change through Learning" proposed a
new approach to Community Education which linked community
based learning with policies on social inclusion, Lifelong
Learning and active citizenship. In April 1999, SOEID
issued a circular (4/99) giving guidance to local
authorities. The circular asked them to produce community
learning strategies and plans to address the learning needs
of their communities, working in partnership at all levels
with the voluntary sector, local adult guidance networks,
other education providers, health, and community safety.
The circular highlights the particular needs of those at
transition stages who are, or who are at risk of becoming,
alienated from society because their educational experience
has left them dissatisfied or their lifestyle makes them
more vulnerable. Emphasis is also given to the importance
of providing educational support to individuals, families,
people with disabilities, interest groups and communities
that are endeavouring to improve the quality of their
lives.
Youth Information Points
While services in different areas vary according to
local circumstances and needs, all local authorities
provide informal education opportunities for young people,
both directly and through their support for voluntary
organisations. The voluntary sector is a crucial dimension
of work with young people. It includes organisations with
specific concerns for young people with special needs and
others, such as the uniformed organisations, which all
pursue inclusive policies. Altogether, around 80,000
volunteers are involved in youth work through the voluntary
sector. Local authorities are increasingly establishing
youth strategies. These draw together the interests of
different parts of the local authority which have a concern
for young people and the various other bodies, both
statutory and voluntary, with similar interests in order to
meet effectively the diverse needs of young people in their
areas.
Recent initiatives which have involved most local
authorities, voluntary organisations and other agencies
have included the development of youth information points,
Connect Youth and the Youth Parliament, and Community
Learning Scotland's Youth Issues Unit. The Scottish Office
is also supporting development work, including a national
project on detached and outreach work, particularly
relevant to vulnerable young people. There are now 74 youth
information points across Scotland, ranging from
town-centre shops which are manned full-time to lunch-time
stalls in schools. With both volunteers and paid staff in
support, they provide information services specifically
designed for young people.
Connect Youth brings together young people's forums
under various titles throughout all of the local authority
areas in Scotland and works with a network of national
voluntary organisations. Supported by both local authority
youth workers and the voluntary organisations, the forums
give young people a way of expressing their views to
decision-makers on relevant issues. In some areas, the
forums act as sounding boards on council policy. With help
from The Scottish Executive, the youth forums are extending
their interests to the national level and will be setting
up a national voice for young people, to be called the
Scottish Youth Parliament.
The Youth Issues Unit in Community Learning Scotland is
advised by a group whose membership includes the Scottish
Crime Prevention Unit, the Health Education Board for
Scotland, Scottish Homes and Community Education Managers
Scotland. It brings a cross-disciplinary focus on to key
concerns of young people and seeks to generate a coherent
response.
Employment Initiatives
The Employment Service Disability Service aims to offer
people with disabilities particular help and advice in
finding and retaining work or appropriate training; and to
encourage and help employers to make such opportunities
available to them. In Scotland, six Disability Service
teams deliver a co-ordinated locally based service with
Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) based in each
Jobcentre.
Disability Service offers a number of initiatives
designed to help people with physical, mental or learning
disabilities into employment. These include:
- The Access to Work programme which provides support
tailored to the needs of the individual. The support
can take various forms such as help with travel
expenses to and from work, help with the cost of aids
and adaptations to work equipment. Employers are
required to contribute to the costs but self-employed
disabled people have such support costs met completely
by Access to Work;
- The Work Preparation Programme which aims to help
people with disabilities into work. This is achieved by
addressing specific employment-related needs resulting
from the individual's disability which prevents them
from retaining or taking up work or vocational
training;
- The Job Introduction Scheme (JIS) which offers a
weekly grant towards the cost of employing people with
disabilities for a trial period of employment. This is
usually for 6 weeks although it can be extended for up
to a maximum of 13 weeks;
- The Supported Employment Programme is to ensure the
provision of appropriate job opportunities for people
who, because of the severity of their disability, are
unable to be fully productive in work, but who are able
to make a significant productive contribution to the
economy;
- Working with employers to encourage a positive
approach to the employment and progression of disabled
people. If certain criteria are met, Disability Service
can award the employers the right to use the Disability
Symbol.
Benefits and Financial Support
Young people undertaking training through Skillseekers
are entitled to receive a training allowance which is
normally around £40-45 per week. Young people who attend
further education colleges may be eligible for a bursary
administered by the college. The education authority or the
further education colleges can also provide assistance with
travel costs for disabled students.
Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) are designed to
encourage students from low-income families to stay on at
school or college post-16. The allowance is means tested
and is administered by the local authority. EMAs will be
piloted in East Ayrshire for 3 years from August 1999, in
addition to pilots in 15 areas in England.
The Government is currently reforming benefits for
people with disabilities including those benefits which are
linked to employment. The Welfare and Pensions Bill is
going through Parliament.
Back to Top