Apprentices: Disability

(asked on 22nd February 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that apprenticeship programmes are accessible to people with a disability.


Answered by
Anne Milton Portrait
Anne Milton
This question was answered on 27th February 2018

The department is delivering the recommendations of the Maynard Taskforce to improve access to apprenticeships for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. We have adjusted the minimum standard for English and mathematics for people with a learning difficulty or a disability who have an Education, Health and Care Plan, a statement of Special Educational Need or a Learning Difficulty Assessment. In addition, British Sign Language (BSL) is now an alternative to English Functional Skills for those apprentices with BSL as their first language.

We also offer providers an additional £150 a month where the cost of supporting an apprentice is higher. If further support is required, providers can claim up to £19,000 for each apprentice in a funding year from the Learning Support Fund. In agreement with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, exceptional Learning Support is available for specific cases that requires funding in excess of this.

End-Point Assessment Organisations are required to make sure there is fair access for those with disabilities, by having a policy of reasonable adjustments. Apprentice employers and training providers are also obliged under equalities law to offer reasonable adjustments for disabled apprentices. Access to Work funding is available from the Department for Work and Pensions to support adjustments that apprentices may need in the workplace.

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