Jun. 08 2023
Source Page: Correspondence between John Stevenson and Shirley-Anne Somerville: FOI ReviewFound: Correspondence between John Stevenson and Shirley-Anne Somerville: FOI Review
Feb. 08 2024
Source Page: New visits to understand how well children with SEND are prepared for adulthoodFound: in learning and to behaviour difficulties.
Mentions:
1: Lord Aberdare (XB - Excepted Hereditary) I know other noble Lords will talk about specific skills, so I will just outline some of the categories - Speech Link
2: Lord Marks of Hale (Con - Life peer) difficulties in life should not be overlooked. - Speech Link
3: Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) also means learning about other cultures and countries. - Speech Link
4: Lord Addington (LD - Excepted Hereditary) I am dyslexic and president of the British Dyslexia Association. - Speech Link
Written Evidence Feb. 01 2024
Inquiry: Children, young people and the built environmentFound: CBE0104 - Children, young people and the built environment Architecture for Kids Written Evidence
Dec. 12 2023
Source Page: Education: National Improvement Framework and improvement plan 2024Found: Education: National Improvement Framework and improvement plan 2024
Mar. 25 2024
Source Page: Digital skills, channel preference, and access needs: Personal Independence Payment customersFound: Digital skills, channel preference, and access needs: Personal Independence Payment customers
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department offers support to people with neurodiversity conditions to help them join the UK armed forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence values diversity and is committed to recruiting and retaining the best people possible. We are extremely proud of the wide-ranging make up of our Armed Forces, including the many neurodiverse Service personnel within our ranks.
It is important that our Armed Forces reflect the society they serve and benefits from the talent that is available. It is also essential that all new entrants to the Armed Forces have the capacity to serve in all respects for the period of their engagement, ensuring operational efficiency, safety for the individual and safety for others. Consequently, there are a number of conditions that are a bar to Service. The health and medical history of all individuals, as an Armed Forces applicant or a Serving person, is considered on a case-by-case basis.
Candidates with Specific Learning Difficulties (SLDs), including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia, can serve in the Armed Forces, if they meet the selection, training and performance standards. Service personnel with SLDs are provided with support appropriate to their needs, where feasible within Service and resource constraints. Training courses delivered by Defence are designed to be accessible to Service personnel with a range of differing requirements, including SLDs. Instructional staff are all provided with training on the best methods for teaching people with SLDs.
While other conditions such as Autism and ADHD may be a bar to Service entry, this is not automatically the case. Every application is considered on a case-by-case basis by recruiting clinicians, who will make an individual assessment of the condition, its severity and the need for treatment. If an application is rejected on medical grounds, a candidate can appeal the decision to the recruiting Service, providing additional medical evidence if required.
There is also an executive waiver process where the employing Service may, exceptionally, recruit someone who does not meet the existing entry standards. This may include individuals with unique specialist skills. This would also be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Entry requirements are kept under continual review. This ensures they are fair to everyone with aspirations of an Armed Forces career and are informed by the latest evidence.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government where the framework for the advice that the careers services provide to jobseekers with (1) dyslexia, and (2) other specific learning difficulties, can be found online.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Careers Service (the Service) provides free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the Labour Market in England.
The Service helps customers make informed choices about their career options, whatever their age, ethnic group and background. Discussions are tailored to meet the individual needs and circumstances of each customer, such as those with dyslexia and other additional needs.
The more in-depth, community-based service offers intensive support to adults (including jobseekers) with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities as one of the six priority groups for the Service.
Alongside the community-based service, customers can access the service via the National Careers Service website here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/. The department is committed to ensuring the website is accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
The Service’s Accessibility Statement contains information about the accessibility of the website, steps that individuals can take if they cannot access parts of the website and contact details to allow individuals to report accessibility problems. The Accessibility Statement can be found here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/help/accessibility.
Development of the online service is supported by significant user research, including users with SEND. Where possible, research is undertaken across a representative range of users, including those with disabilities. Components are also tested to make sure they work with a broad range of browsers, devices and assistive technologies, including screen magnifiers, screen readers and speech recognition tools.
The following webpage sets out additional, specific job support for individuals with SEND and additional needs: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/career-and-job-support-for-people-with-a-disability. This includes signposting to the British Dyslexia Association for learning disability job support.
Feb. 18 2009
Source Page: Equality and Diversity Scheme : annual report 2007-2008. 88 p.Found: Equality and Diversity Scheme : annual report 2007-2008. 88 p.
Oct. 16 2009
Source Page: Employment Relations Research Series no 104, The Union Modernisation Fund-round one: final evaluation report, Oct 2009. Incl. appendices. 180 p.Found: lie behind these difficulties.