Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what SEND-specific training the Government plans to provide to (a) Job Centre Work Coaches and (b) Work and Health Programme staff as part of its proposals on ensuring those services provide people with (i) dyslexia and (ii) other learning difficulties with adequate employment support.

The DWP Work Coaches receive comprehensive learning to support customers with health, disability and additional or complex needs, which continues at point of need throughout their role. The learning provides Work Coaches with the knowledge and skills to enable them to support claimants moving towards employment.

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is included in the Vulnerable Customer and Complex Needs product, which forms part of the DWP Induction learning for all colleagues.

This learning supports Work Coaches and Health Programme staff in working with customers to identify barriers they may face and to signpost customers to internal and external sources of help and support; this includes customers with learning difficulties and dyslexia.

As part of the Work Coach specific learning journey, they complete Claimant Commitment learning which focuses on:

• Taking into account a claimant’s capability and circumstances; and
• Working with their claimants to create tailored commitments that reflect their abilities and skills, and sets out activities to support them secure employment, or prepare for work they can do in the future.

The Work Coach learning journey also includes modules on Vulnerable Customers; this product focuses on supporting customers with additional complex needs, including learning difficulties, move closer to, and into, the labour market. Work Coaches continue to build on this learning in the workplace.