Mentions:
1: Peter Gibson (Con - Darlington) What steps his Department is taking to support people with autism into employment. - Speech Link
2: Peter Gibson (Con - Darlington) Society to help create 1,000 jobs for people with autism? - Speech Link
3: Barry Sheerman (LAB - Huddersfield) I contributed to that inquiry as chair of the Westminster Commission on Autism. - Speech Link
4: Mims Davies (Con - Mid Sussex) We have specialist SWAPs for people on the autism spectrum so that we can see that talent and ability - Speech Link
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department issues guidance to Departments on supporting candidates with autism through job recruitment boards.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions does not issue guidance to other departments on supporting candidates with autism through job recruitment boards. This falls within the remit of the Government People Group, within the Cabinet Office.
All candidates requiring a reasonable adjustment are able to request one during their application. There is also some general information on Reasonable Adjustments on the Civil Service Careers page, including the links to Disability Confidence Scheme and what the Reasonable Adjustment process via CS Jobs will involve.
Mentions:
1: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con - Life peer) zoo puts on audio-described tours, sign-language tours and early-opening mornings for visitors with autism - Speech Link
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young people with autism spectrum conditions who have education otherwise than at school plans.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Local authorities provide support to certain children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. A local authority may choose, where statutory criteria are met, to make an ‘Education Otherwise than in School’ arrangement, whereby the child or young person with the EHC plan receives special educational support outside of a school or college.
The department are taking steps to improve the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. There are measures in place for the department to support and challenge local authorities to improve their practice. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission commenced a strengthened local inspection framework in January 2023. Where local authorities are failing, the department works with them, using a range of improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisers to address weaknesses. Inspections under this new framework will place greater emphasis on the outcomes that are being achieved for children and young people with SEND, including those who are autistic.
More generally, as part of the department’s support for autistic young people, the department worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a refreshed cross-government Autism Strategy. This was published in July 2021 and includes children and young people. The strategy recognised the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges and priorities for reducing inequalities, and enabling autistic people of all ages to have the same opportunities as everyone else to lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives. The national strategy sets out the department’s vision to make life fundamentally better for autistic people, their families and carers by 2026.
Formal Minutes May. 09 2024
Committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (Department: Northern Ireland Office)Found: From 2 April 2023, I have been appointed to lead an independent review for the Government into autism
Formal Minutes May. 09 2024
Committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (Department: Northern Ireland Office)Found: From 2 April 2023, I have been appointed to lead an independent review for the Government into autism
May. 09 2024
Source Page: Downs Syndrome registered charity payments: FOI releaseFound: funding related to Equalities, COVID activity and support for the consultation on a Learning Disability, Autism
May. 09 2024
Source Page: Government expands support for pupils with SENDFound: Special schools ensure pupils with special needs such as autism, emotional and behaviour disorders, severe
Mentions:
1: Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab - Life peer) In particular, some of that was associated with incidence of autism, which again was completely unjustified - Speech Link