Young people with learning disabilities and their parents are calling for better quality support to help them access employment in a new campaign.

In England, barely 5% of people with special education needs (SEND) known to their local authority are in employment, even though the SEND community has 900,000 people of working age and the vast majority (86%) want to get a paid job. As formal education ends, thousands of young people with SEND often face an employment cliff edge, just as their peers are beginning their adult working lives.

The #Don’tStopMeNow campaign, launched by national charity DFN Project SEARCH, aims to challenge stereotypes that prevent people with a learning disability from entering the workforce. 

It is calling for more inclusive hiring practices and access to high-quality supported employment programmes, such as Supported Internships, in every local authority.

Supported internships are structured, work-based study programmes for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 60% of graduates who take part go on to secure full time employment.

Jacob, who is working as a facilities assistant at Kendray Hospital, said:

‘Getting a proper job has been life-changing for me, my mum and my dad. Looking for work can be a really bumpy road to start with and getting the support from my supported internship made a massive difference. When I got my confidence up, started talking to people, learnt how to complete tasks to a high standard, I realised I could get employed, everything changed for me.’

Claire Cookson, Chief Executive of DFN Project SEARCH, said:

‘There has been great progress in recent years around workplace inclusivity and equitable hiring practices. But the disparity in the national polling and the stories we hear from parents we work with show that there is still a long way to go when it comes to meeting the career aspirations for young people with SEND’

Photo: DFN Project Search