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Education, Training and Employment Options


Employment is one of the ways of being independent.  Research shows that those people in employment are healthier, happier and take part in more social activities in their community than those who aren’t. 

Employment is desirable and all young people with SEND are encouraged to think about what they would like to do and how to get the right experience, training and qualifications.

While this may not be realistic for everyone, due to their health and care needs, it should still be considered to see if barriers can be overcome and appropriate support made available.  Supported Employment is about what people can do – not what they can’t.

More information about employment can be found here.

Free Education Resources

Education and Employment FAQs

Preparing for Employment – Education and training options:

If you have a special educational need and are receiving support at school, have you thought about your post-16 options? 

Support for your employment is available.  Job Coaches, training for employers and colleagues in the workplace, help with travel, reasonable adjustments and specialist equipment are available and can be paid for by ‘Access to Work’.  If it enables you to gain and remain in employment you are eligible for support.

If you are aged between 16 and 25 with an Education, Health and Care plan you are eligible for a Supported Internship programme where you would spend the majority of the time in an employer’s premises in a work role with the support of a job coach as needed.  The aim is to develop your working skills including maths and English as necessary.  Supported Internships act like working interviews and many interns gain employment with their employer.  Employers are encouraged to view you as an employee and you will be expected to work to the same standards as your colleagues and ‘add value’ to your employer’s business.  The job coach will help you to do this by identifying the tasks and jobs you are capable of doing and those that you will need specific training and instruction for.  The job coach will also work with the employer and your colleagues so that everyone knows what you are doing and how you fit into the team.

Students aged 16 - 25 years in Cornwall have a range of options, including:

  • School Sixth Forms
  • Further Education Colleges
  • Apprenticeships
  • Traineeships  
  • Independent specialist providers/colleges
  • Supported Internship
  • Higher Education

Transitions - preparing for education or training after leaving school

The term ‘transition’ is used to describe the life changes that a child or young person may go through. Eg changing classes, changing school, moving to college or work, moving to adult services.

  • At 16 from school to College, Sixth Form or Apprenticeship
  • At 18+ into Adulthood and Adult Services

Thinking about transition at 16 from school to College, Sixth Form or Apprenticeship?

Talk to your SENCO about the support you can receive post 16 to meet your individual needs.  You will find Cornwall Council SEND Support Services on our website that can help. Find information about what to expect when moving to Post-16 education in our Guide for Young People to Post-16 Transition.

This includes information about preparing for Post-16 education from Year 9 onwards, what you should do, what schools should do and what the Post-16 provider should do.

Young people have a range of options available to them at the end of Year 11. Information about available options is explained on the Council webpage.

Information Advice and Support

There is a range of information and advice in relation to SEN and disability for parents, children, young people and practitioners. Find out more on the Cornwall Council Webpage.

You also may be interested in this short animation, that the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) have developed with the Department for Education (DfE) to help children and young people with SEND and their parents learn about the Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service offers and the support available to them.

You can access it here http://bit.ly/2nwSZwo.

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