Helping pupils with additional needs to find employment

Margaret Anderson, who is not a councillor but is a member of the committee, said: “I am very interested in this aspect of education, but one area I am concerned about is young people with additional learning needs, particularly significant ones whose main education takes place in learning centres within high schools.

“Are they being supported to be part of the world of work, at a level that suits their abilities?”

Simon Easton, education manager with the council, responded: “When you see barriers to the world of employment and developing skills, they are not barriers we want to impose; we want to overcome them.

“Young people with additional support needs have a wide range of complexities.

“At the next Developing the Young Workforce meeting in two weeks’ time, it is on the agenda to ensure that work placements are inclusive to all young people.

“They will know what requirements these young people will have to enter the workplace. It may be that a member of staff accompanies them to the workplace and it is an issue we are happy to address.

“Also, when we work with employers to plan a young person’s placement, we look at what the employer can do to make it a happy and productive experience.

“Sometimes the employer needs their confidence boosted as well.”