Baroness Uddin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2014-04-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training on autism awareness is offered to career and employment advisers and to Jobcentre Plus staff; and what proportion of each have been trained.

Lord Freud

All Jobcentre Plus staff have access to a comprehensive learning programme which includes a specific focus on taking consideration of individuals’ personal circumstances. This training ensures staff are aware that disabilities and health conditions including autism can affect individuals in different ways.

Specialist help can be provided by Disability Employment Advisers who have extensive additional courses appropriate to this specialist area. This training has been designed with input from Specialist DWP Work Psychologists to enable these advisers to support people with particular complex needs. This training includes case studies relating to autism.

The Skills Funding Agency contracts to deliver the National Careers Service in England. All National Careers Service careers advisers are required to have a recognised careers guidance qualification. This will include training on how to respond to the needs of different customers. The Skills Funding Agency, which is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills, maintains the responsibility for ensuring that Careers Advisers are appropriately skilled and qualified.