§ Valerie DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which disability-specific national programmes his Department is funding for supported employment; and what plans he has to fund a national supported employment programme for people with autism and Asperger Syndrome. [77282]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownWORKSTEP is a national supported employment programme for disabled people who have complex barriers to finding and keeping work. The programme is not specific to any one disability but instead is designed to help all disabled people meeting the criteria to work in a supportive environment and, where possible, to progress in mainstream employment.
In addition, Disability Employment Advisers based in Jobcentres work with local employers to place people into jobs, making use of other specialist programmes such as Access to Work where necessary. These arrangements have enabled people with many different disability-related barriers to work, including those with autism and Asperger syndrome, to move successfully into jobs.