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Information, Advice & Support

In this section of the Local Offer parents/carers and young people will find information about organisations and links to useful websites available locally, regionally and nationally that help support families and children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs in education, health, social care and more.

At Stockton’s Local Offer we value your feedback and are continuously working on the Local Offer to ensure your feedback is acted upon quickly and correctly. The You Said, We did documents on the right hand side of this page outline the feedback we received and our response actions. 

Please see our guidance notes and helpful information

Learning to Drive

It may or may not be possible for people with special educational needs to reach driving test standard and drive independently, and an assessment is recommended.

You would normally need to be aged 17 to hold a licence to drive a car (Category B) but if you receive the higher rate mobility component of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) or the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP (Personal Independence Payment) you may hold a licence from age 16. You can apply for your licence three months before your birthday.

Get a licence application form from any Post Office or line from www.direct.gov.uk/myprovisional

Or you can apply on-line at www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence – you’ll need your Government Gateway ID, if you don’t have one or need to re-register, you’ll get an ID as part of your application.

For on-line application you’ll need to provide:

  • An identity document unless you have a valid UK biometric passport
  • Addresses where you have lived for the past 3 years
  • Your National Insurance Number
  • A £34 payment by MasterCard, Visa, Electron, Maestro or Delta debit or credit card.

You’ll get a confirmation email from DVLA after you’ve applied, your licence should arrive within one week if you apply on-line.

Please visit the Driving Mobility Website for more information 

Local and National Accessibility Information

This section offers detailed information about all kinds of shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels, theatres, services and more on the accessibility of mobility aids, access for people with physical or sensory concerns, and other disability access issues.

Radar NKS Scheme

The National Key Scheme (NKS) offers disabled people independent access to locked public toilets around the country. Toilets fitted with National Key Scheme (NKS) locks can now be found in shopping centres, pubs, cafés, department stores, bus and train stations and many other locations in most parts of the country.

Visit the Disability Rights Uk website or the Carers Trust website to find out more about the scheme and how to get a key.

Outside the Local Area

These can be located nationally on the following websites:

Changing Places (opens an external website)

Toilet Map (opens an external website)

Disability Confident Employer Scheme and Guidance

In this section you will find guidance and resources about employing disabled people and how the Disability Confident employer scheme can help your business.

Disability Confident is a scheme that is designed to help you recruit and retain disabled people and people with health conditions for their skills and talent.

Being Disability Confident could help you discover someone your business just can’t do without.

You can find out more by visiting the disability Confident webpage of the Government website

More information on how to become a Disability Confident employer, how the Disability Confident scheme can help your business and how to sign up is available on the government website.

The Right Place Project

The Right Place Project

Supported by funding from the Department for Education, The Right Place Project team are working with employers and education providers across England with the aim of securing work placements for 500 young people with a learning disability by March 2019. 

Colleges, schools or other education providers are supporting students with SEND on study programmes, and can provide you with access to agreed work placements with employers, and with support to manage them effectively through The Right Place project.  

For more detailed information on The Right Place Project please visit the Mencap website 

Inclusion Advice for Employers and Employees

In this section you will find easy read guides to information about rights and reasonable adjustments in the workplace, for both employers and employees. 

Easy read guide to telling people about your disability or health when you apply for a job (opens a PDF document in a new window)

Easy read guide about making sure you are being treated fairly at work (opens a PDF document in a new window)

Equality and Human Rights Commission - In Employment: Workplace Adjustments (takes you to a new window)

Employers Resources

Business Disability Forum is a not-for-profit membership organisation that makes it easier and more rewarding to do business with and employ disabled people. By providing pragmatic support, sharing expertise, giving advice, providing training and facilitating networking opportunities, they help organisations become fully accessible to disabled customers and employees. Ultimately, their aim is to transform the life chances – and experience – of disabled people as employees and consumers. You can view their Corporate brochure or visit their website 

Mencap offer information, resources and best practice guides for employers of people with a learning disability

Rathbone - a charity and voluntary organisation which provides education and training for young people and adults with special needs. Please visit their website for more information

The Shaw Trust - is a national charity that provides routes to work for people who are disadvantaged in the workplace due to disability, ill-health or other social circumstances. Follow the link for more detailed information: https://www.shawtrust.org.uk/ 

The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities look at how a service is doing and see how to help make it better for people with learning disabilities. Please visit their website for more information 

 

Youth Offending Teams

What do they do?

  • Representatives from the police, probation service, children’s social care, health, and education identify the needs of young offenders by assessing and addressing the specific problems that make the young person offend. They deliver programmes of support with the intention of preventing further offending.

Who is it for?

  • Young people to prevent them from getting into trouble as well as those who offend. They also work with parents to offer advice on parenting.

How do I access it?

  • For further information please click here.

Support to Work: Employment Support Programme

Support to Work: employment support programme

Support to Work is an online and telephone support programme for disabled people in England and Wales who are applying for jobs. To find further information please use the link here.

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