Today, the House of Lords Public Services Committee has launched
a public call for written evidence in relation to
its inquiry into the transition from
education to employment for young disabled people.
The inquiry, which launched in June, will examine employment and
career support for young disabled people leaving education and
entering the job market and workplace. It will also explore the
barriers which inhibit them in achieving their goals including
the move from support at school to support at work and
non-inclusive employment practices including bullying and
harassment. The inquiry will consider public services as
employers, and how the rights of disabled people in the workplace
are enforced.
Questions/Topics the Committee is seeking evidence on
include;
- The support available for young disabled people including how
effectively education systems provide careers advice, guidance
and support which meet the needs and career aspirations of young
disabled people.
- The accessibility of careers in public services to young
disabled people when they are first entering the job market: the
Committee will ask for examples of good and poor practice in
recruitment.
- How effective are government programmes which support or
encourage employers to employ disabled people, particularly young
disabled people? Does this differ by condition or disability? How
could they be improved?
- How effectively are the rights of disabled people upheld and
enforced in the workplace? What barriers do young disabled people
face in accessing the support (including legal support) that they
need and are entitled to? How could enforcement mechanisms be
improved?
The full call for evidence and details of how to make submissions
are available on the Committee website.
This information has been produced in a variety of
accessible formats, including in Easy Read, audio, and British
Sign Language. Submissions of written evidence should be received
by 21 September 2023.
, Chair of the
Public Services Committee said;
“Disabled people are more likely to be unemployed or
economically inactive than non-disabled people. And they face
many barriers to entering the workplace, particularly for the
first time.
“A key transition in young disabled people’s lives is leaving
education and entering the workforce. This at a time of
significant change already: that from services aimed at young
people to services geared towards adults. We want to establish
how well this works, and how it can be improved. And we want to
know about careers support, and how well that is working.
“Disabled people are more likely to choose to work in the
public sector than non-disabled people: and indeed the public
sector should be a good example of inclusive employers. We would
be interested in hearing about good and poor inclusive employment
practices, and how best practice could become the norm,
considering how employers operate in the UK and further afield:
and how the rights of disabled people are enforced when things go
wrong.
“We have produced this call for evidence so that it is as
accessible as possible. We want to reach past the usual audience,
and we hope that people – especially young disabled people - will
tell us what they know.”
The first evidence session of this inquiry was held on 7 June 2023.
Notes to Editor
- The process for making submissions is set out
on the Committee’s
website but any questions should be directed to
Committee staff at hlpublicservices@parliament.uk or
via the telephone on 020 7219 6154 (text relay 18001 020 7219
6154). Evidence should be submitted by 21 September 2023.
