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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Offer

Training and Employment

Moving on from full-time education is a worrying prospect for all young people. However, for young people with additional needs, planning will normally start during their annual Transition Review meetings at school.   Their Personal Adviser will usually give lots of ideas and suggestions about the options available when they leave school.  These options might include getting a job or doing a course that will help get ready for work, starting an apprenticeship or volunteering.

There are a number of organisations across Royal Greenwich that support young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to prepare for work and to find a job.  

Many types of job may be available and in a lot of cases some form of training programmes would be included.

This section gives information about these organisations and the services they provide to support young people into employment.

Post-16 in Royal Greenwich

Post-16 College Provision in Royal Greenwich

There are a variety of local colleges offering courses for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. These include:

London South East Colleges

There is a range of support available to students:

  • Induction is a structured programme to help new students settle into higher education
  • Student Hub offers advice and guidance for fees, finance and registration 
  • Learning support provides specialist help and resources for those in need of additional support
  • Wellbeing is promoted through access to a range of sports clubs and societies and health and fitness facilities for all students
  • Careers advice from professional advisors on job hunting, CV and interview preparation
  • Open events are held each term at each of our campuses to assist students to make the right choices, through providing opportunities to speak with our tutors about our range of degree courses and the support we can offer

 Support for students with disabilities

You may be entitled to apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). This allowance is not dependent on your income and is not repayable. The DSA is intended to help with the extra costs of study that are a direct result of your disability. Items such as specialist equipment, non-medical helper, travel costs and other general costs, can be included depending on your needs. Further details can be obtained from here

For more information about London South East Colleges and courses available:

Lewisham and Southwark College

Lewisham and Southwark College have a Supported Learning department. The curriculum on offer here is designed to meet the needs of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and to enable them to go on to further education, training or employment.
You can find out more information on the supported learning courses available here

Lewisham and Southwark College also provides Vocational Taster Courses that provide a flexible introduction to college education. You can find out more about this course here

For more information about Lewisham and Southwark College and other courses available:

    Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA)

    Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA)

    Students living in England who are accessing higher education can apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if they have a:-

    • Disability
    • Long-term health condition
    • Mental health condition
    • Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia.

    The amount of support received through the DSA depends on individual needs rather than on income. The DSA is paid in addition to other sources of student finance, and does not have to be repaid.

    The DSA can help with numerous costs, such as:-

    • Specialist equipment (e.g. computer software)
    • Non-medical support, such as a note-taker or a reader
    • Additional travel costs incurred due to a disability
    • Other costs related to a disability, such as photocopying.

    Information on the application and assessment process for DSA, as well as the timescales for applications, is detailed in the Student Finance England guide.

    Further details of the DSA can be found on the Government’s DSA webpages.

    Supported Internship Programme

    A supported Internship is a study programme based primarily at an employer's premises based on the 'place and train' model. 

    They are designed to better enable young people with an EHC Plan to achieve sustainable paid employment by equipping them with the skills they need for employment through learning in the workplace.

    For the young person, the internship should contribute to their long-term career goals and fit with their working capabilities.

    For the employer, the internship must meet a real business need; with the potential of a paid job at the end of the study programme should the intern meet the required standard.

    Steps into work

    The Steps into Work programme is a 12-month scheme which offers people with mild to moderate learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum the chance to gain skills and work experience.

    For further information 

    Please email stepsintowork@tfl.gov.uk or call 020 3054 2718 to request an expression of interest form or for further information about the programme.

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