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<p>The Government is strongly committed to increasing employment opportunities for
disabled people, including those with autism. Taking a life course approach, we are
working across Government and with local authorities, voluntary organisations and
employers in the public and private sectors to achieve this. Help and support for
people with autism includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Access to Work, a discretionary grant
scheme which offers advice and practical and financial support above the level of
reasonable adjustments to disabled people who are in work or about to start work.
Access to Work has also put in place a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team that gives
advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as Autism,
Learning Disability and/or Mental Health conditions. It also offers eligible people
an assessment to find out their needs at work and help to develop a support plan.</li><li>In
2017/18, the highest ever number of people received AtW payments - 33,860, up 13%
on 2016/17.</li><li>Through working with Autism Alliance, we have developed the Disability
Confident Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit, to help staff from all Government Departments
understand how to support people with autism and associated neuro-diverse conditions.
We also developed the Disability Passport ‘About Me’ which aims to encourage disabled
claimants, including individuals with autism, to disclose their disability/ health
conditions at the earliest stage to their Adviser, to improve communication and ensure
reasonable adjustments are put in place. Both the toolkit and passport are hosted
on Autism Alliance’s website.</li><li>Also through working with Autism Alliance, we
delivered Autism and Hidden Impairment training to over 1000 nominated staff across
the Jobcentre Plus network. Feedback from delegates confirms that the training helped
staff to understand how to support people with autism or hidden impairments into employment.</li><li>The
Civil Service has committed to support the Autism Exchange Programme, and my Department
is working with Ambitious about Autism to provide work placement opportunities for
young people.</li><li>Through the Disability Confident scheme, DWP is engaging with
employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with
autism and associated hidden impairment conditions. Through the scheme, DWP is providing
advice and support to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled
people, by signposting them to appropriate advice guidance and support.</li></ul><p><em>Improving
Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability</em>, published last year, sets out
the Government’s strategy for helping people with disabilities or health conditions,
including learning difficulties and autism, enter and remain in employment. Whilst
the initiatives are not all aimed exclusively at autistic people, we expect that many
will benefit from these initiatives.</p><p> </p>
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