| answer text |
<p>Supported internships are a work study programme for young people aged 16 to 24
who have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, want to move into employment and
need extra support to do so. In 2022, the department invested around £18 million until
March 2025 to build capacity in the supported internship programme and double the
number of supported internships to 4,500 by March 2025.</p><p> </p><p>In 2022, the
SEN2 data collection recorded 2,477 supported internship starts. In 2023, SEN2 recorded
1,526 supported internship starts. However, this was following a change in the data
collection to gather individual learner level, rather than aggregated returns, for
each local authority. As with any new data collection, there were some quality issues
and limitations to the data received, which the department is working with local authorities
to address. The SEN2 data collection for 2024 will be published in June.</p><p> </p><p>The
charity, DFN Project Search, are contracted as part of the Internships Work consortium
to deliver local authority special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Employment
Forum training to any local authorities who wish to take up the offer to help them
develop their supported internship programmes. DFN Project Search have delivered training
to 134 out of 153 local authorities. Moving into the final year of the contract, DFN
Project Search will target the remaining local authorities and additional training
will remain open to any local authorities that request it.</p><p> </p><p>In the Spring
Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the supported
internship pilot which extends the programme to young people with learning difficulties
and disabilities (LDD) without EHC plans until March 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The pilot
is being rolled out in 12 local authorities with a strong, existing supported internship
offer in a mix of urban and rural areas. Delivery began in September 2023. Through
the pilot, the department is hoping to support around 250 young people aged 16 to
24, who have complex SEND and LDD but who do not have an EHC plan, to develop the
skills and experience needed to move into sustained, paid employment.</p><p> </p><p>As
the delivery is still in its early stages, the department has not yet formally assessed
the effectiveness of the pilot. The pilot will be evaluated to inform future policy
planning on supported internships. Participating local authorities, employers, providers
and interns are engaging with the evaluation partner, CooperGibson Research, who aim
to publish their report in the summer of 2026.</p><p> </p><p>Early feedback from local
authorities that are delivering the pilot shows that interns have been enrolled on
positive and stretching work placements.</p>
|
|
