Government promises joined-up action on education and training for disabled people

The government has promised to join up its approach to improving education and training for disabled people.

In a strategy published on Monday, the departments of health, and for work and pensions and education and skills said they would now develop policy in this area jointly and in line with local agencies’ targets.

This responds to concerns raised by campaigners last year that a change in government education priorities had led the Learning and Skills Council to cut funding for college courses  for adults with learning disabilities.

The strategy is the government’s response to the LSC’s November 2005 report on the issue, Through Excellence to Inclusion, and applies to people with learning disabilities, mental health problems, physical impairments, autism and conditions such as dyslexia, though some elements focus specifically on the first group.

Community Care is campaigning to improve opportunities for people with learning disabilities, including in employment.

Anne McGuire, minister for disabled people, said: “People with a learning disability have one of the lowest employment rates of any group of disabled people. The launch of this strategy will play an important role in extending opportunity to this group of people and ensure that greater numbers of those who can and want to work have the chance to do so.”