News

ETF tender for 6 new SEND mini hubs

21/05/21

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) is tendering for six new providers to become mini-hubs for best practice around engaging with employers. The hubs will work with the three existing centres of Excellence; Derby College, Weston College and City College Norwich to develop best practice in engaging employers. 

The invitation to tender goes out on May 21 and £30,000 will be available to each provider, who will need to be Ofsted grade 2 or above and working in the north-west, north-east, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, London or the south-east.

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RoATP opening for applications from apprenticeship providers

13/05/21

The Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) is about to open for applications from providers wishing to deliver apprenticeships. The register will open for applications on 17 May. Application guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/roatp-application-guidance-digital-may-2021

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Test & Learn DPS - important notice

06/05/21

The Department for Work and Pensions may soon advertise a number of opportunities and go out to tender via the Test & Learn Dynamic Purchasing System (T&L DPS). They want to warm up the market to these possible opportunities and DWP reserves the right not proceed to an invitation to tender.  The opportunities currently under consideration are in the following areas:

  • Local Supported Employment
  • Quality and accreditations (Autism support and Occupational Health)
  • Occupational Health
  • Individual Placement Support
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TfL market engagement on Supported Internship provision

30/04/21

Transport for London (TfL) has issued a market sounding questionnaire. It seeks to obtain market feedback in relation to the design, delivery and management of supported internship provision for the Steps into Work programme. The primary focus of the MSQ is to better understand market/supplier appetite, capacity and capability, as well as perceived risks and opportunities.

TfL's employability programmes provide work readiness skills and opens doors to employment to some of the most disadvantaged groups in society. Individuals who fall into these groups have been disproportionately impacted by the current pandemic and now face even greater barriers to employment. The employability programmes are currently undergoing a redesign to better support those that most need it, through partnerships with charities, delivery partners and business stakeholders.

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Restart contract winners announced

26/04/21

DWP has announced that it has awarded Restart contracts to bidders in all 12 contract package areas following a commercial process through the Commercial Agreement for Employment and Health Related Services [CAEHRS].

Four of the Restart bidders were successful and have each been awarded two contracts, these are: Ingeus, Maximus, Reed in Partnership and Serco. All other successful bidders have been awarded one contract each area, these are: Fedcap Employment, G4S, Jobs 22 and Seetec Pluss. 

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Huw Davies blog: Now is the Time!

26/03/21

Now is the Time. As we move towards publication of a national disability strategy, it is timely to reflect on how things stand within the Supported Employment sector. It is telling that 40 years after the introduction of Supported Employment to the UK, we have still not seen any national funding of a sector that is predominantly funded through local authorities and charitable sources.

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CSJ publishes Disability Commission report: Now is the Time

23/03/21

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Disability Commission has published a comprehensive report, Now is the Time, that examines disability policy across education, employment, housing, transport, and access to goods and services. BASE fed views into the report's development. We welcome its recommendations and expect it to influence the development of the National Disability Strategy.

The report has large chapters on education and employment with specific sections devoted to apprenticeships, Supported Interrnships and Supported Employment. The report also contains recommendations around support for employers, Access to Work, Disability Confident, workforce reporting and government procurement.

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Supported Interns able to continue into 2021-22 academic year

22/03/21

Department of Education have confirmed that Supported Interns who were not able to meet the core aim of their internship in the 2020-21 academic year may continue their internship into the 2021-22 academic year. This will also apply to 2019-20 interns who continued into 2020-21 and  have not yet completed their internships.

We've now has confirmation that Access to Work will be extended to cover supported interns who are repeating their course.

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Revised Access to Work forms for Supported Internships

16/03/21

DWP has issued new Access to Work guidance for education providers and supported Employment providers involved in delivering Supported Internships. They have also revised the application form and support plan. Note that these forms are subject to ongoing change as they are refined by DWP.

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New EU Disability Strategy published

04/03/21

Image of strategy and link to download itThe European Union has published its new Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. The new strategy builds on its predecessor, the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, and contributes to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights for which an Action Plan will be adopted by the Commission this week.

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