AQW 24935/22-27

Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim

Tabled Date: 24/03/2025
Answered On Date: 02/04/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any steps her Department is taking to ensure that skills and employment programmes are fully accessible and tailored to meet the needs of disabled people, including those with autism and learning difficulties.

Answer:

My Department offers a range of skills programmes, many of which include measures to support individuals who face additional barriers, including disabled individuals with autism and learning difficulties, to enable them to build skills and qualifications. Amongst these measures are Breaking Barriers in education, Skill Up and Step Up’s Disability Access Route to Employment and Education (DARE). My Department also provides Disabled Students' Allowance to students in Higher Education who have extra course-related expenses as a direct result of a disability, mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty whilst a ring-fenced budget of £4.5m, per annum, is provided through the Additional Support Fund to Further Education colleges. This support ensures that the range of provision available is fully accessible to students with disabilities.