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Support for children aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
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Your rights and the law - learning and training

The law requires all young people in England to continue in education or training until at least their 18th birthday. By remaining in education career and life outcomes for young people are improved.

Read about what local authorities must do to support young people to remain in education or training.

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Benefits of staying in education or training
  • young people can develop a greater range of skills
  • the likelihood of unemployment is significantly reduced
  • increased earning potential
  • offers the opportunity for young people who are disengaged with mainstream education to develop new skills in a different setting.
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Different options for learning and training
  • study full-time at school, college or with a training provider. The definition of full-time participation is at least 540 hours a year; this is around 18 hours per week.
  • full-time employment or volunteering (full-time is counted as more than 20 hours a week) combined with part-time study or training. To count as full-time work, the job must be for 8 or more weeks consecutively and for 20 or more hours per week. Part-time education or training alongside full-time work must be at least 280 hours per year.
  • enrol in an apprenticeship, traineeship or supported internship.
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Careers guidance
  • schools have a duty to provide independent careers advice to all pupils in years 8 to 13. Colleges and further education providers are required to secure independent careers guidance for all students up to and including the age of 18 and 19 to 25 year olds with an EHC plan
  • providers should ensure that careers guidance for pupils with SEND is tailored to their individual needs and aspirations.
  • careers guidance must meet the Gatsby Benchmarks
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