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Support for children aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
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Careers advice for young people with SEND

All schools and further education providers are required to provide independent careers advice to young people. Careers advice aims to help young people understand what types of jobs they want and the types of skills or qualifications they might need for a specific job.

New for 2026! We are hosting events suitable for Special Educational Needs and/or DisabilitiesDisabilitiesA physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on an individual’s ability to do normal daily activities. (SEND) families.

  • Careers & Apprenticeship Show on 12 March 2026, 9am- 7pm Bournemouth International Centre: Click here for Link.
  • Local OfferLocal OfferA local authority website resource that holds information on services and provision for children and young people with SEN and disabilities across education, health and social care and leisure. Live- Thursday 23rd April 2026 10-2pm, Citygate Church, 138 Holdenhurst Road BH8 8AS
  • Hub on the Heath 10.00 am-12.00 pm, 10 Adastral Square, Canford Heath, Poole, BH17 8SA, 10 February and 10 March
  • Redhill Café 10.00 am-12.00 pm, Redhill Park, Bournemouth, BH9 2SW, 3 February, 7 April, 5 June, 7 July, 5 August, 1 September, 6 October, 3 November and 1 December
  • ARC Somerford 9.30-11.30 am, Christchurch, BH23 3EH, 5 February, 5 March, 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 10 September, 1 October, 5 November and 3 December
  • Harbour Church Hub, Lagland Street, Poole, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, 27 February, 27 March, 24 April, 22 May and 26 June
Careers advice requirements
  • be impartial, this means it must offer advice that allows young people to make up their own mind based on their own interests
  • include information on many different education or training options
  • be provided to the young person so that it will promote their best interests
Careers advice for young people who have SEND
  • all of the points above apply to pupils who have SEND
  • schools must ensure that careers advice for pupils who have SEND is provided in a way that they can understand and informed by the young persons wishes and interests
  • all staff providing careers advice to young people with SEND should help them to develop the skills and experience and where required qualifications they need to succeed in their chosen career.
  • schools should make partnerships with businesses and other employers and organisations to help the pupil understand what is available to them so that they can benefit fully from the advice
The Gatsby Benchmarks

To ensure high quality careers guidance, providers should:

  • a stable careers programme
  • use learning from careers and labour market information
  • address the needs of each student
  • provide encounters with employers and employees
  • provide experiences of work places
  • provide encounters with further education and higher education
  • provide personal guidance

Read more about the Gatsby Benchmarks.

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