Education: Call for careers advice for disabled school leavers

Pupils receiving extra learning support should get more help when they leave school to go to work, the children's commissioner for Wales has said.

Rocio Cifuentes said parents had told her leaving education was "a bit of a cliff edge" for their children.

She made her remarks at the launch of a series of short films aimed at helping young people with their mental health.

The Welsh government said Careers Wales gave students with learning needs targeted career advice.

"At the moment there isn't enough support available for that transition period after 18, into their young adulthood, into living independently," said Ms Cifuentes at Ysgol y Gogarth, Llandudno, Conwy county.

"It's really important that more resources and more focus is given to that transition period for young people with disabilities," she added.

Ysgol y Gogarth is a special school with 276 pupils aged three to 19 where students spent 10 months producing the animated videos.

One pupil, Joshua, said: "We're creating videos to help people who struggle with their mental health because there are so many people with mental health struggles, especially coming out of Covid.

"I really hope people enjoy what we've created. I just want people to realise that there is help out there for them even though they don't think there is."

For Lil, another student who has worked on the videos, the opportunity has helped her face life post-school. 

Lil said: "I'd love to do more in production. I have so many ideas and it really means a lot to have the opportunity to share them and have them taken seriously."

Another student, Caroline, said: "It would be amazing if these videos could be seen by people across the world."

The films attempt to tackle common issues facing students with additional learning needs, including substance misuse, healthy eating and planning for life after school.

The Welsh government said: "Careers Wales provide targeted career advice and support to young people with additional learning needs."

It said its additional learning needs (ALN) reforms aimed to improve outcomes for children and young people.

"They are designed and delivered to respond to each individual's need," it added.