Hundreds attend city's first city-wide SEND careers fair

Nearly 450 students and teachers attended Wolverhampton's first city-wide careers fair for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) recently.

The City of Wolverhampton Council, in collaboration with The Black Country Consortium and Tettenhall Wood School, held the Career, Next Steps, Transition and Preparing for Adulthood Event at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

Children, young people, their parents and carers as well staff who support the children in their current educational setting were invited to come along to find out about the options available for further education, training or employment.

Councillor Chris Burden, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Work, said: "As a council and as a city, we are determined to do all we can to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities are able to live their lives to the full.

"We were delighted to be able to hold this careers fair especially for young people in Year 9 and above with SEND and an Education, Health and Care Plan, and to be joined by a range of exhibitors including colleges, providers, supported employers, social care settings and community groups on the day.

"The event was extremely well received by parents, schools and exhibitors, and every single young person asked said they had really enjoyed the day, and found out a lot about the options that may be open to them in the future. “We also had really positive feedback from schools and parents and carers, and I’d like to thank everyone who came along for making the event such a success.”

He added: "This was the first time we have held a city-wide event like this, and given it proved very worthwhile for all concerned, it is something that we would like to repeat on a regular basis."

Sarah Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Service Manager for SEND Early Identification and Support, Vicky O’Connor, Senior Enterprise Coordinator for SEND Black Country Consortium, Laura Watson, Senior Assistant Headteacher, Tettenhall Wood School, and students from Tettenhall Wood's Horizon Sixth Form at the Career, Next Steps, Transition and Preparing for Adulthood Event.