SEND Students: Making Work Experience Inclusive

High‑quality work experience should be for everyone – but too often, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional needs miss out.

Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) face barriers to accessing work experience. This guide explains what those barriers are and how employers and schools can design inclusive programmes that genuinely open doors.

Engaging young people from SEND, Alternative Provision and under-represented ethnic groups is not just inclusive — employers are 20% more likely to say it helps build stronger future talent pipelines.

Why Inclusion Matters

Work experience builds confidence, expands networks and helps young people see what's possible. For students who don't have family connections to professional workplaces, a placement can be life‑changing. 

But access alone is not enough. The data shows that even where opportunities exist, they are not always meaningful or relevant:

• Although access to work experience has increased for disadvantaged young people, many report that opportunities do not align with their interests. This suggests a lack of visibility and clear information about pathways.  

• In 2024/25, nearly six in ten Year 11 learners with SEND said they had not spoken to anyone working in a job that interests them, limiting their exposure to different roles and career pathways. 

Futures for All exists to support employers to create high-quality work experience that is relevant, informative and accessible, so that every young person can access opportunities that are meaningful and reflect their interests and potential.

Barriers Facing SEND Students 

Expectations and experiences

Students with SEND are sometimes nervous around applying for roles – they maybe unsure their access needs can be supported; they may feel a reticence to engage due to previous experiences. 

Accessibility

Physical access, sensory needs, communication support and reasonable adjustments are not always considered when placements are designed.

Information gaps

Employers may not know what support a student needs or may worry about "getting it wrong" – leading them to avoid offering placements altogether.

Transition and preparation

Students with SEND may need more preparation and support to feel ready for work experience, and schools may lack the capacity to provide this individually.

How Employers Can Make Work Experience Inclusive

Diversity of offering

Many employers report that SEND specific placements are highly rewarding, engaging and impactful. SEND students bring diverse strengths, perspectives and talents.   

Offer meaningful work, focusing on what the student can do and offering support with what they may find difficult. Share with attendees how your organisation is disability- and SEND-friendly and highlight transferrable skills you look for before discussing specific industry roles and responsibilities.

Provide role models

Where possible, introduce students to employees from similar backgrounds or with similar experiences. Representation matters, and seeing "someone like me" succeeding in your organisation can shift a young person's sense of what's possible.

Offer flexible formats

Not every student can commit to a full week or schedule. Consider:

• Shorter Insight Days (1 day) as an entry point. 

• Virtual or hybrid placements that reduce travel barriers. 

• Part‑time or after‑school options where feasible. 

• In advance make reasonable adjustments for SEND students. 

• Ask students (and their schools and colleges) what support they need and be open to making adjustments. This might include:

  • Quiet spaces for breaks if a student finds busy environments overwhelming. 

  • Shorter sessions with more breaks. 

  • Workbooks for the work experience, including pre-placement where educators can support students to conduct employer/industry research and think of questions they would like to ask, as well as post-placement with reflective activities and notes. 

  • Visual schedules or written instructions for students who benefit from structure. 

  • Inclusion of sensory elements where applicable.

  • Visual descriptions of the office space if delivery is in person. 

  • Adjusting communication styles. 

  • Allowing extra time for tasks or offering alternative ways to present work. 

  • Providing a consistent point of contact or mentor throughout the placement. 

Most adjustments are straightforward and cost nothing – they're about thoughtfulness, not a major resource change.

Remove financial barriers

Where possible: 

• Offer to cover or contribute to travel costs. 

• Provide lunch or a meal allowance. 

• Be flexible about dress codes (for example, accept smart casual rather than requiring a full suit). 

• If you can't fund these directly, signpost students to school bursaries or hardship funds. 

Even small gestures make a big difference.

Widen your reach

List your opportunities on national platforms like the Futures For All Work Experience Finder so they're visible to students across the country, not just those with connections. 

Use clear, jargon‑free language in your placement descriptions and avoid unnecessary requirements (for example, "must have prior experience" or "parent must work in the sector"). 

How Schools Can Support Inclusive Work Experience

Prepare students thoroughly

Use tutor time, PSHE or enrichment sessions to build confidence and skills: 

• What to expect in a workplace. 

• How to travel independently (especially for students with SEND or those unfamiliar with public transport). 

• Communication and workplace behaviours (punctuality, asking for help, professional conduct). 

• Share key information with employers. 

• Help students with experience in completing application forms and showcasing strengths. 

• With student and parent consent, brief employers on any support needs in a clear, practical way.  

Focus on: 

• What helps this student work well. 

• Any specific adjustments they might need. 

• Connect with teachers where required. 

• Who to contact if they have questions. 

• Keep it simple and solution‑focused rather than deficit‑focused. 

• Offer tailored support 

Some students may need: 

• Extra preparation sessions before the placement. 

• A phone check‑in during the week. 

• Structured reflection activities afterwards to consolidate learning. 

This can be built into your SEND work. 

Share supporting information

As the term SEND is broad and refers to a vast range of abilities, we encourage educators to reach out to discuss session suitability for attendees. This will enable the Futures For All team and the school(s) and college(s) to work with employers to ensure access needs are met within a supportive environment.

Use platforms that widen access

By using the Work Experience Finder, you give all students access to a much wider range of opportunities than you could arrange individually – and you reduce the workload on your team. 

Celebrate successes

Share stories of students who've thrived on work experience. This helps broaden understanding (for young people and employers) and inspires other young people to give it a go.

What Futures For All Does To Support Inclusion

Inclusion is at the heart of Futures For All's mission. We exist to ensure that access to opportunity doesn't depend on background, postcode or connections. 

Through the Work Experience Finder and our partnerships with employers and schools, we: 

• Connect young people from over 2,200 state schools and colleges – including those in areas of high deprivation – with high‑quality work experience. 

• Work with employers to design inclusive programmes that remove barriers and to ensure they are well prepared for how to pitch sessions for the cohort. 

• Provide resources and guidance to help schools support students with additional needs. 

• Advocate for policy and practice changes that make work experience fairer and more accessible. 

We've seen first‑hand that when work experience is inclusive, everyone benefits: young people gain confidence and skills, employers access diverse talent, and social mobility improves. 

Inclusive work experience isn't complicated – it's about removing barriers, making thoughtful adjustments and being intentional about who gets access to opportunities. 

If you're an employer or school or college committed to opening doors for all young people, Futures For All is here to support you.