Cabinet will be asked to approve the adoption of the Havering Learning Disability Employment Charter

Report Title: Havering Employment Charter for Autistic People and People with Learning Disabilities

Presented by: Councillor Gillian Ford; Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing

Cabinet

2.1       Agreed to support the addition of the of the employment charter into the Council’s Human Resources recruitment and selection policy within the conditions of the Disability Confident scheme.

Overview & Scrutiny Recommendations:

At its meeting on 6 November 2025, the People Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee discussed and made some recommendations re the report being considered by Cabinet on the Havering Learning Disability and Employment Charter.

The specific recommendations in this area are as shown below and Cabinet was asked to respond to these at the Cabinet meeting.

If agreed, Cabinet is also asked to approve that a final version of the Charter, incorporating these changes, be published as soon as is practicable, on the Council’s website alongside the agenda papers for this Cabinet meeting.

1.         That Cabinet considers and responds to the following recommendations made by the People Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee in relation to the report on the Havering Learning Disability and Autism Employment Charter due to be considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 12 November 2025.

•           Section 5.1.1: The term ‘positive discrimination’ be amended to ‘positive action’, aligning with the Equality Act 2010.

•           Sections 5.1.3 and 5.1.4: These sections be amended as follows:

o          5.1.3 will now focus on ensuring training and support to enable people with learning disabilities and autistic people to develop skills for career progression.

o          5.1.4 will now refer to reviewing the effectiveness of supported employment services, rather than continuous assessment.

2.         That Cabinet notes that these refinements strengthen the Charter, ensure compliance with equality legislation, and reinforce the Council’s commitment to fairness, accessibility, and impact.

3.         Should the above proposed amendments be accepted by Cabinet, that the final version of the Havering Learning Disability and Autism Employment Charter be published for clarity on the Council’s website page for this meeting of Cabinet.

Cabinet agreed to all of the above recommendations and agreed that  the updated document is attached below as confirmation.

The London Borough of Havering Employment Charter – Employment of People with Learning Disabilities and Autistic People

1.0       Introduction

1.1.      Inequalities and inequity in employment can be associated with inequalities and inequity in other areas of life including health, social mobility, and education. People with learning disabilities and autistic people are more likely to be experience life inequalities and be unemployed relative to both the general population and even people with other kinds of disability.

1.2.      To help reduce inequalities in employment outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, the London Borough of Havering will adopt the following charter to increase the number of people with learning disabilities and autistic people employed locally.

1.3.      This charter forms part of the borough’s wider employment strategy, the local autism strategy, and our commitment to the Disability Confident Employer scheme.

2.0       Vision

2.1.      To promote employment opportunities and personal and career development for people with learning disabilities and autistic people within Havering to reduce inequalities by enabling equal employment opportunities for meaningful and sustainable employment.

3.0       Mission

3.1.      To increase the number of individuals with learning disabilities and autism employed directly by the London Borough of Havering and to support them in achieving their employment goals through appropriate personalised development once employed.

4.0       Key Principles for Employment Opportunities

4.1.      To enable the local authority to achieve its vision the charter sets out six key principles that the local authority will adopt to make recruitment, and employment opportunities more inclusive for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

4.1.1.  Meaningful Competitive Employment: Ensure that the local authority provides job opportunities that provide competitive living wages and enable people to meaningfully develop their career paths.

4.1.2.  Disability Confident Employer: Empower hiring managers to be confident in the recruitment and support of individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people.

4.1.3.  Person-Centred Approach: Tailor employment opportunities to meet the unique needs, preferences, and goals of each person.

4.1.4.  Inclusion: Promote inclusive workplaces where people with disabilities work alongside their non-disabled peers.

4.1.5.  Empowerment: Empower people with disabilities to make informed choices about their employment and career paths.

4.1.6.  Continuous Improvement: Commit to ongoing evaluation and improvement of the recruitment and employment practices within Havering local authority.

5.0       Objectives of the Employment Charter for People with Learning Disabilities and Autistic People

5.1.      The objectives associated with adoption of the employment charter for people with learning disabilities and autistic people are:

5.1.1.  To Increase Employment Opportunities within Havering Local Authority for People with Learning Disabilities and Autistic People: Develop a positive action approach to job opportunities and expand job opportunities available for people with learning disabilities and autistic people within the local authority. This objective will apply to all employment opportunities within Havering local authority including all paid employment, internships, graduate schemes, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities.

5.1.2.  To Further Development the Local Authority Towards Maintaining its Position as a Disability Confident Employer: Develop managerial training to further develop inclusive workplace environment where employees can be confident in interviewing, recruitment of and support of individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people.

5.1.3.  To Enhance Skills and Competencies of People with Learning Disabilities and Autistic People Employed by the Local Authority: Ensure that the council’s approach to training and support enables people with learning disabilities and autistic people to develop the skills needed for carer development.

5.1.4.  To Monitor and Evaluate the Success of the Interventions that are Aimed at Supporting the Implementation of the Employment Charter and Employment Principles: Review of the effectiveness of the supported employment services and make necessary adjustments to improve outcomes in the recruitment of people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

6.0       Key Actions to Support the Employment Charters Approach to Employment Opportunities

6.1.      The following actions should be undertaken to implement this charter as part of the approach to making Havering local authority a more inclusive workplace:

6.1.1.  Workforce Engagement: Engage with the workforce to promote the benefits of hiring individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people and provide training on inclusive practices.

6.1.2.  Selective Recruitment Focus: Automatically make people with learning disabilities and autistic people who meet the minimum criteria eligible for interviews when applying for job opportunities advertised across the local authority.

6.1.3.  Inclusive Recruitment Practices: HR should support all hiring managers with adopting more flexible recruitment approaches across recruitment exercises to reduce disadvantages inherent in traditional interview and recruitment processes.

6.1.4.  Individualized Employment Plans: Adopt inclusivity focused personalised employment plans that outline the individual's goals, strengths, and support needs.

6.1.5.  Job Matching and Placement: Further support matching individuals with suitable job opportunities that align with their skills and interests.

6.1.6.  On-the-Job Support: Provide ongoing person-centred support and coaching to help individuals succeed in their employment.

6.1.7.  Community Partnerships: Collaborate with internal community organisations within Havering local authority to create a network of support for individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people in the workplace.