Some employers lack the 鈥渒nowledge or confidence鈥 to offer learners with SEND high-quality work experience, an has found. The watchdog was tasked by the Department for Education with reviewing careers advice in specialist settings. It visited five special schools, three pupil referral units and four independent specialist colleges. Ofsted also interviewed inspectors and local authority staff, held focus groups with 鈥渒ey stakeholders and employers鈥 and reviewed a sample of inspection evidence. Its 鈥渙verall sample size was small, and we need to be cautious in treating our findings as representative of specialist settings nationally鈥, the report warned. But it found that a young person鈥檚 own voice was 鈥渃entral to good careers guidance in specialist settings鈥. Where staff develop a close and trusting relationship with learners and their families, 鈥渃areer plans are practical and ambitious鈥. The review continued: 鈥淎ll of the providers visited by inspectors had a highly personalised approach to careers guidance, with the curriculum tailored to meet learners鈥 individual needs.鈥 ‘Mixed’ results Leaders 鈥減rioritised work experience and many were building relationships with employers鈥. But the results were 鈥渕ixed鈥, with some employers 鈥渓acking the knowledge or confidence to offer learners with SEND high-quality work experience鈥. Sir Martin Oliver Ofsted said parents and carers of children attending specialist settings were 鈥渙ften anxious about their future鈥. Good providers 鈥渕ake efforts to reduce that anxiety through well-established communication tools, such as newsletters, phone calls and events that link parent evenings with career events鈥. Chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said that 鈥済ood careers guidance can help address social inequality by teaching children and young people with SEND about the full range of options available鈥. Children attending these schools 鈥渄eserve the kind of high-quality advice that opens the doors to ambitious and interesting experiences鈥. A review of careers advice in mainstream settings last year found that some schools were still biased towards academic routes.