Disability Smart Leader Award

Case study

The Leader award is given to an inspirational leader who has led the implementation of real and tangible improvements for disabled people locally, nationally or globally.

The judging panel chose Claire Cookson, CEO of DFN Project SEARCH, for her work to create real employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities or autism and her commitment to build a more inclusive society. Claire has created supported internship programmes for young people with learning disabilities or autism with proven results. Over 60% of the interns have gone on to achieve full-time permanent roles. She also created and led the launch of the #InclusionRevolution campaign, which encourages UK businesses to recognise the social and economic value in employing young adults with learning disabilities or autism. Since launching in September 2022, the campaign has received strong support from the public and media, and from MPs across all main political parties.

Claire has dedicated her career to redesigning SEND school curriculums in the UK and working with local service providers, businesses and economists to explore the core employability skills that every learner needs.

Her focus is on helping young adults with a learning disability or autism spectrum condition into employment. She is a passionate advocate for change in both in the education sector, as well as the national workforce, and is one of the leading voices for supported employment programmes for young adults with SEND in the UK. At every step of her career, Claire has made it her personal mission to challenge misconceptions and enable young adults with a learning disability and autism spectrum conditions to reach their full potential through employment and seeks to build a more inclusive society.

Claire is CEO of National Charity DFN Project SEARCH, which is a transition to work programme committed to transforming the lives of young adults with a learning disability and autism or both. Before this, Claire began her career in education as an Associate Headteacher of Woodlands School, a broad-spectrum Special School in Warwickshire. She then served as Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors at Stratford upon Avon Primary School and lead for safeguarding, joining the Board as an Education Advisory Board member when the school went into special measures. Within one inspection framework cycle the school was classified as outstanding. Whilst a headteacher in Warwickshire Claire was also strategic lead for supported employment across the Local Authority and developed this provision for all providers working with learners with SEND.

Claire later went onto to work closely with National Grid and co-founded the supported internship programme, EmployAbility Let’s Work Together. Through this work, Claire wrote, tested and rolled out the supported internship offer, which is now a nationally used model. She supported countless educational organisations to access this model and use the resources and protocols developed.

Since starting her role as CEO of DFN Project SEARCH in 2019, Claire has worked to build a more inclusive society by helping create much improved career opportunities for young adults with a learning disability and autism through supported internships schemes across the UK.

The charity works in partnership with Local Authorities, education providers, families and host employers ranging from NHS Trusts to some of the UK’s biggest businesses such as DPD, GSK and Marriott Hotels.

Under Claire’s leaderhship, the DFN Project SEARCH programme has helped 1,900 interns into employment, with over 60% of interns achieving full-time permanent roles, compared to the 5.1% average in England.

Due to the success of the DFN Project SEARCH programme and her extensive experience, Claire has played a crucial role in creating the Internship Works Programme, alongside her colleagues at BASE and NDTi. The programme has been commissioned by the Department for Education to double the number of supported internships by March 2025.

Winner’s quote

“A million thanks yous, BDF. This is a network made of up incredible people all working hard to achieve equity and inclusion for all. This awards means so much and is a testament to all the incredible interns, team members and partners who make up DFN Project SEARCH. So proud to work alongside and learn from you all, and so lucky to have the opportunity to do so.”

Judges’ comments

“Claire Cookson is a passionate advocate for change. She has made it her personal mission to enable young disabled adults to reach their full potential through employment. She is leading a small organisation which is having a significant impact.”

Finalists in this category

• Brazen Productions (Highly commended), 
• Neil Milliken, Atos,
• Claire Cookson, Project SEARCH,
• Julia Dunn, HSBC UK.

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