A service that supports adults with additional needs to find stable employment has been graded 'good'.

Oxfordshire Employment, an arm of Oxfordshire County Council's adult social care services, was given the rating under the new European accreditation guidelines.

The service supports adults who may have previously struggled to find a job to gain work experience and find employment.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: "Oxfordshire Employment offers huge value for adults with additional needs, supporting them to live well and independently through meaningful employment opportunities.

"By securing and retaining a job, individuals gain a real sense of achievement, being part of a workforce and living as independently as possible.

"It’s great news that the service has been graded good under the new accreditation system and I look forward to it supporting even more people as it continues to grow."

The 'good' rating is awarded through the Supported Employment Quality Framework, a new standard created to drive continuous improvement across the sector.

Oxfordshire County Council is one of the first organisations to go through the new assessment, which involved two days of onsite audits and the submission of more than 150 pieces of supportive evidence.

Assessors spoke to a range of customers, employers, and partners, as well as county council staff.