MORE enlightened attitudes amongst employers has helped drive a significant increase in the number of disabled workers taken on by firms in the region during the past year.

In the 12 months to the end of March Remploy's recruitment service increased the number of disabled workers it found employment for in the North-East and North Yorkshire to 562, up from 392 the previous year.

Nationally the company, which specialises in finding work for people with disabilities, helped more than 20,000 individuals secure mainstream employment during the same period.

The organisation believed work it had carried out with employers, which was helping to eradicate discriminatory attitudes, had played a significant role in the increase.

A spokesman said: "That is very much part of it. Employers are becoming much more enlightened and are realising people with disabilities contribute greatly to their business.

"Our people at the recruitment branches spend a lot of time with the clients, but we also spend a lot of time with employers, that is part of the education process.

"We show them instances where firms have employed disabled people and they see the lower absenteeism rates and lower staff turnover."

Remploy runs two sides to its business, employing 2,800 people directly at its 54 factories including those at Spennymoor in County Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and Ashington, In addition it runs 64 of the recruitment branches supporting people into employment.

At the branches clients receive training, support to build their confidence and help with CV writing and interview techniques.

Almost one of three people supported into work by Remploy had mental health issues or a learning disability and about three quarters had been out of work for more than 12 months.

Mark Lunn, Remploy's regional director of employment services in the North East, added: "This is a remarkable achievement in a challenging economic environment with high unemployment and is a tribute to the extensive relationships we have with employers.

"We, and the thousands of companies and organisations with which we work, recognise that employing disabled people delivers real social and economic value for their businesses."