EFFORTS to help the disabled into the workplace have been outlined at a day-long forum.

Durham County Council's social services department teamed up with a variety of agencies to formulate its Welfare to Work joint plan.

Aimed at making practical help and solutions available to workers and employees, details of the full initiative were aired at County Hall, Durham, this week.

The event, on Tuesday, featured workshops, speeches, presentations and videos, with the programme split to accommodate the needs of employers and the public.

Among the key speakers were David Barker MBE, the director of Disability North, and Angela Lamb, human resources director for South Durham Health care Trust.

John Thornberry, the chairman of Durham Joint Community Care Investment Plan (JCCIP), said he believed the forum would have proved beneficial to employees and employers alike, bringing together a large number of groups involved in disabled issues and employment.

"Disabilities can come in all sorts of forms, but with the right support, advice and practical help, they need not bar people from gaining access to work," said Mr Thornberry.

Several people involved in Durham JCCIP were on hand at the Welfare to Work event to offer first-hand advice, while many bodies highlighted what they offer through display stands and promotional material.

Further information on County Durham's plan is available from Melanie Hall, on 0191-383 3389.