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What constitutes effective support in obtaining and maintaining employment for individuals with intellectual disability? A scoping review
- Authors:
- CHENG Cindy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 43(3), 2018, pp.317-327.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: Employment rates for Australians with an intellectual disability remain low. Effective evidence-based strategies are required to guide future interventions, to enable people with intellectual disability achieve better employment outcomes. Methods: A literature search of peer-reviewed articles published between 2001 and 2015 was conducted using four electronic databases. Articles were reviewed and sorted according to employment setting and type of support provided. Results: Twenty-two studies were identified. Four studies of open employment examined workplace level strategies and 17 investigated individual level strategies. A single study of supported employment examined individual level change. Results suggested potential strategies that can be utilised to support people with intellectual disability obtain and maintain employment. Conclusions: Existing evidence regarding open employment for people with intellectual disabilities could be enhanced through the conduct of rigorous outcomes-focused studies that attend to specific strategies at both individual and organisation levels. (Edited publisher abstract)
A summary of government initiatives relating to employment for people with learning disabilities in England
- Author:
- BLAMIRES Kate
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 20(3), 2015, pp.151-165.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper provides a synthesis of current and previous government policies and strategies, in relation to people with learning disabilities and employment, to facilitate a better understanding of the current situation and future challenges. Design/methodology/approach: A search was completed to identify government policies relating to the employment of people with learning disabilities. Key policies were identified and their impact was discussed in the paper. Findings: It appears there is a necessity to identify how successful pilot projects can be replicated on a national scale, with clear targets and measures and initial financial support to set up these services. Alongside this there is a need for interventions targeting not just employers, but the general population, educating people about the importance of including and valuing people with learning disabilities in the workforce. Originality/value: It is important that policy is analysed and the impact of it is assessed to determine whether more action is necessary. This paper adds updates to some of the issues discussed in Melling et al.’s (2011) paper about “Supported employment for people with learning disabilities”. (Edited publisher abstract)
Towards employment: what research says about support-to-work in relation to psychiatric and intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- LOVGREN Veronica, MARKSTROM Urban, SAUER Lennart
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, 16(1), 2017, pp.14-37.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article presents an overview of research about support-to-work in relation to psychiatric and intellectual disabilities. The overview shows that support-to-work services are multifaceted, and that work can be seen as a tool for individual rehabilitation or as a set of goals to achieve. Providers are presented with specific components, which are characterised by systematic, targeted, and individualised interventions. The overview illustrates a need for long-term engagement and cooperation of and between welfare services and agents within the labour market to dissolve the Gordian knot that the transition from welfare interventions to employment seems to be. (Edited publisher abstract)
Raising aspiration: widening participation in supported internships
- Authors:
- ALLOTT Susan, HICKS Tom
- Publishers:
- Remploy, Mencap
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 12
- Place of publication:
- Leicester
Joint report by Mencap and Remploy which looks at the effectiveness of supported internships in providing a route into paid employment for young people with learning disabilities and special educational needs. Supported internships provide personalised study programmes based primarily at an employer’s premises, which include on-the-job training provided by expert job coaches. Job coaches provide support to employers, increasing their confidence of working with interns, and also provide support at the end of the internship for those young people not offered a paid job. The report also looks at some of the challenges of delivering and scaling up the provision of supported internships, which include employers not recognising supported internships as a model of good practice, lack of awareness of local authorities, and lack of long-term funding. It then puts forward proposals to help address these challenges. The report argues that supported internships could form a key part of Government aspirations to reduce the disability employment and calls for a cross-Government marketing campaign and a sustainable, ring-fenced funding stream to help agencies running and planning supported internships. (Edited publisher abstract)
Is policy having an impact? Commentary on “A summary of government initiatives relating to employment for people with learning disabilities in England”
- Author:
- MELLING Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 20(3), 2015, pp.166-169.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper provides a commentary on “A summary of government initiatives relating to employment for people with learning disabilities in England” by Kate Blamires. Design/methodology/approach: In her paper, Blamires outlines the development of policy in employment for people with learning disabilities. This commentary explores whether this policy development is having any impact. Findings: The statistics indicate that development of policy does not appear to be making a difference. It is concluded that this is about how it is being implemented and the time it takes for policy to have an impact. What is needed to fully implement these changes is a huge cultural shift, changing people’s mindset about what people with learning disabilities can achieve. (Edited publisher abstract)
Final report: evaluation of employment outcomes of project SEARCH UK
- Author:
- KAEHNE Axel
- Publisher:
- South West Employment Institute
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 27
- Place of publication:
- Liverpool
An assessment of the employment outcomes of Project SEARCH sites in the UK since inception of the programme. Project SEARCH started at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio USA. The idea was to develop placements for people with intellectual disabilities in the hospital which could be utilised as springboards for lasting employment opportunities. As of July 2013 the UK had 17 active sites. In all cases, the sites are run by a collaboration or partnership between the host employer, an education provider or vocational training organisation, and a supported employment agency. About 36 per cent of all participants have found full time paid employment (defined as more than 16 hours per week). This amounts to 114 individuals out of 316 participants. Another 35 individuals have found part time paid employment (less than 16 hours per week), which amounts to about 11 per cent. The report suggests that an improved shared learning process for all sites, grounded in detailed outcome and good practice analysis, may be critical to the success of the programme. In addition, it acknowledges that in the UK the programme has been developed within the context of transition for young people with learning disabilities and as a result a comprehensive assessment of its success should take into account recruitment practices, the transition pathways involved and the links that Project SEARCH has with the statutory transition process. (Edited publisher abstract)
Rethinking disability at work: recommendations, polling data and key statistics
- Author:
- CENTRE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
- Publisher:
- Centre for Social Justice
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 43
- Place of publication:
- London
Outlines key recommendations from the findings of research to explore why disabled people are significantly under-represented the workplace and suggests ways to narrow the disability employment gap. To address the large numbers of disabled people who fall out of employment, the report makes recommendations for the use of apprenticeships; the creation of better working environments, and a better system to manage returns to work after a sickness absence. The report also includes recommendations on how employers can be supported and encouraged to employ disabled people, highlighting the many benefits that disabled people bring to the workplace; the relationship between out-of-work benefits and employment support; and how to improve support to people with learning disabilities and mental health into work. The report also includes detail of polling data and key statistics from the research. (Edited publisher abstract)
Regional SEN Transition to Employment Initiative (Real Opportunities): impact of the Real Opportunities project
- Authors:
- BEYER Stephen, et al
- Publisher:
- Real Opportunities
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 36
- Place of publication:
- Ystrad Mynach
An evaluation of the Real Opportunities project, which set out to address gaps in the support for young people with a learning disability, severe and complex needs and/or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder going through transition, by providing services designed to tackle the problems directly. The project provided a broadly integrated service approach linked to schools, driven by a person centred approach, with the availability of hands-on support to deliver selected transition goals. The report presents an overview of the project and the key problems in transition and considers the impact of this intervention in relation to: transition key workers, person centred planning, supported work experience, inclusion work, independence, and engaging peer mentors. (Edited publisher abstract)
WORKSTEP customer survey
- Authors:
- PURVIS Ann, LAW Rebecca, LOWREY James
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 127p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report presents the findings from a two stage piece of research into customer experience and a baseline of the existing WORKSTEP customers. WORKSTEP is supported employment programme aimed to help disabled people find and retain work either in jobs in the open labour market, via supported placements with mainstream employers, or within supported businesses established to employ disabled people. The first stage was a quantitative survey of 1,009 WORKSTEP customers. Stage two consisted of a smaller qualitative survey of 98 customer interviews. The survey was carried out between October 2008 and July 2009. The baseline data collected will feed into an evaluation of the Work Choice Programme, which is set to replace WORKSTEP in October 2010.
Employment support agencies in the UK: current operation and future development needs
- Authors:
- WISTOW Richard, SCHNEIDER Justine
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 15(2), March 2007, pp.128-135.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Disabled people are amongst the most excluded in society, while people with learning disability have the lowest rates of employment. Supported employment promises to address the gaps, but it is a new approach, one whose development has been incremental. The present authors explore some of the features of agencies providing employment support to disabled people, together with their managers' views. This paper describes semi structured telephone interviews with the managers of 31 employment support agencies. The survey sought to understand the types of service provided, the staff and caseload numbers, the training offered, and the targets used. The authors also asked the managers what would help them in delivering employment opportunities to disabled people. The responses of the managers highlight gaps between current policy and practice. Particular attention is given to the use of targets, fragmented funding and what managers consider is required to improve employment opportunities for disabled people. Managers endorsed the vision expressed in current policy, and identified numerous obstacles to its implementation in employment support. Taken together, their views can be used to guide the development of supported employment.