Supported employment and the National Disability Strategy

Eithne FitzgeraldHead of Policy and Public AffairsNational Disability Authority

Outline

• Facts and figures

• National Disability Strategy

• Promoting partnership

Low participation in work

• A third of people with disabilities have a job v. three quarters of others (Census 2006)

• 60% of people with disabilities not working are restricted in type or amount of work they can do

• Raising employment rates will mean more emphasis on supporting people to get and to keep work

Employment and disabilityCensus 2006

01020304050607080

others p.w.d physical sensory ID m.health Chrillness

Highest level of education achieved Age 24 who have completed education (Census 2006)

05

10152025303540

Primary Lr Sec Upr sec Oth 3rdlevel

Degree +

Disabledothers

Employment rates, disabled and other men by education level (age 25-34; Census 2002)

0102030405060708090

100

Primary Lr sec Upr sec Oth 3rdlevel

Degree +

DisabledOther

Difficulty in types or amount of workpeople with long-term illness or disability QNHS 2002

Type of work Amount of work

0

20

40

60

80

100

at work not at work at work not at work

nonesomeLots

National Disability Strategy Employment and disability commitments

• Develop a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities

• Numerical targets for increased employment

• Develop and enhance FÁS supported employment programme

• Cross-departmental co-operation across Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Health; Social and Family Affairs

• Specific commitments to enhance supported employment; to bridge between HSE and mainstream training; systematic process of engagement with people with disabilities to establish employment aspirations

• 3% target mandatory under Part 5 Disability Act

National Disability Strategy Targets Employment and disability

• Sectoral Plan– 7,000 more in work by 2010

• National Development Plan - 2016– participation in education, training and employment up 50%

– proportion at work up from 37% to 45% (QNHS)

Comprehensive employment strategyNDA report - Key pillars

• Make work pay, remove benefit traps

• Equip pwd to compete in labour market now and future

• Enlist public and private sector employers

• Prevent flow into inactivity– School leavers

– People acquiring a disability

• Systematic process of engagement

• Comprehensive across individuals and levels of ability

Supported employment Almost 4% of workers with a disability

• Two separate state-funded arrangements

• FÁS scheme– In principle 18+ hours a week– c. 900 in work; 1,100 in job assessment/job search phases

• HSE-funded supported employment– Less than 18 hours a week– c.1,000 receiving HSE or service provider job coach support

Joined-up thinking• HSE review of Adult Day Services

• Decline in sheltered workshop nos. – opportunity for alternative forms of employment support

• Review of ETE Supported Employment programme

• Earnings disregard of 50% over €120 a week

• Social Welfare developments

• Commitment in Government programme on medical card continuation

• Importance of dovetailing changes in HSE, ETE and social welfare

• Less rigid conditions for FÁS support may allow more opportunities under FÁS rather than HSE umbrella

Part 5 Disability Act

• Legal obligations on public bodies to– Promote and support employment of people with disabilities

– Achieve 3% target of employees with a disability

• People with ID under-represented in the public service relative to other employments

• Good models of partnership with local disability services and supported employment consortia could be built on

• Small bodies that find it hardest to reach 3% could use supported employment work experience placements

Conclusion

• Lots happening in employment/disability policy• Opportunity for partnerships and joined-up

thinking• Supported employment partnerships with both

public and private sectors