Towards a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities

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(No Transcript)
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Towards a comprehensive employment strategy for
people with disabilities

• Eithne Fitzgerald
• Head of Policy and Public Affairs

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The National Disability Authority

• is the independent state body providing expert
  advice on disability policy and practice to
  Government, and promoting Universal Design in
  Ireland

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Outline

• Some facts and figures
• What a comprehensive strategy would look like
• Whats happening, and where next

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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

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employed by difficulty in working QNHS 2002
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employment rate of people with disabilities age
20-64 by type of disability Census 2006
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People with ID learning disability of working
age 18-64, National Disability Survey 2006
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Employment rates, disabled and other men by
education level (age 25-34 Census 2002)
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Main day services, people with ID 2009
Mainstream Special
Preschool 268 511
School 1597 830
Training 275 1,689
Sheltered work 3,644
Sheltered employment 91
Supported employment 951
Open employment 187
Other day services 8,455
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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

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Comprehensive employment strategy for people with
disabilities

• Commitment in Departments Sectoral Plan
• Target of 7,000 more in work
• Comprehensive strategy needs to be
• Comprehensive across range of government policies
  and agencies
• Address supply and demand for labour
• Comprehensive across range of disability
• Cross-sectoral team meeting to draw up
• Employment Forum with range of stakeholders to
  advise
• 3 employment target in public service

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A Strategy of EngagementNDA report

• 6 Pillars
• remove disincentives and benefit traps
• enhance capacity and effectiveness of the
  education, training and employment system
• employers (public and private) to implement
  informed policies for recruitment and retention
  of people with disabilities

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... Core elements of a comprehensive employment
strategy

• devise and implement a preventative strategy
• reduce early school-leaving among young people
  with disabilities
• improve retention in employment following the
  onset of a disability
• systematic process of engagement with people with
  disabilities
• Cross-cutting Issue
• diversity of programme provision, including for
  people with severe disabilities

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Where are we nowComprehensive employment strategy

• Headings for strategy
• Where for those with high support needs
• FÁS HSE inputs
• Reorganisation of Depts
• Education and Skills
• Social protection FÁS activation
• Enterprise Jobs and Innovation
• Adult Day Services review

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Review of Adult Day Services From services to
supports

• Support for
• Making choices
• Transitions and progression
• Inclusion in your community
• Accessing education and learning
• Maximising independence
• Personal and social development
• Health and well-being
• Vocational training and work opportunities
• Personal expression and creativity
• Meaningful social roles
• Influencing service policy and practice

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Where next?

• National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan
• Employment Strategy will be a key element
• NDA seminars to guide next steps
• What works well
• What is critical to success
• How do you create a joined-up approach