SKILLS FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR DISABLED PEOPLEA reflective report

Disability Rights UK

April 2014

SKILLS FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR DISABLED PEOPLEA reflective report

Introduction

This reflective report is designed to put forward ideas to improve skills for employment and career progression for disabled people. The reflections are rooted in:

A literature review commissioned by Disability Rights UK (DR UK) from Dr Gill O’Toole of London Metropolitan University in 2013

A round-table discussion in March 2014 involving a mix of 35 stakeholders from Disabled People’s Organisations, employers, colleges, training providers, universities, voluntary sector organisations, and national organisations focused on apprenticeships, careers advice and skills and officials from different government departments. The round-table was hosted by Barclays and supported by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills

Issues picked up directly from Disability Rights UK’s Helpline, which serves disabled people considering or involved in further or higher education or Apprenticeships

The experience of running a project to enable excluded disabled people to successfully obtain and complete apprenticeships

DR UK’s expertise developed over a number of years as an organisation led by disabled people and working to improve skills and careers: through policy work, research, and developing our detailed resources, like Into Apprenticeships, Into HE, and a range of on-line factsheets.

This report does not replicate the literature review, but draws on its findings and the sources above to synthesise new proposals to improve policy and practice.

The available evidence presented by Dr O’Toole shows, positively, that the qualification gap at age 19 is closing between disabled and non-disabled people: a reduction of 1% per year over the period 2000 to 2010. However, it also reminds us that overall disabled people are more likely to have no qualifications, less likely to go to university and that the proportion of apprenticeships taken up by disabled people declined from 11% to 8% over the period 2005/06 to 2009/10. Moreover when disabled people lack qualifications they are affected more severely than non-disabled people without qualifications: only 17% of disabled people with no qualifications are in employment.

The round-table focused both on young disabled people (post-16) starting out on their careers and on people acquiring an impairment during working life. This reflective report includes proposals relevant to disabled people with these different life experiences. It focuses particularly on the English skills system, whilst deriving wider international learning. Cross-learning between devolved nations and more widely will be important going forwards.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said: “What hope do we have in this global race if we lose out on the skills and talents of one fifth of our population?” (Disability Confidence Conference, 2013). The Social Market Foundation has estimated that bringing disabled people’s skills up to the same level as non-disabled people’s would boost the economy by £35 billion in 30 years. Improvements in disabled people’s employment-related skills would bring benefits to the UK economy – and benefits to individuals and employers. The literature review identifies benefits including improved career trajectories; better health and self-esteem; and for employers, improved staff morale and business benefits of diversity.

There is, as the roundtable demonstrated, considerable commitment to “kaizen” – continuous improvement.

Chapter 1

Underlying ideas to support effective learning

1. It is widely accepted that skills are a key determinant of employment prospects for both disabled and non-disabled people; and that disabled people are disadvantaged both in the acquisition of skills and in the impact lower formal skills have on employment prospects.

2. Yet what are these skills? The traditional measure of ‘skills for employment’ has been qualifications. We judge the relative position of the UK compared to other countries, and disabled people’s skills compared to non-disabled people’s, in terms of degrees, level 2 qualifications, English and Maths passes and the like. Employers meanwhile also place very high value on the skills of problem-solving, team-work, resilience, creativity, customer service and empathy.

3. Disabled people have increasingly noted that the experience of living with disability or long-term health conditions can itself bring those skills. Radar’s 2010 research into the experiences of disabled people succeeding in their careers found many used their experience of disability positively. Comments included: ‘Most people with disabilities have extra coping skills….Sell those, it sets you apart from the herd’; and ‘My employers have used me as a mentor; my disability helps me relate to my colleagues’. Some people living with mental health conditions talked of highly creative periods that were harnessed to generate business ideas.

4. Any discussion of disabled people’s skills should start by recognising strengths – not just deficits.

5. Nonetheless disabled people have often been disadvantaged in gaining formal qualifications – and skills derived from work or work experience. Until very recently, anyone requiring a support worker or interpreter to work could secure this through Access to Work if they had a permanent job – but not for work experience or an internship. Young disabled people watched their non-disabled peers entering work experience and internships – which gave them the competitive edge in job

seeking – while they were excluded. At the round-table Paul Ntulila also spoke eloquently about how employers unused to employing a British Sign Language user passed him by, despite good qualifications, in favour of non-disabled candidates.

6. Recent Government policy places a high value on combined learning and work experience (for example, supported internships and traineeships) or learning and work (for example, apprenticeships). Supported internships are only for disabled people aged 16-24 with a SEN statement, Learning Difficulty Assessment or Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). A key question is whether disabled people have strong access to these opportunities.

7. Different theories of learning can be useful to guide thinking on how best to achieve this. Bandura’s founding social cognitive theory focuses on self-efficacy – a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation (Bandura, 1986). People with strong self efficacy welcome challenges, have deep levels of interest and commitment to solving problems and recover quickly from disappointments and setbacks. According to Bandura self efficacy arises from: 1) mastery of experiences, 2) social modelling, 3) social persuasion (a product of verbal encouragement from others) and 4) psychological responses (physical reactions, emotional states, moods, stress). The application of self efficacy to the successful transition of young people from education to employment features in some countries’ responses to the Enterprise 2020 Action Plan that the UK Government is party to. For instance, Austria intends to apply the theory to the creation of infrastructure (including youth banks, micro grants of up to 500 Euros, etc) to enhance the self efficacy of young people leading to more becoming entrepreneurs.

8. In relation to disabled people, understanding differences of learning styles can be important to achieving self efficacy. Some schools have adopted programmes designed to enhance learning and help people understand how to develop and assess their effectiveness as learners. ‘Open Minds’, set up by the RSA, for instance, enables students to work together on projects, gaining both formal skills and understanding their own learning and best contributions in groups. This can be very helpful for – for instance – people on the autistic spectrum or with specific learning difficulties to develop their personal

approach to learning, to maximize contribution and enable fellow students to understand differences and accommodate and value everyone’s contribution.

9. Bandura notes that humans learn best through observing other people in social interactions. These observed people act as models, and can exert influence face to face or through media or on-line. The value of models is gaining ground with the growing references to role models. The DfE’s draft guidance on supported internships for example refers to learning including “visits from inspirational speakers including role models (e.g. young disabled people in employment).” This report discusses the huge and relatively untapped power of peer support in disabled people’s skills for employment. Role models and peer support have been tested in numerous situations: for instance, developing a fulfilling life after diagnosis with a major mental health condition (Repper and Carter 2011) and adapting to major illness through the expert patient programme (Lorig, 2004). It is important that role models are people that can be identified with – rather than only famous people who may seem remote.

10. Of course the success of educational and training support is not only defined in terms of an employment outcome. In announcing its policy aims Cabinet office and DfE stated “More broadly, we want to ensure all young people have the tools and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential, regardless of background or life circumstances. We believe that all young people should have access to local and national opportunities to develop skills for life and work and to create a more responsible, engaged and cohesive society. We also want to encourage young people to have their say on issues which matter to them; and decision-makers at local and national levels to listen to them.”

11. Government policy appears to stem from more than one educational philosophy. The radical behaviourist B.F. Skinner was evoked when the Deputy Prime Minister linked the uptake of skills training to eligibility for JSA for 16 and 17 year olds in the NEET category (February 27th, 2014). However whilst linking benefits eligibility to training may appear to be classical use of positive reinforcement there are risks. Skinner has pointed out that punishment can teach avoidance or escapism.

Conditionality can be problematic in a learning context (Skinner,” Technology of Teaching,”1968).

12. Many disabled people have had poor experiences of school, being more likely to experience school exclusion, and less likely to succeed in terms of qualifications attained: only 9% of the general population leaves school with no qualifications, whereas some 23% of disabled school leavers have no qualifications (see “Destination Unknown, Demos, 2010 p23). When Illich critiqued school many decades ago (“Deschooling Society,” 1973), he also offered alternative approaches to formal education which may still have resonance today especially for people who have not thrived at school: 1) reference services to educational objects (meaning. widening access to educational resources within the wider community facilitated through a directory of these resources), 2) skills exchanges (e.g. time-banking, local exchange and trading schemes) 3) peer matching (e.g. mentoring schemes) and 4) reference services to educators at large (directories of professionals, para professionals and free lancers detailing the services they provide). He promoted the idea of webs of learning resources using high tech services before the internet made it possible; ideas now reflected in papers on learning in a digital age (e.g. see Godwin 2012 “Stop stealing dreams; what is school for?”). A recent example of the kind of learning society he advocated is volunteer teaching, for instance the neighbours on one Newcastle estate who taught the estate’s children mathematics.

13. This report considers how learning networks and new uses of technology may be useful specifically in relation to disabled people. Parents and young people themselves have access to web-based sharing of opportunities and personal narratives of how others have overcome barriers and succeeded – and, if they choose, to access debates on learning for instance through TED talks. TED stands for technology, environment, design and is an online collection of talks currently standing at 1700 that have collectively been viewed some 500 million times. A particularly thrilling TED talk pertinent to disability and education in the digital age is that provided by Jane McGonigal the games designer and author on resilience (see the “Game that give you an extra 10 years of life” at https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_the_game_that_can_give_you_10_extra_years_of_life).

14. In this section we have sketched out in simple terms a journey in our understanding of how human beings learn. Initially the focus was on pedagogy – the understanding of teaching children and heavily focused upon school. The focus in educational philosophy moved to “andragogy” - understanding the teaching of adults (Knowles, 1980). Knowles the leading proponent argued that adults were different to children in that they brought previous life experiences to learning and had the capacity to implement learning quickly. Now the focus has become even wider.

15. In very recent times “peeragogy – the theory of learning and teaching that addresses the challenge of peer-producing a useful and supportive context for self-directed learning” has begun to attract considerable interest (see Howard Rheingold, 2013). Rheingold has characterised this learning as being based upon sharing of power, interactions, responsibility, meaning and knowledge. Rheingold has married this thinking to social media and produced a “Peeragogy Handbook” through crowd sourcing methods (see http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Peeragogy_Handbook_V1.0). With its focus on learning outside of educational institutions peeragogy is likely to be important to both BIS and DCLG too.

Chapter 2

The present skills policy landscape

16. The current public policy aims and objectives of Government as they affect disabled people are set out in the “Fulfilling Potential” strategy published in September 2012. Participation in learning skills is seen as key to delivering the vision of the cross Government strategy. The strategy is informed by research highlighting the employment and skills gaps between non disabled and disabled people – and the greater disadvantage experienced by certain impairment groups especially those with a learning difficulty or mental health condition.

17. In 2012/13, FE and Skills funding supported 434,700 adult learners aged 19 or over with a self-declared disability (13.2%) of whom 51,800 were apprentices.

18. The current adult skills offer is in principle open to everyone and is focused upon unemployed and young people with low skills levels. The offer includes the following components: 1) engagement via community learning, 2) traineeships, 3) apprenticeships and 4) accessing further and higher education. In order for young people and adults to access this provision, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills provides learning support, enhanced funding for 19-23 year old apprentices, discretionary learner support, the loans bursary fund and funding for non-regulated provision where appropriate. This provision sits alongside that available through the Department for Work and Pensions (particularly Access to Work) and the Department for Education (DfE) (including Education Funding Agency funding for 16-25 year olds with an SEN statement, LDA or EHC plan as well as supported internships).

19. The new European Social Fund programme to be co-ordinated through Local Enterprise Partnerships is also set to provide a significant funding opportunity over the period 2015-2020.

20. DR UK finds from its Helpline and stakeholders that the change from learning support being a discrete funding stream to

inclusion in the main Adult Skills Budget is causing problems for both providers and disabled students. Our quarterly reports have made reference to problems connected to this funding change such as calls to our helpline from students who have been told by colleges that they cannot do a particular course because there no longer is the funding to support them. Funding per student could be a useful step towards personal budgets but should not result in reduced access to learning.

21. In 2013/14 the Government invested some £4.1 billion in the adult skills sector (serving some three million people). The comprehensive spending review (CSR) of July 2013 revealed that funding would have fallen by a third by the end of the review period when set against spending in 2010, whilst protecting the sums available for apprenticeships and internships. The Association of Colleges has noted that the Skills Funding Statement entails a 19 percent (463 million) reduction in the adult skills budget to just over £2 billion by 2015/16; and that the overall skills budget will increase by £56 million in 2014/15 before falling by £271 million the following year to £3.87 billion.

22. Despite the expected cuts some safeguards have been maintained. No cuts have been made to the Special Support Grant. For the academic year 2015/16 Maintenance Grants and the Special Support Grant will be maintained at 2014/15 levels. This means that students who began their course on or after 1 September 2012 will receive an income assessed maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant of up to £3,387 in 2015/16.

23. Recently announced policy proposals have created uncertainty over the level and quality of support for disabled students in Higher Education. On April 7th 2014 the Minister for Universities David Willetts announced proposed changes in the Disabled Students Allowance to bring eligibility in line with the definition of disability enshrined in the Equality Act 2010. This definition states that a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The intention is that higher education institutions would themselves take responsibility for funding reasonable adjustments in relation to people with less significant support needs. Some roundtable stakeholders felt that BIS may wish to think about how it is communicating the

changes in the Disabled Students Allowance as there are concerns that these changes may be seen to have a potentially serious impact on the eligibility of students with milder forms of dyslexia and other cognitive difficulties; and that since these students represent a significant proportion of disability officers’ caseloads their removal from entitlement may lead to cuts in the numbers or hours of disability officers. This in turn could affect their availability to support students with conditions that would meet the new eligibility criteria. Other concerns expressed include ensuring quality of assessments in the new environment and critically what the impact will be on the availability of “Non-Medical Helper” funding.

24. Opportunities as well as challenges also exist not least from:

the recent royal assent for the “Children and Families Act”, which brings in a new requirement to give disabled young people advice and information and new Education, Health and Care plans which have the potential to improve co-ordination of support

the extension of Access to Work support first to work experience organised by Job Centre Plus, then to supported internships and traineeships, then to self-organised work experience - following influencing from Disability Rights UK and others.

25. Against this back drop of less money BIS sees the challenges as: 1) changing the culture and view of employers to the recruitment of disabled people, 2) having a better understanding of the barriers facing disabled people in employment and learning, 3) raising aspirations, 4) achieving better links between providers and third sector local groups of people facing disadvantage and 5) having better real time data.

Chapter 3

Success factors emerging from the literature review, round-table, Helpline and DR UK

expertise

26. The literature review of different approaches to work skills development carried out by Dr Gill O’Toole of London Metropolitan University examined four approaches: 1) individual advice and guidance, 2) education and training provision, 3) combined employment and study provision and 4) employment based provision.

Individual advice and guidance

27. The key success factors identified in the literature review were:

A blend of face to face, Helpline and web-based provision – with face to face advice from people with knowledge of both local labour market intelligence (to ensure choices are made from a position of knowledge of the future labour market and the careers actually likely to be available); and knowledge of what disabled people can and do achieve (so the individual is not met with low expectations or occupational segregation on grounds of disability). UKCES’s ‘LMI for all’ data can be useful for the first; resources created by disabled people’s organisations for the second (for instance, Into Apprenticeships, Into HE and Doing Careers Differently – published by DR UK)

Peer support and mentoring – to encourage disabled people to see what other disabled people have achieved, and to imagine new futures for themselves. The literature review quoted from disabled people who had never encountered anyone else with their impairment and also evidenced the value of peer support

Good practices included the Australian Job Access, which offers Helpline and web support to employees, job seekers,

learners, employers, with 4000 pages on adjustments and supports

28. At the round-table the following points were made, relevant to individual advice and guidance:

By the time a disabled person reaches college, their aspirations are often already low. This has often been re-enforced by well-intentioned but anxious parents, and by teachers and health and social care professionals who are unaware of the potential of disabled people and therefore depress expectations

Disabled People’s Organisations have shown that when you surround the disabled person with other disabled people, working within a social model of disability, aspirations rise and people achieve improved employment and skills outcomes. For instance, Breakthrough UK successfully supported disabled people into careers as part of the Right to Control trailblazer programme. Peer support has been central to employment and skills development for ex-offenders and homeless people; it needs to be scaled up in relation to disabled people

People who acquire an impairment could benefit from nationally available resources produced by disabled people, to enable them to respond to the changes they are experiencing. If they can understand the social model and feel positive about living with a disability or health condition this can speed up their self efficacy and appetite to learn new skills and continue or change their career. Knowing your rights is also important, to challenge exclusion if it occurs.

Careers advice services can work with DPOs and draw on stories and materials produced by disabled people – to raise their own understandings of what disabled people can achieve (at present some 61% of our calls to our student helpline relate to careers information).

Professionals in education, health and social care need exposure to disabled people’s achievements and evidence on ‘what works’. NDTI presented to the round-table the evidence that both skills and employment provision are often commissioned without considering the evidence on effectiveness. Evidence from the UK and internationally

shows that Individual Placement with Support (IPS) (developed in mental health) and supported employment (developed in learning disability) are significantly more effective than a ‘stepping stones’ approach of pre-employment training or support. These approaches involve rapid job search and varied intensity of personalised support as needed – not pre-employment training or support. Individual placement with support and supported employment achieve roughly twice the employment outcomes of traditional vocational rehabilitation. Professionals need to stop placing people in repeat college courses and in ‘stepping stones’ to employment with no employment prospects. Public money could be used better than at present. As one person put it ‘you can spend £25K on a day service place, or £10K on a job outcome’

Materials exist that combine stories of disabled people’s achievements with practical information: for instance, Disability Rights UK’s Into Apprenticeships (see above). These can be used by staff in direct contact with disabled people – in schools, colleges, health and social care services

Parents and other relatives of disabled people can be important: ‘Without in any way devaluing the attributes of the disabled person themselves the presence of a pushy parent or family member can make all the difference’. One example is provided by the deaf community where a person born deaf needs the active learning of their parents in sign language to support their own interaction with the rest of the world. Parents may with good intentions be over-protective. Many parents are members of support groups themselves, for instance in support of people with autism. It can be helpful to signpost parents/relatives to these support groups so they can draw on mutually beneficial support and learn what is possible for their sons and daughters to achieve

Colleges and universities could do more to look to future careers – linking with employers, and ensuring work inspiration is available to students throughout their courses

29. Round-table participants also noted new communication opportunities opening up. Government, colleges, schools and others could take advantage of these to strengthen informal learning networks. They include new community TV stations, a

new disability unit within the BBC and new apps to promote peer to peer learning.

30. Finally communication could be streamlined with a single portal on the lines of the Australian Job Access website with its thousands of easily navigable pages. A community section could allow for more localized information to be added and this could in turn allow maps of all local and relevant employment-focused training provision to become available.

31. From DR UK’s Helpline and other work the following issues have arisen on advice and guidance:

Concerns about the patchy nature of careers advice conducted by schools (an issue confirmed in the literature review)

The need for accessible information on careers options, including accessible websites

Low expectations and being put off particular career paths. To give one example, a caller to the DR UK Helpline reported not being given information about apprenticeship opportunities by his college; when he asked about it he was told his physical impairment would rule out the apprenticeship. He was already doing an NVQ involving manual tasks, he disputed the assumption that he would not be able to complete the apprenticeship and objected to the fact this had not been discussed with him. DR UK is able to let people know their rights

Lack of knowledge about the support and adjustments that might make a career path feasible: for instance, careers advisors in schools not being aware of Access to Work and therefore assuming (say) a blind person will be unable to do a particular course.

Education and training

This approach seeks to combine a study element with work experience.

32. The literature review noted a body of research showing that work experience is a strong predictor of employment. Qualifications alone are not enough. The UK Commission for

Employment and Skill’s employer surveys find that experience is a higher concern for employers recruiting young people even than literacy and numeracy. Work experience and work inspiration are vital to employability. The message from research is that for young people, it is important not to ‘earn or learn’ but ‘earn and learn’. For disabled people of all ages accumulating the right experience – for instance, if changing career following an accident – can be highly beneficial. If disabled people are well qualified but unable to demonstrate attributes such as dependability, trustworthiness, customer care, conflict resolution, negotiation skills or teamwork, (all attributes that work experience allows them to develop and demonstrate) they are likely to be out-competed in the job market at a critical transition stage in their lives.

33. At the round-table the point was made that for some disabled people FE becomes a replacement day centre, where individuals undertake a cycle of courses that do not lead to employment. As one delegate put it ‘FE should not be allowed to become a hiding place for disabled people stalled in “serviceland.”’ Evidence is clear (see above) that rapid engagement with work and work-related skills are more effective than ‘stepping stones’. This argues for educational approaches that involve real experience of the world of work.

34. DR UK is aware – from being part of visually impaired communities, mental health communities, wider disability communities - that many young disabled people do not obtain part time work in retail, hospitality, leisure, security, construction, transport etc whilst still at school or college. If the Saturday job is declining generally, as the UKCES points out, it is barely existent for young disabled people. For disabled people of working age as well, opportunities for work experience are often lacking. The opportunity to combine learning with work needs to be expanded for disabled people.

35. Evidence was presented from NDTI that confirmed the value of rapid entry into work or education/training with a strong work experience element: for instance, vocational courses, apprenticeships or traineeships, with support for the individual to complete them. As one participant put it ‘commissioners should fund what works – and stop commissioning what doesn’t’. In the context of funding constraints some participants thought it was particularly important to move funding from

repeat courses to evidence based education with real work experience. Safeguards are required to ensure that where individuals require specific adaptation to impairment skills they can still secure these – for example the blind student who needs to learn text to speech software before they can learn a particular software package used by a prospective employer.

36. The literature review also highlighted several specific factors that could enable more disabled people to secure work experience. These included involving employers in programme and course design; devising varied and structured work placements and work inspiration that build employability skills; linking with DPOs for disability confidence (since contact on at least equal terms, embedded into organisations/programmes, significantly influences disability attitudes and confidence); and combining study, work experience and mentoring, as recommended by the OECD in their 2010 report.

37. Other proposals from the literature review include streamlining DBS checks (Disclosure and Barring Service – previously called CRB) to speed up access to work experience. This is a particular issue for disabled people as health and safety issues are sometimes used as an excuse not to take a disabled person on (see http://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/). It would also be useful to remove the requirement for additional health and safety checks or risk assessments for disabled people, when employers are already complying with legislative requirements.

38. A number of concerns were expressed about adjustments and support within FE. One issue was young disabled people leaving school without a statement of special educational need and as a result not having a learning difficulty assessment. This is also an issue often reported to the DR UK Helpline – with LDAs either not done at all, or not done to the satisfaction of the student or parent, with the result that support needs are not met. DR UK directs people to LDA guidance (to be superseded by the new 0-25 SEN Code of Practice from September), including what to expect from it and how to challenge decisions: this information needs to be widely available. In the round-table there was an anxiety that if Government was reducing its historic role in funding support, there was a question as to whether colleges could reasonably be expected to fulfil new responsibilities. There was also a question as to what obligations and incentives Government enforces or instigates,

including how far the Equality Act is being promoted and enforced.

39. Concerns were expressed with respect to the willingness of universities to participate fully in Education, Health and Care Plans since universities are not under any duties under the Children and Families Act 2014, although they are covered by the Equality Act 2010 and the duty to provide reasonable adjustments. The concern arose due to the fact that the wording of the new Code of Practice wasn’t written for with HEIs in mind. However the code is clear on the responsibilities of local authorities for ensuring well planned and support transition for disabled people into higher education.

40. The round-table attendees also identified opportunities, in particular the Education, Health and Care plans being outcome focused, potentially stripping out duplicatory assessments and streamlining support; and the potential scenario of supported internships, traineeships and apprenticeships becoming a seamless journey from education into a career; and joint commissioning using budgets held by DWP, BIS and DH.

41. There have been several significant changes to funding over the period of the coalition government. Some may have unintended consequences. One example is the Government and HEFCE announcement that the Access to Learning Fund (ALF) (student hardship funding) would be reduced in amount and "merged" with the Student Opportunity funding. One problem described was that the ALF has been used by many institutions to pay for the cost of obtaining a diagnostic assessment which then opens up the possibility of the student claiming the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). The merger of ALF & SO funding may threaten the availability of funding for diagnostic assessments. This in turn could have a particular impact on students with specific learning difficulties as in some institutes about one third of SpLDs students are not diagnosed until they get to HE. If a university cannot identify funding for the assessment the student may be reliant on an NHS route which may be unavailable or take many months, by which time the student may have fallen behind. For instance a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome can take many months.

42. It was suggested that a short term ‘win’ would be for government to issue guidance that the new merged funding can

still be used for diagnostic assessments. This would remove any potential criticism that using hardship funds for diagnosis is inappropriate.

43. The DR UK Helpline has picked up issues including failure to make reasonable adjustments within both FE and HE. Access arrangements in exams are a recurring theme. Sometimes colleges and universities cite competency standards, as reasons not to make adjustments or to modify assessments. DR UK advises people on how to resolve such issues informally, as well as informing people of their legal rights. Whilst we are aware of some very good practice, there always seems to be a need for further promotion of Equality Act duties within FE and HE.

44. The roundtable also highlighted the risk under the Children and Families Act that some disabled young people may leave school without relevant support with an adverse impact on their progression to develop the skills they need for work and independent living. It is important that all disabled young people know their rights to adjustments and supports, including those without an “Education, Health and Care Plan”. Calls to our own student helpline confirm this risk with some instances of young people not even realizing that they could obtain support after leaving school. It is the Government expectation that the “Preparation for adulthood” which includes employment and is written into legislation addresses this concern.

Employment with learning

45. The third approach combines time spent in the main in the workplace with some form of additional learning alongside it. This includes supported internships. The literature review identified success factors including immersion in employment with rapid job search (not stepping stones), choice of work and college and high quality support (where needed) for the individual, the employer and the college. All are customers of providers of support. The literature review showcases how Breakaway adopted a holistic assessment and individual learning plans when delivering “Learning to Work” in Sussex, covering a range of employment skills from team-working to responding to instruction.

46. A recent evaluation of the supported internship programme (DfE, 2013) noted critical success factors including interns with a strong desire to work, committed job coaches/ staff, personalised support, close contact with parents, good employer relationships and promotion of the programme as a sustainable employment opportunity. These success factors recur in other contexts adding to their significance and transferability.

47. Supported internships are particularly suited to impairment groups disadvantaged in the labour market such as people with learning difficulties. The approach often requires investment in time and resources including employer engagement, job coaching, stakeholder relationships and safeguards on quality, for instance ensuring that it is a real job or task that meets both the employee and the employer’s needs.

Employment based provision

48. The final approach from the literature review is employment based provision e.g. apprenticeships and supported employment. This approach is relevant to all age ranges. It is useful to people acquiring their disability during working life and in need of return to work support including potentially gaining new skills for redeployment. Employers are the drivers of this approach. The literature review identified success factors including:

Flexible apprenticeships. In Austria, inclusive apprenticeships through which disabled people can fulfil the requirements over a longer time period, or through a choice of modules, have proved successful, with 70% of participants still employed after 4 years

Flexible support for employee and employer, under ‘supported employment’ or ‘individual placement with support’: this has double the success rate of traditional vocational rehabilitation

Re-skilling after acquiring impairment. In Sweden, there are requirements on employers to retain an individual who acquires a health condition or impairment, if necessary by re-

deploying and retraining them. Sweden has the highest employment rate of disabled people in Europe

Incentives that motivate an employer to recruit unemployed or younger people facing disadvantages (including disability): for instance, requirements to report on employment rates and practices (transparency) or optional kite marks, like ‘trading for good’, that demonstrate good recruitment and diversity practice to customers and public sector commissioners alike

Access to Work promoted and make available for all pathways into employment (apprenticeships, traineeships, all internships and work experience)

Establishing an inclusive, supportive culture and employers

Inclusive progression within companies – established through monitoring access to development programmes and promotions by disability and other diversity factors.

49. Round-table participants suggested recommendations to reverse the decline in the proportion of apprentices declaring a disability. Suggestions included:

Greater flexibility in what constitutes the completion of a waiving the obligation to obtain the agreed standards in English and Mathematics. Whilst the brand of ‘apprentice’ should not be downplayed, there are candidates fully capable of the work and learning but who do not meet these requirements, for impairment related reasons (for instance, dyslexia). Our student helpline received one call from an employer wishing to keep the apprentice because his work was of a high standard but the college refusing on the basis that the apprentice didn’t have these qualifications. The training provider in this instance was incorrect but the story is illustrative of widespread poor interpretation of the guidance.

Greater flexibility or awareness of existing flexibilities during the apprenticeship, for instance supporting the prospect of people with fluctuating conditions succeeding by allowing hours worked or studied to be averaged over a period of one year; or spreading the apprenticeship over more years, to

accommodate people who may for impairment related reasons need to work/study part-time.

50. There remains a need to strengthen skills support to newly disabled employees to retain employment – or to support their return to work if they have come out of the labour market. Peer support can be very helpful here: for instance, through disability networks within companies, or within sectors (like Wharfability in Canary Wharf). These enable someone newly disabled to learn how others have managed a new condition or impairment at work, what type of adjustments have worked for them and what support they have accessed. The new Health and Work service, being established by DWP to offer expert health and work advice to employers (particularly SMEs) and employees could help people retain their employment and re-skill where needed – if it develops expertise in what newly disabled people can achieve including re-skilling.

51. If the person is ‘starting afresh’ in a new line of work (for instance, a manual worker seeking a new type of work after an accident) new skills are usually best acquired on the job, through work experience or internships or training linked to real employment (see evidence above). Health and social care services, and DPOs, have a role in supporting people to learn how to use new equipment, how to make best use of support workers – as they learn how best to manage their lives and work, as newly disabled people. Knowledge hubs through which disabled people can share their own expertise, and call on the expertise of professionals when they choose to, can be useful. This could be a role for the new Health and Work Service.

52. Round-table participants expressed concerns over the apparently growing complexity of changes to Access to Work and delays and bureaucracy. Some internships are so short they are over before Access to Work has been arranged. There is also confusion over which internships and work experience are eligible. (The link to the AtW form specifically for supported internships and traineeships can be found at http://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/what-we-do/supported-internships/access-to-work-fund)

53. Further concerns related to the possible reluctance of small employers being willing to take on responsibilities for being new

routes for the funding of apprenticeships (an Apprenticeship credit); responsibilities previously carried by training providers on behalf of the Government.

54. Participants cited good practice materials for employers - for instance, NIACE’s toolkit on taking on disabled apprentices. The round-table heard from employers present about the practices they were developing, including Barclays’ proactive recruitment of young people to a range of opportunities; and GSK’s ‘project search’ which enables people with learning disabilities to learn skills and gain experience across several areas of their business.

55. In addition to seeking ‘jobs’ there is the potential for disabled people to set up their own businesses or social enterprises. Training can equip them with entrepreneurial skills.

56. The DR UK Helpline takes calls from people who have applied for numerous roles and been rejected, sometimes for lack of a prior or recent employment experience; as well as people experiencing failures to make reasonable adjustments, and difficulties with Access to Work (e.g. delays, lack of continuity if people move jobs).

57. There is learning from DR UK’s experience in running the London Apprenticeship Project. Firstly, apprenticeships still need promoting as a solid and viable route to a career. Secondly the contracting framework for training providers should be used to effect improved practices in accessibility and the understanding of disabled people’s needs. Finally there is a need for more direct employer engagement particularly with HR departments. This should be expected to instigate inclusive recruitment practices such as “working interviews” (which work well for people with some impairment impacts, and people with little recent work history) and permitting portfolios instead of just CVs – so people can demonstrate their strengths if they have had an impairment-related break.

58. When disabled people apply for roles, receiving feedback can be enormously valuable (as to any job/skills seeker). In addition employers could set up mechanisms whereby candidates can give feedback to them – on the accessibility or otherwise of the process, on the perceived fairness – in order to stimulate learning both ways.

Chapter 4. Discussion

59. Taken collectively the findings of the literature review point to the strategic importance of the following factors in achieving successful outcomes: 1) raising the aspirations of learners, professionals and employers 2) choice and control 3) managing relationships 4) co-operation especially with the aim of avoiding demoralising delays in starting training/work or obtaining support 5) funding and maximising the impact of spend and 6) communication and transfer of knowledge amongst stakeholders and hope amongst disabled people. Finally implementation in line with the challenges laid down by the coalition government’s requirements for value for money and innovation in mainstream inclusion whilst delivering standards to safeguard quality especially in terms of accessibility.

Aspirations

60. Radar’s “Doing Seniority Differently” research found 2 factors – identified by disabled people – that were significantly associated with career progression: career long support, i.e. someone who believes in you; and mentoring. Building upon Bandura’s social cognitive theory there is a clear need for connecting those who wish to aspire with those who can inspire. There is a great deal of interest in ‘role models’ – but it is important that they are people who the learner or employee can identify with. If they are ‘out of reach’ (a Paralympics athlete, say) then the impact may be reduced (‘I can never be like them’).

61. Given the evidence for the positive impact of peer support to encourage disabled people to take up career opportunities, and the evidence from DPOs who attended our round-table that surrounding the disabled person with other disabled people who are working builds new ‘images of possibility’, there is a clear case for scaling up peer support offered by and for disabled learners – including school students, FE and HE students, those on traineeships/apprenticeships, and people who are not in education, employment or training. Disabled FE and HE students could go into schools as skill ambassadors (role

models) of what it is possible for disabled young people to achieve.

62. Peer support can range from informal face to face support to formalized peer groups or on-line networks. A new vision of adult learning as strong as the “Open University” is needed. The current “Open University” is astonishingly successful; it has its own community of 9000 disabled learners. We now need a wider community forum of learning to match it.

63. There is also a clear case for developing mentoring – offered by peers, or by non-disabled people in the career in which the individual is interested.

64. Round-table participants thought education needed to address disabled people’s aspirations early – from year 7 at the latest – with an emphasis on the post-compulsory education achievements of disabled people. The Children and Families Act will require this focus on preparing children and young people for adulthood to be an integral part of the review process from year 9 onwards.

65. This might be done by integrating disability as a citizenship issue into curricula as has been done in some schools (as in Blackpool) which have brought in disabled speakers, emotionally impactful DVD materials and effective approaches to countering disability-related bullying. A further example is provided by FE colleges that have made good use of “Disability History Month,” to integrate disability issues into learning.

66. It is not only disabled people’s aspirations that need to rise. Round-table participants noted that educationalists, health and social care professionals, careers advisors and parents can all depress disabled people’s sense of what is possible. The fundamental way to change this is to ensure DPOs and peer support workers have a much stronger role in supporting disabled people’s skills and employment paths. DPOs can also have a role in helping public services design and deliver programmes to embed new aspirations in organizational cultures – i.e. not just a one-off training event, but programmes led by disabled people, and championed within the organization, to enable professionals to see their roles as supporting hope and aspiration.

67. In the substance misuse and homelessness fields peer mentoring and support are a clear part of the mix of provision. In disabled people’s learning and employment, peer support and mentoring are small add-ons. It would be useful to scale up this role within commissioning strategies, both locally and nationally.

68. This requires opening new markets in provision, in particular to offer access to projects run by grassroots organisations, led by disabled people, offering peer support and aspiration. They can be partners with larger mainstream organisations as well as delivery agents themselves.

Choice and control

69. Round-table participants discussed the need for improved local commissioning – and exploration of the individual as commissioner of their own support. Under the Right to Control there had been good employment results in some areas where disabled people had purchased their own support that they could use in education, employment and training. This is one effective way of overcoming fragmentation and increasing co-ordination – by putting control in the hands of the individual.

70. The literature review found that personalized support was one of the essential features of effective employment/skills support. Choice of job or training opportunity was also essential.

71. Personalised support is mentioned in DWP’s disability employment and health ‘discussion so far’ document (2013). Many disabled people are already managing a personal health budget (rolled out in April 2014) and a personal social care budget. Evaluations have shown positive results in terms of quality of life and social participation, particularly for people with mental health conditions. Some disabled people have used the ‘right to control’ through which they can pool different budgets, have more say and reduce the bureaucracy (and wasted resource) of multiple assessments.

72. Bandura notes that self efficacy is important to deep learning. Through having greater choice and control, disabled people can achieve greater motivation, and can gradually build aspiration as one goal is reached and another aimed at.

73. There is a proviso: personalization must not mean atomization. Hence the importance of peer support (see last section). Choice and control, matched by peer support, can unleash hope and self efficacy and lead to a different sense of what the future could hold.

74. The joint Education, Health and Care Plans are an opportunity to move towards integrated, personalized support under the control of the individual. Local, joint commissioning can also stimulate a shift in that direction.

Relationships

75. There are a complex series of relationships that ostensibly serve the training needs of the disabled person. A young disabled apprentice, for example, may have a job coach provided by a training provider, be taught by instructors on a college study course, be a referral from a Disability Employment Advisor and have a line manager and/or an HR professional that they report to as the representative of their employer. They may well also have a concerned parent dissatisfied with the quality of all the other people involved. Any one of these people may be unconcerned about the quality of support on offer and if that is the parent or carer that can be particularly detrimental to the prospects of a successful outcome.

76. Professional relationships are clearly important but they can be hampered by professionals operating in silos from one another – and by professionals settling for the services on offer, rather than thinking how to use support to enable the individual to pursue their aspirations. Each professional may feel compelled to carry out their own assessment of the disabled person leaving the person over assessed but under supported. It ought to be possible for the person themselves to overcome this by giving permission for assessments to be shared, for the person to be given their own copies of all assessments and for the person to be supported (where necessary) to log their interactions with professionals and through this to understand the purpose of the support they are being offered. This might enable the individual to hold a ‘passport’ outlining the support they need, which they could (for instance) take from college to an employer, to explain their needs for adjustment or support.

77. Some round-table participants argued for a new agent who would be responsible for managing the whole relationship - but this could over complicate an already complex picture. Others argued for job coaches to be part of the employer’s own workforce – although there are counter-arguments: the disabled person may want to choose their own employment support worker or job coach to suit them; and an employer may not have time or inclination to employ job coaches, an area over which they probably have limited knowledge.

78. There seems to be insufficient engagement between DPOs and skills providers. DPOs could bring an important expertise of lived experience, as well as the value of peer support and support for personalization.

Co-ordination

79. Many processes have become overly complex even for those at the centre of the change: for instance, a disabled person responding to monitoring forms for Access to Work, a broker supporting a person with learning difficulties to take up an apprenticeship offer and an employer struggling with the changes to the zero threshold regulations for those on sick leave. The complexity argues for a ‘process mapping’ approach (to rationalize processes) and also for simple communication to all key players, so that if possible the ‘wiring’ is hidden and the individual experiences the process as more seamless.

80. There may be an opportunity with the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Disability to start co-ordination at the top. Both DfE and BIS fund provision for young people and both the Skills Funding Agency (which comes under BIS) and DWP fund adult provision. The role of the Cabinet Office in the redevelopment of the Youth Contract widens the number of Whitehall departments involved. Social and health services have a role in supporting disabled people to pursue their aspirations and life long learning, so Department of Health is relevant, and a learning society mean there is likely to be a role for DCLG too.

81. It may be useful for the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Disability to focus on skills for employment, addressing the top ideas to come out of this reflective report, in order to model co-

ordination and achieve some quick wins as well as medium term planning.

Funding

82. Key to maximizing the value of current levels of investment is to enable joint commissioning of services and to enable the individual themselves if desired to become the commissioner of their own support (see above).

83. Round-table participants thought that current investment is not consistently targeted at approaches that ‘work’. Commissioners should ‘fund what works’ and pay for it by defunding ineffective approaches.

84. New options exist for shaping the market in skills so that it operates more locally, with more involvement of DPOs and peer support, in the interest of disabled learners. This is addressed in the final section on ways forward.

Communication and motivation

85. The round-table raised the importance of increased communication between DPOs, FE, training providers and employers. Employers are central, given the evidence base that learning on/alongside the job is most effective and that rapid job search is effective whilst stepping stones make employment less and less likely.

86. The Disability Employment Strategy discussion paper raised the need for revamping the “Two ticks symbol.” This is welcome and one option would be to create a standard that builds upon the Paralympic legacy. A bronze award could indicate a publicly available baseline evaluation of performance, a silver award a publicly available action plan and a gold standard a successfully evaluated action plan. This award scheme could helpfully be funded by Government even if it was subsequently outsourced, because any scheme requiring payment would discourage the participation of SMEs. It would be important to build in other

self-reinforcing mechanisms such as requiring the gold standard to include supply chain performance and the action plan to seek improvements from suppliers over a reasonable period of time. This way the spread of exemplary practice can happen down supply chains incentivized by businesses’ wish to compete for tenders.

87. There are other potential levers. Trading for Good aims to enable SMEs to report transparently on their corporate social responsibility – including whether they employ disabled people – and to advertise the standard reached on-line, enabling consumers to make active choices about using socially responsible tradespeople. Locog used the power of commissioning to require all its contractors to demonstrate good practice in employing and serving diverse communities, including disabled people – a practice that Government and large employers could helpfully emulate.

88. A further communication requirement is better promotion of Access to Work. This could be done through HMRC when issuing tax forms and advice, as well as other channels such as small business networks.

89. The Government could also work with CIPD to develop improved HR core training: round-table participants thought there were weaknesses in HR professionals’ expertise in disability. CIPD could promote good practice standards in HR policy for supporting disabled people – and remove or adapt any policies that get in the way, for instance over-strenuous Health and Safety or rigid recruitment policies. CIPD could make these policies available to businesses for insertion in their suite of HR policies. Businesses could of course opt to improve on and adapt the policies to their industries.

90. New communication opportunities (see above) are opening up including learning apps, the new local TV stations and the new disability unit within the BBC and Government could take advantage of these to strengthen informal learning networks.

91. Finally communication could be streamlined with a single portal on the lines of the Australian Job Access website with its thousands of easily navigable pages. The creation of a one-stop shop in the UK for employers and job seekers could include pages specifically on learning, with personal narratives and practical information.

Chapter 5

Proposals for exploration

92. There are some big messages coming from the literature review, round-table and DR UK’s Helpline, policy and partnership work, including that:

Experience of work with learning is a huge predictor of employment. Current resources could be better spent by switching from ‘skills stepping stones’ for disabled people, or repeat courses, to evidence based approaches: skills and education in or alongside employment, with rapid search for jobs, supported internships, traineeships or apprenticeships, with personalized support for both individual and college and employer. There is an opportunity with the development of supported internships, traineeships and apprenticeships to demonstrate a seamless set of ‘ways in’ to careers and skilled employment

Aspirations of disabled people and all the professionals around them need to rise – through scaling up peer support, mentoring, Disabled People’s Organisations’ (DPO) direct involvement in support, and DPO involvement with providers

More choice and control for disabled people helps to drive up motivation: including choice of education and work, and control over your own support

Improved co-ordination between agencies would pay dividends and the creation of Education, Health and Care Plans provide one opportunity. Bringing together DPOs with colleges, training providers, universities and LEPs can strengthen skills support that raises aspirations

There are impacts of funding reductions that expect colleges, universities and other organizations to take responsibility for support and adjustments – and concerns about whether they will do so. It will be useful for Government to consider how best to exercise leverage – for instance, through standards, promoting existing legislation, using the power of commissioning, introducing specifics into a refreshed ‘2 ticks

symbol’, utilizing funding even in times of constraint – to mitigate this problem. Some funding decisions are having unintended consequences

There is untapped potential for communications, for instance using technology to share how individuals, employers and skills providers have overcome barriers, and to share good practice. The one stop disability and employment shop proposed by DWP could act as a portal for good practice on skills AND employment; and the new Health and Work service might offer a hub, where disabled people, employers and health practitioners could learn from each other on retention and return to work, with re-skilling where needed.

This report suggests the following more specific ideas could be explored in the short, medium and longer term:

Short term

Information, advice and guidance:

A concerted push to share on-line resources that raise aspiration and show what disabled people can and do achieve: to be shared with disabled people, their families, careers services, colleges, universities, employers, health and social care professionals and schools. Potential lever: the statutory guidance for schools to secure careers advice where appropriate for 8 to 13 year olds. Those advising young disabled people could then be helped in this process through these resources.

Communications to make it clear to disabled people and the professionals around them that there is a set of opportunities - supported internships, traineeships and Apprenticeships – and give clarity on what exactly Access to Work will support following the current review of the programme

Equally make it clear that advice and information must be rooted in sound labour market intelligence.

Resources include DR UK’s Into Apprenticeships, Into HE and Doing Careers Differently; NIACE’s toolkit for employers

on inclusive apprenticeships; and UKCES’ LMI for All (on labour market intelligence)

Further levers include DWP’s proposed ‘one stop shop’ on disability and employment: this could become a single portal on skills, employment and disability. The Australian Job Access portal is a possible model, with over 4000 pages of information useful to learners, job seekers, employers and professionals

The new Health and Work service could also draw on aspiration-raising resources, enabling employees and employers to see how people can retain employment and reskill after acquiring an impairment – using international learning including from Sweden where retention rates are high.

Co-ordination:

Local colleges, training providers, DPOs and other partners could explore with local LEPs the opportunity to develop new models of commissioning, using ESF funding: moving to commissioning ‘what works’, for example promoting flexible apprenticeships for disabled people, with support for rapid entry with personalized support for skills development, backed by peer support.

Funding:

Guidance from BIS to permit use of the newly merged HE budget for student hardship on diagnostic assessments would appear to be cost neutral and to prevent students from delaying or losing their studies due to lack of access to assessments

Medium term

Plan levers to incentivize and motivate the following:

A shift from funding disabled people to be stuck in ‘service land’ to commissioning ‘what works’ i.e. ‘earning and

learning’, with personalized and peer support, to develop careers or become entrepreneurs. BIS could use its funding criteria to drive this change; and Government could incentivize the change through requirements on joint commissioning

A shift to personalization of support – including personal budgets (which must be offered when requested, under the Children and Families Act). Disabled people could, for example, be given a personal budget that combines their employment support and training budgets – building on learning from the (effective) personal health budgets and social care budgets evaluations. Working with DWP on how to improve the support available for work experience and internships – including speeding up Access to Work processes – would be useful

Improved awareness of the options for flexible apprenticeships: more flexible achievement criteria (learning from international good practice e.g. Austria). Incentives for employers and training providers could include a revamped two ticks programme (requiring evidence of action plans and results); and use of the power of procurement. In the lead-up to the Olympics and Paralympics, locog required all its contractors to demonstrate good practice in employing disabled and diverse people, which had demonstrable outcomes: Government and large companies could exert the same power through their supply chains and procurement. Kitemarks – like ‘Trading for Good’ – could demonstrate success of SMEs in corporate social responsibility, including training disabled apprentices. Such an apprenticeship drive could be led by Ministers

If criteria for access to projects serving ‘NEET’ young people could be extended to cover young disabled people engaged in some form of separate ‘training’ or volunteering – but not in reality engaged in employment or employment-related training – this could help drive the shift from ‘service’ land to opportunities

Implementation of good practice under the Equality Act and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. DR UK knows of great practice in colleges and universities but also examples of lack of awareness of duties and non-

compliance. If Government expects colleges, universities and other organisations to take responsibility for funding some supports and adjustments formerly centrally funded, a proactive communication on the business case for making adjustments, the existing legal requirements, and the ease of making those supports and adjustments might mitigate the risk of support being withdrawn. This communication could usefully include guidance on competency standards, DBS (formerly CRB) checks and health and safety – and the particular importance of using none of these as an excuse to restrict disabled students’ opportunities.

Local partners could bring together DPOs with LEPs, colleges, universities, employers and providers – to place the skills and employment of disabled people at the heart of the local growth agenda

A range of national bodies (e.g. National Careers Council, National Apprenticeship Service, Association of Colleges) could share good practice nationally, building on networks of (for instance) disability officers in universities, colleges and employers committed to inclusive apprenticeships and secure profile for good examples, including in national media. There are good prospects for this. From October 2014, the National Careers Service will use its local networks to bring employers, colleges, schools, charities and social enterprises together. This should bring greater coherence and understanding of the full range of options and opportunities available to young people.

Longer term

Scale up peer support. Turn it from an ‘add-on’ to a core part of the skills for employment offer – both for young disabled people and those acquiring impairment. Learn from fields where this has proved extremely powerful and effective: employment of ex-offenders, homeless people; recovery in mental health (where mental health Trusts employ a critical mass of peer support workers). Lever: use the power of commissioning to stimulate this change; and also encourage sharing of good practice through ideas hubs, networks of practitioners and commissioners in training, apprenticeships, health and work.

Use personal budgets to smooth transitions – avoiding the cliff edge at age 19 and exploring how best to achieve the blend of face to face, web and Helpline advice and guidance for disabled adults.

Create the infra-structure for individuals to use personal budgets on a much larger scale. Explore pooling of budgets at the level of the individual – as under the ‘right to control’ – potentially to include all disability-related support funding (training or educational support, employment support e.g. Access to Work/Work Choice, personal health budget, social care budget). Potential lever: Education, Health and Care plans, which bring together support in a single plan across budgetary divides.

Mechanisms for these wider personal budgets could be explored – for instance, use of an electronic ‘credit card’. Individuals (or brokers on their behalf) could then contract with training/educational suppliers who have registered on a supplier framework that embodies standards – not only minimum standards like safeguards against fraud, financial probity, accessibility and customer care, but also commitment to an evidence based approach to support. DPOs would be welcomed as suppliers. This could be a step towards developing a market for evidence based personalized support.

One approach would be for transactions to be trackable on-line, permitting the Department to identify quality and obtain confirmation of the relevance of success factors to outcomes. Any services not meeting outcomes would fail to gain traction in the market and could be taken off the supplier framework. The data would also be available to individual disabled people and inform their consumer choice.

This new local market in both training and back to work support could be tested by allowing it to compete in a variety of trial areas with the prime training and welfare to work providers and in the latter case their supply chain partners. The measures of success would include quality (e.g. accessibility), value for money and outcomes (for instance, a supported internship, traineeship, apprenticeship, qualification, job or set-up of new entrepreneurial venture).

A local market in training and employment might be expected to deliver value for money by utilizing the concept of open capital and its practical manifestation – limited liability partnerships (see http://p2pfoundation.net/Category:OpenCapital). These partnerships avoid having to borrow money from financial markets against future outcomes through selling equity shares. This means they can avoid charging high management fees to recoup money spent in paying the

interest on loans. The high management fees that characterise current welfare to work can then be redirected into delivering better quality support that in turn can produce improved job outcomes.

The creation of a local market using this approach could be expected to meet the Department’s stated challenges of having real time data and ensuring better links between training providers with third sector local disadvantaged groups. The challenge of having a better understanding of the barriers facing disabled people is also met and to an extent resolved (conditional upon available funding) by allowing the disabled person to commission their own support.

Finally in so far as this reflective report offers a central over arching idea it is ‘peeragogy’ – a collection of techniques for collaborative learning and work. It is through this approach that the Department can achieve another of its stated challenges – that of raising aspirations.

Overall, if disabled people can be enabled to be more active in pursuing their ‘learning and earning’, and be met by high aspirations of those around them, matched by flexibilities and personalized support, there is a prospect - even in a tight economic context – of narrowing the skills and employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people.

We encourage the Inter-Ministerial Group on Disability, possibly co-chaired by Mark Harper and Norman Lamb and attended by Greg Clark, to explore the ways forward in this report, as a tangible commitment to improving disabled people’s career opportunities.

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