1. Alex McTier – TERU (alex.mctier@glasgow.ac.uk)
MAPPING THE EMPLOYABILITY LANDSCAPE FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN SCOTLAND
Alex McTier – TERU
Maura Lynch – SCLD

2. Introduction
Research responds to ‘The keys to life’ – Scotland’s learning disability strategy. Key priority under Strategic Outcome 4 – Active Citizenship is:
‘Facilitate innovative social connectedness and employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities’
Research aims to:
Understand scale and effectiveness of employability support for people with learning disabilities in Scotland
Make recommendations on how support can be enhanced.

3. Methodology
Desk-based analysis of statistical data and research literature
Mapping of funders and providers of targeted employability support services
27 case studies with individuals
Additional case studies with employers and models of support

4. Scoping Out the Challenge: Employment Rates of People with Learning Disability

5. Scoping Out the Challenge
Low employment rate – but this is only part of the challenge
65% to 70% working less than 16 hours per week
29% in non-open / sheltered employment
Distinction should be made between:
Real, sustainable employment – employed in open labour market, 16+ hours/week, National Living Wage as minimum, and opportunities to develop and progress
Part-time, sheltered employment – less than 16 hours/week, sheltered employment, and acts as substitute for day care opportunity

6. Scoping Out the Challenge
Difficult to understand full level of demand for employability services among people with learning disability in Scotland. Issues include:
Variations in how organisations define learning disability
Reliance on self-disclosure
Limited recording of learning disability in monitoring systems
However:
By applying 4% of Scotland’s school pupils who have learning disability or are on autistic spectrum to adult population…
…there could be as high as 125, ,000 out-of-work adults with a learning disability in Scotland

7. Potential Demand for Services

8. Factors Impacting on Employment Levels
Individuals want to work in rewarding and sustainable jobs but need to challenge and overcome low expectations held by parents, teachers, employers, etc.
Key features in employment journey of people with learning disability are:
On leaving school, pathway is typically college (52% of school leavers with learning disability) or unemployment (16% of school leavers)
When in college, ‘cycling’ between different courses viewed as common scenario
When looking for work, need to challenge both employer and employee preconceptions of what people with learning disability can do

9. Societal Factors – The Education System 2

10. Views from Individual Case Studies
Strong aspirations to work
Real diversity in hours currently working
Some young people displaying varied career paths, while older workers / volunteers can become ‘stuck’
Instances of previous negative experiences of the workplace
Variable levels of employability support received but highlighted importance of long-term in-work support
Benefits system impacting on working hours
Should not overlook role played by family members

11. Mapping of Services
Mapping gathered data on mainstream provision, Supported Employment, and other targeted provision (including Project SEARCH)
Key finding is that landscape is complex, fragmented and seemingly under-resourced
No agreed definition of learning disabilities
Very limited statistical base in terms of: setting national benchmark of demand; understanding people’s employment and learning journeys; and effectiveness of employability services
No consistency of offer across Scotland’s local authority areas and no clear source of information about what is available

12. Employability Provision – Targeted Provision Outcomes

13. Asks of All Learning Disability Partners
Substantially improve recording and reporting of learning disabilities data
Establish more effective joined-up employment pathways
Double employment outcome rates for people with a learning disability to 50% over 5-year period
Secure additional resources for learning disability employability services

14. Asks of Scottish Government
Give greater priority to employability and employment of people with learning disability
Renewed promotion of Supported Employment Framework
Set Scotland’s employers target of 4% of employees to be people with learning disability

15. Asks of Local Authorities
Develop directories of employability services for people with a learning disability
Establish Supported Employment Services in all local authority areas

16. Asks of Skills Development Scotland
Collect and report learning disability data on people accessing MAs, national programmes and employment
Embed learning disability good practice in its contracted provision with providers of SDS programmes promoting the Supported Employment Framework as best practice
Set higher targets for providers working with people with a learning disability

17. Asks of Scottish Funding Council and Scotland’s Colleges
Greater focus on progression into real, sustainable employment. This may require more developed joint working with employers so that learners are developing skills in real workplaces not just college settings

18. Asks of SCLD
Continue to profile and promote learning disability employment and employability, its challenges, and the positive social and economic value of supporting people into real sustainable employment
Develop agreed definition of ‘learning disabilities’ so that funders, organisations and employers are clearer who is included and who is not

19. Asks of Employers
Increased employer commitment to recruiting people with a learning disability

20. We have identified 4 keys priorities
Overcome the low expectations held by parents, schools, colleges and employers.
Gather data more effectively, investing funding where people with a learning disability in Scotland secure both employment and support to develop in that job.
Use this data to invest in post-school funding into services that can deliver employment outcomes of 50% as detailed in the report.
Recruit and train Job Coaches that can support people with a learning disability into employment and throughout their careers. Recognising Job Coaching as a profession that has quality standards that are monitored nationally.