Supporting adults with ASD in employment

1. Supporting adults with ASD in employment Sara Hounsell National Coordinator NAS Sarahounsell@nas.org.uk- Telephone: 01792 815 915

2. A job A place to live A social life (a significant other?) The ‘triad of well-being’

3. It is estimated that there are 332,600 people of working age with ASD in the UK An estimated 259,506 are thought to be of average or above average IQ 80% of high functioning adults with ASD not in work would like to be Background

4. Asperger Syndrome does not affect intellectual ability…….

5. Only 3% of people with Asperger syndrome are living fully independently…. (Barnard et al, 2001)

6. Only 6% of all adults on the spectrum have full time paid employment 24% of adults surveyed were described as as ‘doing nothing’ or helping around the house’ Ignored or ineligible?

7. ‘People with Asperger Syndrome can make a positive contribution, particularly in the workplace if their disability is properly understood and they are helped in a positive way’ (Person with AS)

8. ‘He is in and out of work. Quite frequently he is capable of a wide range of jobs but usually comes unstuck due to communication problems’ (Parent)

9. ‘Failure to transfer the skills acquired through education to the workplace is a clear waste of resources. Continuing unnecessary reliance on state benefits is also extremely expensive, as are the costs of treating psychiatric disorders relating to long term unemployment…’ (Mawson & Howlin 1997)

10. ‘The estimated lifetime cost to the exchequer of a person with High functioning Autism of Asperger syndrome is £750,000’ (Knapp.M., & Jarbrink.K. 2000 – The cost of Autistic Spectrum Disorder) Costs associated with ASD

11. Disability Employment Advisors (DEA) in Job Centre Plus offices; Many DEA’s have little awareness of ASD There are too few DEA’s and the turn over of staff is high Job Coaches Via ‘Access to Work’; The onus is on the person with ASD to apply for this support Work preparation course are available but usually run for 12-18 weeks Current Services

12. ‘I have had six different Disability Employment Advisors: none of them has helped me get a job…..’ (Person with Asperger Syndrome)

13. Employers (20 staff +) are bound by law to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate employees with disabilities People with disabilities by law must not receive ‘less favourable’ treatment By October 2004 all employers, regardless of the number of people they employ will be subject to the DDA The Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

14. Attention to detail / accuracy Motivation Persistence No time lost to ‘office chat’ Sticking to the rules Consistent good performance on repetitive tasks Honesty Punctuality and reliability Vocational strengths

15. Vocational difficulties for adults with ASD • Interview skills • Peer relationships • Communication deficits • Prioritising, staying on task, and managing time effectively • Working to deadline, dealing with interruptions and changes • Tensions arising from quality Vs quantity • Sensory hypersensitivities • High levels of anxiety

16. Clearly worded unambiguous Job adverts Use of work trials instead of a verbally based interview Basing interview questions on past experiences rather than hypothetical situations Extra time in selection tests to allow for additional ‘processing time’ Overcoming recruitment barriers

17. Providing effective support • Awareness raising for workplace managers and colleagues • Accurate job matching (skills & sensory issues) • Gradual introduction to the work place • Clear, effective and unambiguous workplace communication • Rule and boundary setting early on • Task break-down and clear written instruction • Clear honest and consistent feedback about performance • Ongoing problem solving (periodic support) • A workplace mentor that is accessible and AS aware

18. Complexity: Does the job require: Complex sequencing? Manual dexterity? Complex decision making and prioritisation? The Workplace Does the task: Involve repetition? High level social skills? Individual considerations What is the sensory impact of the work environment? Does the person have communication deficits? Job matching

19. Written guidelines in the skills acquisition phase Work timetable (what to do when and in what order of priority) Strategies for dealing with unbearable stress Use of visual cues Workspace organisation Sequencing aids and jigs if appropriate Practical strategies to overcome barriers

20. New ground (NAS Cymru) in Newport offers support to adults with AS and is developing a social curriculum Neath Service (NAS) sheltered work via Lon las MENCAP run a generic employment scheme for people with LD The NAS development team will be running awareness sessions across Wales for DEA’s across Wales We are seeking ESF funding for a prospects style approach in Wales Provision is currently inadequate and patchy a situation that the autism community hopes will be at least in part resolved by the WAG Autism Strategy. The picture in Wales

21. Barnard.J., et al (2001). Ignored or ineligible? The reality for adults with autistic spectrum disorders. London. The National Autistic Society. Employment Information sheet produced by the National Autistic Society. www.nas.org.uk Knapp.M. & Jarbrink.K. (2000) The cost of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. London: Mental Health Foundation. Powell.A. (2002) Taking Responsibility. Good practice guidelines for services – Adults with Asperger syndrome. The National Autistic Society. London. Hounsell.S. (1999) Unpublished. Supporting people with Autistic spectrum Disorders in Employment. North Yorkshire social services Department. Meyer. R.N. (2001) Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. References