North Wales Supported Employment Strategy for people with learning disabilities

“I can do more than people think. I want to work but sometimes people around me think that I am not able to work or can only work in charity shops.”
(North Wales Learning Disability Strategy, quote from citizen)

People with learning disabilities in North Wales have told us they want to have the same opportunities as the rest of the population to have a job, sense of self-worth and make a worthwhile contribution to society. Despite this aspiration, only 4.8% of people with a learning disability known to social care services are in paid work.

To respond the North Wales Together employment workstream lead helped the North Wales Learning Disability Partnership Group co-produce the North Wales Supported Employment Strategy for people with learning disabilities (2024 to 2029).

At the heart of the strategy is the voice of people with learning disabilities and the step change they told is needed to enable more people to have equal access to paid employment. The strategy aims to empower individuals with learning disabilities by promoting their access to paid employment while respecting their choices.It underscores the potential for personal growth and improved health and wellbeing when individuals with learning disabilities are gainfully employed which in turn may reduce their need for local authority funded services.

The primary way the strategy will be implemented across North Wales is by integrating the North Wales Supported Employment Model within learning disability social work services in partnership with specialist supported employment services following the BASE UK Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) model fidelity standards.

With an additional grant from the North Wales Regional Integration Fund this has now been set up in each local authority and the model went live on 1 July 2024.

• The model is sub-regional with two local authorities working together – each sub-region has a new post for an Employment Pathway Coordinator whose job is to support the social work teams to have work focused discussion with people with learning disabilities.
• They act as one point of referral for the social work teams for anyone who wants more information and advice about getting a paid job.
• Where people want to work the EPC supports them to access the local supported employment service who follow the BASE UK Supported Employment Quality Framework model fidelity standards – view the 5-stage model . These services have been commissioned to provide dedicated support to individuals referred by the EPC.

Pilot of the model in Denbighshire and Conwy 2023-2024: highlights of learning

On the journey to complete this Strategy, we have had the opportunity to test the North Wales Supported Employment Model to make sure it works, and it does. More people with learning disabilities are already in paid work because of this Strategy. Ramona Murray, Service Manager, Disability Services, Conwy County Borough Council, Chair of the Supported Employment Strategy Steering Group

• As of the end of March 2024 61 referrals had been made to the EPC with the majority coming from the social work teams. This is a strong indication that the project was tapping into unmet need.
• Most people had never worked before and never had the opportunity to look for paid work. Most referrals were for males 18 plus.
• Support from parents and carers is critical to success – families can sometimes put barriers in the way due to concerns about impact on household benefits and worries about how people will be treated in the workplace. The EPC has had to develop strategies to reassure parents whilst ensuring that individuals have the right to choose for themselves.
• The views of social workers has been highly positive demonstrating the added value of the EPC role: “I think this is a much-needed service for people with Learning Disabilities. It gives people a chance to get jobs when they would otherwise struggle to either apply for or make connections with employers. It is a great new pathway for social workers to refer to and a great new option for the people we are working with.” (Social Worker, Conwy County Borough Council).
• The supported employment service provided by Co-options Ltd had an active caseload of 26 people and by the beginning of July 2024, 7 people had found well matched paid employment.
• Many people need work experience first to learn what job suits them best and to gain experience and understanding of being in a real working environment.
• Engaging employers has been challenging even those that have signed up to the Disability Confident Employers Scheme – despite this Co-options have been successful in developing a growing network of supportive employers which is crucial to securing the right job for each individual.

Some other quotes from the strategy

“If I can learn to ride a horse, I can learn to do a job.”

“Social workers should speak to people about paid work.”

“Old fashioned mindset is limiting people.”

“Listen to us, let us speak for ourselves.”

“I want choices like everyone else – offered one thing!”

Illustration 3: North Wales Supported Employment Model