1. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 1 1 Supporting adults with ASD in employment Sara Hounsell National Coordinator NAS Sarahounsell@nas.org.uk- Telephone: 01792 815 915

2. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 2 2 The ‘triad of well-being’ A job A place to live A social life (a significant other?)

3. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 3 3 Background 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

4. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 4 4 Asperger Syndrome does not affect intellectual ability…….

5. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 5 5 Only 3% of people with Asperger syndrome are living fully independently…. (Barnard et al, 2001)

6. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 6 6 Ignored or ineligible? 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’

7. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 7 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. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 8 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. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 9 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. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 10 Costs associated with ASD ‘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)

11. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 11 Current Services 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

12. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 12 ‘I have had six different Disability Employment Advisors: none of them has helped me get a job…..’ (Person with Asperger Syndrome)

13. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 13 The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) 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

14. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 14 Vocational strengths 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

15. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 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. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 16 Overcoming recruitment barriers 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’

17. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 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. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 18 Job matching 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?

19. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 19 Practical strategies to overcome barriers 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

20. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 20 The picture in Wales 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.

21. Copyright NAS Registered No. 269425 21 References 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.