There are currently no robust statistics on employment rates among autistic people, so we have not been able to make any assessment of the effectiveness of the Autism and Hidden Impairment training for Jobcentre Plus staff on employment levels among autistic people.<\/p>
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We are considering how to robustly measure the employment rate among autistic people, including whether it might be possible to collect this information through the Labour Force Survey.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4071", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Newton"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Truro and Falmouth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sarah Newton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-08T17:14:54.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Jobcentre Plus: Training"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Autism and Hidden Impairment training for Jobcentre Plus staff in reducing the gap between national employment rates and rates of employment for people on the autistic spectrum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4433", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Thangam Debbonaire"} ], "uin" : "203312"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1023162", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1023162/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Last year, the Access to Work Hidden Impairment Specialist team helped 2,150 people, which includes people with Autism. This number has been continually increasing since the team was introduced in 2014/2015, when 1,160 people were helped.<\/p>
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People with hidden impairments are offered an Access to Work holistic workplace assessment to identify the type of help they require in the workplace. Following this assessment, the Access to Work adviser will work with both the employer and customer to develop support plans where appropriate<\/p>
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In November, we published Access to Work: Qualitative research with applicants, employers and delivery staff, which found that workplace assessment experiences tended to be very positive. Although we don\u2019t have separate findings for autistic people, employers and applicants felt that assessments were comprehensive and appropriate, and conducted sensitively. Many applicants talked about how the recommendations and advice given during the assessment alone had enlightened them about the support available for their condition and small changes they could make in the workplace which went a long way in improving their workplace experience. Applicants that were previously too nervous to ask their employer for (even \u2018light touch\u2019) adjustments felt the expert \u2018stamp of approval\u2019 via the assessment helped them to approach their employer and empowered them to ask for changes.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4071", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Newton"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Truro and Falmouth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sarah Newton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T15:24:02.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Access to Work Programme: Autism"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work Hidden Impairment Specialist Team in (a) advising employers on supporting employees diagnosed with autism, (b) offering autistic people an assessment of their needs at work and (c) helping to develop support plans for those people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4433", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Thangam Debbonaire"} ], "uin" : "201149"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010561", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010561/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have made no assessment of the effect of Access to Work on the employment rate of people with autism.<\/p>
<\/p>
Data on people with Autism Spectrum Disorders is not routinely disaggregated within Access to Work statistics. The primary medical condition categories used in Access to Work are consistent with the categories used in the Labour Force Survey. This is so we can compare our data to the disability employment rate.<\/p>
<\/p>
When a person with autism applies to Access to Work for support, it will be for particular conditions, such as difficulty in speaking, learning difficulties, etc., rather than \u2018autism\u2019.<\/p>
<\/p>
This will be recorded as the individual\u2019s primary medical condition in the Access to Work database, even if it\u2019s linked to their autism<\/p>
<\/p>
Access to Work has a specialist Hidden Impairments team who receive upskilling and awareness from organisations who have expertise of autism to ensure that advisors have a broad understanding of the barriers individuals with autism face.<\/p>
<\/p>