National Autistic Society – Written evidence (YDP0032)

About autism: Autism is a lifelong disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. There are approximately over 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. Without the right support or understanding, autistic people can miss out on an education, struggle to find work and become extremely isolated.

About us: The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people. We transform lives by providing support, information and practical advice for the over 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, as well as their three million family members and carers. Since 1962, autistic people have turned to us at key moments or challenging times in their lives, be it getting a diagnosis, going to school or finding work. We change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and the difficulties many autistic people face. We also work closely with businesses, local authorities and government to help them provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws. We have come a long way but it is not good enough. www.autism.org.uk

General

1) What barriers do young disabled people face when leaving education and entering the job market and workplace? Does this differ between different conditions or disabilities, and if so, how?

a) How far do barriers to young disabled people accessing other public services, such as health and care services, present a barrier to young disabled people accessing the workplace?

Less than 3 in 10 autistic people are in work. Despite this, we know from our research that most autistic people want to work. In a 2016 NAS survey 77% of people we surveyed, who were unemployed, wanted to work. Furthermore, 4 in 10 autistic adults who were working part time, wanted to work more hours, painting a picture of underemployment, as well as unemployment.

Research suggests the most common reason that people gave for not looking for work was a lack of confidence.[1] This lack of confidence can be a result of poor prior experiences of work, but also negative education or life experiences. Our employment team works with autistic people to help find employment which meets their needs. They report that autistic people are coming to the recruitment process with poor levels of confidence due to little to no prior support. This lack of confidence is often a lack of information about the workplace and the options available to them; something that can be particularly difficult for autistic people. They may not know what the workplace is like, how the recruitment process works or what jobs they’d be suited for or enjoy.

For many autistic people,  anxiety about applying for a job can come from the decision whether to disclose that they are autistic or not. In a recent survey with our Autism Insight Panel (AIP), 68% of respondents said that they didn’t disclose their diagnosis at their most recent job application.[2] This figure is fundamental to understanding the employment experiences of autistic people. It is representative of a collective anxiety. Not an anxiety regarding their ability to do the job, but one which fears that their employment experience will be worse if they are known to be autistic. This fear of a lack of understanding can make it difficult for autistic people to want to start work. It is therefore necessary that employers take steps to make it clear they are welcoming and willing to adjust to support autistic people.

Often, autistic people are unprepared for employment due to negative or unsuitable educational experiences. Many autistic people are in school places that do not meet their needs. In our 2021 survey, three quarters (74%) of parents told us that their child’s school place did not fully meet their needs.[3]

It is important to understand that autistic people are being fundamentally failed by the education system, and this failure impacts their opportunities throughout their life. There are many ways to help autistic people prepare for beginning their career. However, it is important to consider why they may lack confidence. Commonly, this is not a lack of belief in themselves, but a fear of a working environment which is not suitably adapted to suit their needs.

Scope of the inquiry

2) We have not focused this inquiry specifically on the experiences of young people with an Education, Health, and Care plan when they leave education and enter employment. What are your thoughts on this approach, and are there particular benefits or drawbacks to it? What other focused approaches could the inquiry take?

We welcome this approach, as it is important that the inquiry considers the needs of all disabled people, not just those with EHCP plans. Obtaining an EHCP plan is incredibly important for autistic children and their families, however, many parents have to fight to get these in place. Latest department for education statistics show that only 50.7% of EHCPs are issued within the 20-week legal framework.[4] Furthermore, many families are unable to get an EHCP plan despite the support their child needs.

Many autistic people may also not need the support available in an EHCP plan, but it is vital that any review considers their needs. It is beneficial to consider the needs of all disabled people, not just those with an EHCP plan. However, it is important that the review engages with the individual experiences of disabled people, who’s needs vary. Each autistic person is different, and therefore the support each autistic person requires is also different.

Support for young disabled people

3) How effectively do education systems provide careers advice, guidance and support which meet the needs and career aspirations of young disabled people? How could this be improved, and what examples of good practice are there in the UK and abroad?

a) Do staff in schools and other education settings providing careers guidance and advice have the appropriate training and resources to support the needs and aspirations of young disabled people?

Often, autistic people are unprepared for employment due to negative or unsuitable educational experiences. Many autistic people are in school places that do not meet their needs. In our 2021 survey, three quarters (74%) of parents told us that their child’s school place did not fully meet their needs.  It is important to understand that autistic people are being fundamentally failed by the education system, and this failure impacts their opportunities throughout their life. Furthermore, there is a lack of appropriate and understanding career advice offered to autistic pupils.

It is important that effective career advice is embedded early in autistic people’s lives to allow them to understand all paths available to them. Our Autism at Work team report that many autistic people follow the career paths of their peers and family as this is what is familiar to them. Due to stress and anxiety around unfamiliar pathways, autistic people need extra support in discovering and learning about different career paths.

Our research shows that just 14% of secondary school teachers have received more than half a day’s autism training. This results in a lack of understanding, seven in 10 autistic pupils told us that their teachers didn’t know enough about autism.[5] The education system is failing to understand the needs of autistic pupils, and this is impacting both their preparedness for work, but also their confidence and mental health.

Public services as good employers

6) How accessible are careers in public services to young disabled people when they are first entering the job market? Are there public services which very effectively recruit disabled people, and services where significant improvement is needed?

a) What could public services employers learn from best practice elsewhere, including overseas, about recruiting and retaining young disabled people? What are the barriers to implementing such good practice?

The most impactful thing that an employer can do to improve the experience of autistic people in the workplace is to embed awareness training at all levels. Many of the problems that autistic people face in the workplace stem from stereotypes or a lack of understanding from colleagues or managers. A more inclusive environment leads to less autistic people facing discrimination or harassment and reduces their anxiety in the workplace. A more supportive environment can also make autistic people feel comfortable revealing their diagnosis, allowing them to request reasonable adjustments.

Employers must work to provide adjustments to the workplace that can make all employees feel supported and safe. Our Autism at Work team have found that one of the most beneficial things that employers can do is create an autism or neurodiversity network. This is a group of employees who meet regularly to discuss their experiences in the workplace and share concerns. It is vital that employers embed this, but also make sure that it is a meaningful part of the decision making of the organisation. Management should consult this network regularly.

The global workforce solutions firm AMS has worked with our Autism at Work team to transform their employment practices. They’ve learnt how making small adjustments for autistic employees can benefit the working environment for everyone. For example, by encouraging an autistic employee to use the chat function during teams calls, they helped him communicate better with the team. This in turn helped other colleagues who preferred working in this way.

Autistic people can benefit from more flexible working arrangements such as flexible start and finish times, longer breaks or shorter weeks. This allows autistic people to better manage stress in the workplace as well as avoid becoming overwhelmed. It is important that public services listen to autistic people and learn what they find beneficial.

We do not have statistics to confidently argue whether certain public services are better or worse than others at employing autistic people. We’d suggest that the department needs to invest in obtaining these statistics, as they will enable them to discern where the biggest gaps in employment are. This data will also better allow the department to make adjustments to their employment practices.

Support for employers

7) How effective are government programmes which support or encourage employers to employ disabled people, particularly young disabled people? Does this differ by condition or disability? How could they be improved?

a) What steps could be taken to improve awareness and uptake of relevant government support schemes?

Supported employment schemes can be incredibly beneficial to autistic people. Autistic people may require additional support obtaining a job. However, the crucial element is support whilst in employment. This can help the employee manage the difficult transition into work, but also to have the security and support to deal with any concerns that come up.

The DWP must work closely with the DfE to improve awareness of employment schemes. Current careers advice offered to autistic people in schools is inadequate and frequently not adapted to suit the specific support needs of autistic people. Government support schemes such as Access to Work and employment schemes, must be made aware to autistic young people. Furthermore, the DWP must commit to expanding the autism Job Centre Plus scheme that was successfully trialed recently. When autistic people are interacting with employment services, they must be interacting with someone who is trained to understand their needs.

Awareness of schemes is undoubtedly an important issue. However, more concerning is the lack of spaces available. There are currently too few schemes on offer to help reduce the autism employment gap. Furthermore, with schemes such as the Local Supported Employment (LSE) scheme there are issues with availability of places. LSE places are on offer to autistic people and people with learning disabilities. What we hear from autistic people is that the majority of these places are available to people with learning disabilities, and they struggle to access the scheme.

Furthermore, apprenticeship schemes can be inaccessible to the majority of autistic people. Due to the low employment rate, autistic people may not be in the financial position to engage with un-paid apprenticeships. In conclusion, the government must invest in building the availability of support schemes, not just the awareness of existing schemes.

b) What actions could employers be taking without Government support? What barriers prevent them doing so?

The recruitment process can be difficult for autistic people, who may experience anxiety due to the unpredictable nature and the need to present themselves in a particular way. This is the result of interviews not suitably being adapted to meet the needs of autistic people. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to the interview process. Adjustments such as sending the interview questions in advance, can be vital in reducing anxiety of autistic applicants and making the process more accessible. It is therefore important that autistic people feel comfortable disclosing their diagnosis so that they can request, or be offered, these adjustments.

However, our Autism Insight Panel showed that of applicants who disclosed their diagnosis, just 11% were offered reasonable adjustments.[6] This represents a failure of employers to meet their legal responsibilities. Furthermore, it contributes to the unwillingness of autistic people to disclose their diagnosis. If they are already fearful of prejudice, they will not see the point in disclosing their diagnosis if they don’t believe they will get any adjustments.

Employers must advertise that they are willing to make reasonable adjustments, so that autistic people feel confident disclosing their diagnosis. It is also important that employers engage in conversation with autistic people to see what methods will work for them, but the onus should not always be on the autistic person to know exactly what they will need and to have to advocate for it.

The biggest barrier to autistic employees not being supported in the workplace is a lack of understanding of autism from employers. In our research, 50% of autistic people said that support, understanding or acceptance would be the biggest thing that would help them in employment.[7] In a YouGov survey we conducted, 34% of employers said that they thought an autistic person would be unlikely to fit into their team, and 28% said that autistic people would be unlikely to be a team player.

These are damaging stereotypes, which can impact the ability of autistic people to find employment. In our 2016 report, half (48%) of respondents said that they had experience of bullying or harassment in the workplace.[8] This is an upsetting statistic which demonstrates the un-welcoming environment that many autistic people experience at work. Employers must work to build better understanding of autism, through engaging with training, to ensure that autistic employees feel supported.

Enforcement of the rights of disabled people in the workplace

8) How effectively are the rights of disabled people upheld and enforced in the workplace? What barriers do young disabled people face in accessing the support (including legal support) that they need and are entitled to? How could enforcement mechanisms be improved?

a) Is the present legal framework sufficient, in theory and in practice, in dealing with disability discrimination faced by young disabled people transitioning from education to work?

Employers have a legal duty to provide Reasonable Adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. The workplace can be overwhelming for autistic employees, and their needs are often not met. Requesting reasonable adjustments is the most common way for them to get their support needs met. However, we frequently hear that autistic people are not getting the adjustments they are entitled to. Our Autism Insight Panel told us that just 11% of autistic applicants were getting reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.[9]

There are multiple reasons for this. Our Autism at Work team supports autistic job applicants. They have seen that autistic people often don’t know what reasonable adjustments they are entitled to, nor what support they need. They work with applicants to create ‘Autism Profiles’ which are vital for autistic people understanding what support they need in the workplace, as well as what reasonable adjustments. Often, employers that interact with our services tell us that they are worried about getting it wrong, when supporting autistic employees. This can often lead to them not hiring autistic applicants, or not offering reasonable adjustments.

21 September 2023