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DEFINITIONS USED IN THE RESEARCH
The following key terms were defined with the Research
Advisory Group at the outset.
'People with learning disabilities and/or
ASD'
The definition of learning disability from
The same as you? was adopted in the research
, which defined it as a significant, lifelong
condition that started before adulthood, affects people's
development, and means that they need help to understand
information, learn skills and cope independently.
Autism was defined in
The same as you? as a lifelong developmental
disability that affects the way a person communicates and
relates to people around them. Autism can happen in people
with different degrees of learning disability as well as in
people of average or above average intelligence, for
example, people with Aspergers Syndrome. This wide range is
commonly referred to as autistic spectrum disorders or
ASD. People with
ASD may or may not have learning
disabilities but everyone with the condition shares a
difficulty in making sense of the world. Employment support
providers and several writers make a distinction between
ASD, autism and Aspergers Syndrome.
Where it was felt relevant to do so, we have made these
distinctions within the report.
'Employment support'
'Employment support' covered a wide range of diverse
provision. This included a range of work opportunities such
as open employment, work placements, work preparation,
voluntary work, Training for Work, 'permitted work', unpaid
jobs, sheltered or non-open employment, 'supported
employment', co-operatives, and social firms. The support
provided included providing job opportunities, sustaining
and maintaining people in employment and supporting career
development. Given this broad definition, a distinction was
made between 'supported employment' (defined below) and
other types of employment support.
'Supported Employment'
The following definition of 'supported employment'
endorsed by the Research Advisory Group was used in the
research:
Supported employment is real work that is for 16
hours or more in an integrated setting with ongoing
support
- 'Real work' was defined as paid work and would
normally be done by a typical member of the workforce,
although this could include a job created by 'job
carving'.
- Jobs in 'integrated settings' were jobs with
ordinary, mainstream or competitive employers where
there are no more people with disabilities present in
the workforce than would be expected to be present in
the general population (approximately 6%).
- 'Ongoing support' was defined as support that
was flexible, individualised and tailored to each
person, and, importantly, was not time limited.
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