ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT
The Access to Work Scheme
37. We welcome the increased budget for the Access
to Work Scheme, but we believe that the next priorities for the
Scheme should be to improve awareness of it and reduce delays
in processing claims. We therefore recommend that the Government
include in the Employment Services Annual Performance Agreement
targets relating to the administration of Access to Work, in particular
for the time taken to process claims. We also recommend that the
Employment Service examine ways of promoting the Scheme more actively.
Response: The Employment
Service (ES) has a Disability Operating Agreement setting out
Key Standards for Access To Work (ATW). These include response
times for informing the applicant of their eligibility and a measure
of the time taken for first help to be received. The Employment
Service is willing to publish the results of the Disability Operating
Agreement.
During 2000/01 the ES will be developing ATW processes
to improve the relevance of assessments and the speed of delivery.
Demand for Access to Work continues to increase and
the budget has been fully spent in recent years, including an
extra £4.33m in 1999-2000. Research shows that applications
come from a variety of sources indicating there is wide knowledge
of the programme. We do not consider it necessary, therefore,
to promote the programme more actively. Should there be any evidence
of under-use we will consider how best to ensure full take up.
However Disability Employment Advisers do promote ATW, along with
all Jobcentre services, whenever they have contact with employers
or clients. All Jobcentres have leaflets available about ATW and
display posters.
The New Deal
38. The impact of the mainstream New Deals on
disabled people should be fully evaluated, and we recommend that
the DfEE and Employment Service expand their monitoring and evaluation
to include details of participants and non-participants with disabilities,
including an exploration of the position of disabled people who
leave the New Deal to transfer to other benefits.
Response: Through a combination
of New Deal management information, evaluation and quantitative
surveys, the Employment Service is researching the experience
of disabled people in Mainstream New Deals for example:
New Deal Evaluation Database.
Management information tells us:
- the
proportions of disabled people entering these New Deals
- the
proportions going into different Options
- labour
market outcomes.
Quantitative surveys
of individual participants. These surveys provide robust samples
of people with health problems and disabilities and will provide
information for disabled people on for example:
- experience
of Gateway
- referral
on Gateway, including to Adviser to help with health problems
and disabilities
- usefulness
of the Personal Adviser
- experience
of Options
- job
outcomes.
The surveys will provide information on employability,
attitudes to work and training and the helpfulness of the New
Deal programme. The surveys are in 2 parts—Stage 1 (after
6 months from entry to the programme) and a follow up survey after
one year. The draft report of Stage 1 (ND18-24s) is expected at
the end of January 2000 and the field work for the follow up survey
will commence shortly.
A separate research programme undertaken by DSS and
DfEE includes case studies and qualitative work with individuals.
The New Deal for Disabled People
39. Given the plethora of pilot schemes and financial
incentives, the Government will need clear and "joined-up"
evaluation in order to make an informed judgement about what measures
are effective in helping disabled people into sustainable employment
in the long term. In particular, we recommend that the Government
produce an analysis of the relative importance of financial incentives,
support to employers, and individual case management.
Response: We are committed
to a full evaluation of the New Deal for Disabled People and we
have in place a comprehensive and large-scale evaluation strategy.
DfEE and DSS are jointly responsible for the NDDP, and have in
place an evaluation strategy which is being managed by DSS on
behalf of both Departments. The overall aims of the evaluation
are to assess how well the NDDP helps people to find or remain
in work, and to advise about what is effective in the programme
and what is not. The preliminary reports of the evaluation of
the Personal Adviser Service and Innovative Schemes were published
on 17 December 1999. We will bring the findings from all the strands
of the evaluation work together to inform further developments
in services for disabled people.
The role of the Personal Adviser
40. We believe that it is essential for advisers
to have disability equality training and an understanding of how
an impairment can affect an individual's life and work opportunities.
We commend the Government on having involved disability organisations
in the delivery of some of its training programmes for advisers,
and we urge both the DfEE and DSS to continue this process by
ensuring that refresher awareness training is provided on a regular
basis. We further recommend that the Government work with various
interested parties to develop professional accredited training
for advisers involved in assessing the employment potential of
disabled people.
Response: We recognise
the need to raise the awareness of disability issues in the Employment
Service (ES). They are currently developing a Disability Awareness
Workbook in consultation with external organisations, (for example,
people in Mental Health Policy, Health Services Directorate, NHS
Executive). It will be made available to all ES personnel.
All Personal Advisers employed in the Employment
Service are expected to pursue S/NVQ Guidance level 3. By March
2000 90% of established New Deal Personal Advisers will have achieved
that standard. Other ES staff working in an advisory capacity
are actively encouraged to work towards S/NVQ Guidance level 3.
By March 2000 the aim is that 40% will be doing so.
In addition, we have developed job specific standards
setting out minimum standards for Disability Employment Advisers
(DEAs).
New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) Personal Advisers
in the ES led pilots have received thorough training—including
the effects of disability on people's lives and their search for
work. People with mental health problems have formed a high proportion
of the client group and the training takes account of this. Each
ES NDDP pilot has an Occupational Psychologist in its advisory
team who acts as mentor to the advisers and builds up relationships
with local health services, employers and voluntary organisations.
The Benefits Agency has also provided training for
Personal Advisers in all 12 NDDP areas on the use of the Integrated
Benefit Information System (IBIS),as well as overviews of Incapacity
Benefit and Disability Working Allowance (now the Disabled Persons
Tax Credit (DPTC)). The Benefits Agency continues to provide benefit
advice and information to support the PA service, and has also
brokered the delivery of DPTC training courses to Advisers by
the Inland Revenue.
Other New Deal Personal Advisers see more job-ready
Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) clients and refer disabled clients,
who need specialist help, to DEAs by using guidance which helps
them to refer effectively. In the ONE pilots, Personal Advisers
have received training in advising disabled people but also have
access to the support of DEAs, and through them the full range
of specialist programmes for disabled people.
The "innovative schemes"
41. We recommend that the Government examine the
payment arrangements for organisations, especially those in the
voluntary sector, operating innovative schemes as part of the
New Deal for Disabled People to ensure that innovation is not
constrained by cash flow.
Response: The schemes
are funded under contract and, for some, this represents a departure
from their normal funding route of grants. In considering the
future of the New Deal for Disabled People we will look at which
are the most effective funding mechanisms and whether cash flow
has any effect on innovation. The interim evaluation of Innovative
Schemes shows that the funding has itself been responsible for
bringing about innovation. It has allowed the realisation of an
already developed idea, and has also encouraged new and innovative
approaches to management and partnerships.
42. Evaluation of both the process and the outcome
of innovative schemes is important, and we are concerned that
these schemes do not simply reinvent the wheel for lack of knowledge
about other aspects of good practice. We therefore recommend that
the Government commissions further research to obtain and update
a comprehensive data base of good practice in the field of disability
and employment.
Response: We are committed
to a full evaluation of the New Deal for Disabled People, and
interim evaluation findings from the evaluations of both the pilot
Personal Adviser Service and Innovative schemes were published
on 17 December 1999. Work is continuing on both evaluation programmes,
and we plan to publish the final findings later this year. In
addition, both DSS and DfEE fund a substantial programme of research
on disability issues; outputs from the Research and Evaluation
Programme are widely disseminated to aid policy making and improve
public debate. We are considering further research to complement
evaluation of the Innovative Scheme Pilots.
The New Deal and other Employment Service support
and training schemes
43. We are concerned that disabled people should
have equal access to the full range of assistance that can be
offered through the range of New Deal programmes, as well as existing
Employment Service support. The final design of the ONE Service
needs to overcome the current anomalies, and we recommend that
the Government consult representatives of employers, disabled
people and other experts before deciding on the final variant
of the scheme. In the meantime, we urge the Government to monitor
closely participation in particular options and schemes by disabled
people, in particular the extent to which the discretionary fund
for the Full-time education and training option has been used
for disabled participants.
Response: Disabled clients
in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance have equal access to programmes.
Clients receiving long-term incapacity benefits have access to
services in the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) pilot locations.
We are developing ONE in consultation with employers
and disabled people.
We monitor participation by disabled people in the
various options under New Deal and collect data on the number
of applications to the discretionary fund for the Full time Education
and Training option.
IB clients are eligible for New Deal 50+ in pathfinder
locations, which offers training support and cash credits to clients
who find work. It will be rolled out by April 2000.
The ONE Service and the New Deal
44. We believe that it will be important for any
evaluation of Employment Service and Benefits Agency services
for disabled people to be considered together and for the impact
of the ONE Service on the New Deal for Disabled People (and vice
versa) to be established before there is any national roll-out.
Response: We recognise
the importance of ensuring that services for disabled people are
properly co-ordinated to deliver prompt and appropriate action.
We have announced no plans to roll out New Deal for
Disabled People or ONE at this stage, and are continuing to evaluate
them.
Funding of supported employment
45. We recognise that a productivity criterion
may have some part to play in determining eligibility for supported
employment, but we do not believe that the rigid application of
an output measurement such as the one which has hitherto been
used is always helpful. We recommend that any new eligibility
criteria for access to supported employment should focus primarily
on the level of support that an individual needs to carry out
a job.
Response: The Government
welcomes the Select Committee's recommendation and will take this
into account in considering the future development of eligibility
mechanisms for the programme. As an essential audit requirement,
ensuring that funds are properly targeted at those who most need
them, Disability Employment Adviser assessment of eligibility
must remain.
We are still analysing the responses to the programme
consultation. However, there was considerable interest in this
area of the consultation and we would expect to carry out further
development work to identify practicable alternatives to complement
or replace the present criteria.
46. We believe that a national strategy and funding
mechanism for supported open employment initiatives is clearly
needed.
Response: The central
funding issue is how we can best get value for money in terms
of enabling more disabled people to enter Supported Employment,
whilst improving progression to open employment. Following the
Consultation Exercise, and building on lessons learned from the
Supported Employment Development Initiative, we will consider
what changes to the funding structure and contract requirements
would best support an increased emphasis on individual development
and progression. It is too early to predict precisely how funding
arrangements might change and we will want to carry out further
developments before making any final decisions.
Moving from supported to unsupported employment
47. It is clear that supported employment opportunities
must provide a range of levels of support and subsidy if the maximum
number of disabled people are to be offered employment opportunities.
Response: We welcome the
Select Committee's recommendation. Progression has always been
an aim of the Supported Employment Programme and a desirable outcome
for people who can work in open employment. However, we recognise
Supported Employment needs to be an important long term option
for some people, for example those with a deteriorating or fluctuating
condition. Individuals must have scope to develop and progress
at a rate that suits their abilities, and have flexibility to
adjust plans for progression according to circumstances.
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