Supporting Integrated Employment Pursuits for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families
Study Overview
Researchers talked to 60 family members of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who were looking for jobs in local communities. They wanted to understand how to help these individuals find work better. Below are some important things they discovered and what it means to help them find jobs.
Selected Findings
- People were hopeful that their family members would get jobs where they could fully participate. They came up with clear, practical actions to help make this happen.
- Even though the suggestions made by participants may seem straightforward, solving this ongoing problem is quite complicated.
- Encouraging integrated employment will need effort from everyone: individuals, families, schools, organizations, businesses, and communities. The ideas from participants didn't focus on just one group; they involved everyone.
- The way people see things affects what they do and what rules they support. The expectations, attitudes, and awareness people have likely influenced the actions they do or do not take.
Practical Implications
- Parents and family members have valuable ideas about how to help their loved ones with IDD find work. Teachers, caregivers, and other experts should actively listen to their thoughts and involve them in individualized education plans for employment and person-centered plans.
- Efforts to improve job opportunities should use various methods and include the strategies mentioned in ten areas: expectations, attitudes, awareness, planning, experiences, instruction, connections, supports, environments, and communication.
- Local communities should think about collaborating to improve how they provide services and support, ensuring that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the best possible opportunity to join the workforce.
For more on this topic, read the Project Brief at: https://idd.vcurrtc.org/resources/content.cfm/1407
This Research Highlight was developed from a brief prepared by Erik Carter, Emily Lanchak, Laura Berry, Elise McMillan, Julie Lounds Taylor, and Laurie Fleming.
VCU-RRTC on Employment of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (grant 90RTEM000301-00).