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Supporting young people with mental health needs into

employmentPractical guidance for commissioners

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 3

Summary and top 10 practical actions 4

Section 1: Introduction 6

Section 2: About this guide 7

Section 3: Method and observations 8

Section 4: What to do, why to do it, and how to do it 10

4.1 Putting in place the right supported employment model 11

4.2 Making supported education available 15

4.3 Putting in place the right conditions 18

4.4 Increasing opportunities for meaningful work experience 22

4.5 Making the most of friends, family and networks 25

References 29

Acknowledgments

To develop this guidance we engaged with a wide range of people, including:

• Young people with mental health problems who use services, their families and carers

• Supported employment providers – both managers and staff

• Commissioners of children’s, adults and health services

• Practitioners from CAMHS, Mental Health Trusts and both children’s and adults’ social care

• Schools / colleges

• Employers.

We would like to thank the following for the experience and expertise they shared with us throughout this work:

• Southdown Housing (http://www.southdownhousing.org/services/mental-health-recovery-services/)

• Enable Shropshire (http://shropshire.gov.uk/enable/)

• Status Employment (http://statusemployment.org.uk/)

• Surrey Choices (EmployAbility - http://www.surreychoices.com/employability/)

• A Potential Diamond (http://www.apotentialdiamond.org/)

• Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (Employment services - http://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/employment-services/)

• South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (http://www.slam.nhs.uk/)

• Centre for Mental Health (http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/)

We are especially grateful to organisations who hosted site visits and the people we met during these: Southdown Housing in Sussex, Enable Shropshire, and Status Employment in South London.

Finally, we are grateful to colleagues at BASE (Kathy Melling and Huw Davies), Preparing for Adulthood1 (Caroline Bennett, Rachel O’Brien and Julie Pointer), NDTi (Nicola Gitsham, Linda Jordan, Naomi Harflett and Sally Richens) and the Department for Education (Sarah Carter, Matthew Hopkinson and Benedict Coffin) for their guidance and input.

1 Preparing for Adulthood is delivered by a partnership between the National Development Team for Inclusion and the Council for Disabled Children

http://www.southdownhousing.org/services/mental-health-recovery-services/http://shropshire.gov.uk/enable/http://statusemployment.org.uk/http://www.surreychoices.com/employability/http://www.apotentialdiamond.org/http://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/employment-services/http://www.slam.nhs.uk/http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/

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Summary

The Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) programme is commissioned by the Department for Education to gather and share good practice in supporting young people into adulthood with full lives.

Paid employment is an area that has been identified as a particular issue for young people (aged 16-25) with mental health needs (of any kind) as this often receives less attention than other issues (such as social care and health needs).

This guidance aims to share practical ideas and good practice to help address the issue of employment support for young people (aged 16-25) with mental health needs. It is primarily for commissioners of children’s, adult and health services that relate to mental health. Other organisations and groups that are involved in such work and may therefore be interested in this guidance include all relevant education providers; CAMHS providers and Mental Health Trusts; frontline mental health practitioners who work with young people aged 16-25; and supported employment providers. Local commissioning approaches and/or leadership for employment support can vary from area to area; in practice, therefore, any one of the above could take the lead in this area of work.

To make employment support for young people with mental health needs a reality, here are the top 10 practical actions we recommend commissoners undertake.

Top 10 practical actions

Putting in place the right supported employment model

1. Work with and commission relevant providers to deliver evidence-based practice in both supported employment and supported education for young people with mental health needs. This means following the well-evidenced Individual Placement & Support model and the Supported Education model (see Sections 4.1 and 4.2)

2. Personalise the approach to education and employment for young people with mental health needs through the use of person-centred planning and vocational profiling (see Section 4.1)

3. Adjust how post-16 provision and support is delivered to respond to the needs of young people with mental health needs (see Section 4.2)

4. Provide a range of opportunities for young people with mental health needs to have access to meaningful work experience for a time-limited period (as well as job tasters or apprenticeships / internships) (see Section 4.4)

Putting in place the right conditions

5. Raise employment ambitions and aspirations of both young people with mental health needs and their family and friends. This can be done by starting conversations early with young people with mental health needs about what they want to when they grow up, showcasing good examples of young people in work, and acknowledge that a young person’s needs may change and support the develop of contingency plans to support this (see Section 4.5)

6. Bring together all the key partners who have a responsibility for employment outcomes for young people with mental health needs (see Section 4.3)

7. Develop a shared vision and strategy with young people, families and relevant partners that makes paid employment for young people with mental health needs a priority for local commissioning and action (see Section 4.3)

8. Ensure the Local Offer is co-ordinated with the Strategic Plan. The Preparation for Adulthood section of the Local Offer sets out what support is in place from age 14 to support young people (including those with mental health problems) into employment. It also identifies gaps and feeds these into the local offer. The Local Offer should be co-produced with young people who have mental health needs and their families

9. Engage with employers through local forums, creating positive stories and establishing employer champions to help establish a range of potential work places for young people with mental health needs to work in (see Section 4.1)

10. Gather and regularly report on relevant data and information on employment outcomes to inform achievement of the above and continuous improvement (see Section 4.3).

More detail and practical information about these and other actions can be found in Section 4.

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Section 1: Introduction

The Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) programme is commissioned by the Department for Education to gather and share good practice in supporting young people into adulthood with full lives. It is delivered by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) and the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) and supports local areas to implement the Children and Families Act 2014.

At the heart of the Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) reforms is the ambition to increase the employment outcomes of young people with SEND. In the Preparing for Adulthood programme, employment is identified as one of four Preparation for Adulthood outcomes (alongside independent living, health and community inclusion) that need to be in place to help young people move into adulthood with greater choice and control over their lives and full life outcomes. The Children and Families Act requires everyone who works with disabled young people and young people with SEN to plan intentionally for paid employment from age 14 at the latest. Putting in place associated employment pathways from an early age can lead to positive and sustainable employment outcomes for young people.

Paid employment is an area that has been identified as a particular issue for young people (aged 16-25) with mental health needs (of any kind) as it is oftern given less attention than other issues (such as social care and health needs).

The only support that young people with mental health needs can access is from generic employment support services. This means they are unlikely to benefit from sufficient or appropriately differentiated approaches that reflect their particular needs or circumstances. Such differentiated approaches that have been shown to work include the well-evidenced Individual Placement & Support (IPS) model (see Section 4.1 for more information), supported education (see Section 4.2), and harnessing the support and expectations of family and friends (see Section 4.5).

This guidance aims to share practical ideas and good practice with commissioners to support them to address the issue of employment support for young people (aged 16-25) with mental health needs. This builds on a range of work that has been carried out in the past few years on effective employment support for adults with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities (see Section **4).

Section 2: About this guidance

This practical guidance aims to support local areas to know what good looks like in supporting young people (aged 16-25) with mental health needs into employment and how to put this into practice.

The main audience for this guidance is commissioners of children’s, adult and health services. Other organisations and groups who would be involved in such work and may therefore be interested in this guidance include:

• CAMHS providers and Mental Health Trusts

• Frontline mental health practitioners who work with young people aged 16-25

• Supported employment providers

• All relevant education providers, including schools (mainstream and independent specialist providers), colleges and adult learning providers.

Local commissioning approaches and/or leadership for employment support can vary from area to area; in practice, therefore, any one of the above could practically take the lead in this area of work.

Though not a direct audience for this guidance, young people who use mental health services, their families and carers may also be interested in this guidance, as well as employers.

This guidance is based on a review of the existing literature and evidence on what is known to work to support young people (with and without mental health needs) into work and the difference this makes (PfA, 2014). Summaries of the key findings of the literature review are outlined in Section 4, and relevant references are included throughout. The full literature review is available here: http://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdf

http://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdfhttp://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdf

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Section 3: Method and observations

3.1 Method

This guidance was produced as the result of three main stages:

• A rapid literature review considered 19 pieces of relevant evidence regarding what is known to work to support young people, with and without mental health problems, into work, and the difference this makes. This was published in October 2014 (PfA, 2014)

• A call for evidence was published and disseminated in October 2014, generating 19 responses

• We completed three sites visits and four telephone interviews throughout January and February 2015.

3.2 Observations

This work was originally suggested because it had been identified that employment support for young people with mental health needs receives relatively little attention and is an under-developed practice area. Our work – both the literature review and the fieldwork – confirmed this to be the case. Whilst there are limited pockets of good practice this remains an area that requires attention from commissioners and involvement from all relevant partners; hence, this guidance.

These findings reflect a similar position found regarding employment support for adults with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities (NDTi, 2014). The delivery of employment support to young people aged 16-25 with mental health needs can be complicated. Through our work with local areas we have identified a number of general areas to focus on in order for employment support to work well for this group, including:

• Recognise that many of the young people for whom employment support at age 16-25 would be most valuable may not be eligible for formal children’s social care or CAMHS support, nor adult social care services

• Identifying a mental health need in a young person at an early stage can help responses address topics like employment and other wider outcomes, as well as any clinical needs there may be

• Have a clear focus on employment as a good outcome in the fields of health and social care

• Better coordination at transition between children’s and adult social care; working in an integrated way underpinned by good quality information and clarity can support young people to know what to expect when they reach adulthood

• Better coordination to support working together in areas where mental health services sit in health-based provider trusts and not social care provision

• Clarity regarding who should commission employment support for young people aged 16-25.

In this work we identified good employment support for young people with mental health needs in some local areas. This support, where found, was typically as a result of being informally added into existing employment support provision (intended for adults) by committed providers. This addition was often the result of providers reactively recognising an unmet need rather than being formally commissioned to proactively address identified outcomes for the local population of young people with mental health problems.

Despite limited evidence, there are some encouraging practices where commissioners (of children’s, adults or health services) are putting in place good employment support for young people with mental health needs. This guide draws on and shares what information is currently available; about this good practice, however more practice and evidence would also be beneficial.

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Section 4: What to do, why to do it and how to do it

In this section we provide details of five factors that need to be in place to support young people with mental health needs to get employment, and how to practically put these in place. The five factors are:

1. Putting in place the right supported employment model

2. Making supported education available

3. Putting in place the right conditions

4. Increasing opportunities for meaningful work experience

5. Making the most of friends, family and networks.

For each factor we highlight:

• Why it is important

• How to put it into practice

• Who should do it (including an indication of who should lead the work and who should be involved in it – see Appendix 1 for more information)

• What the outcome might look like.

This information is designed as a starting point for local areas to draw together their own strategy and action plan for supporting employment outcomes for young people with mental health needs.

This section draws on four key sources of information: the Individual Placement & Support (IPS) model fidelity scale (Dartmouth, 2008); the supported education fidelity scale (Manthey et al., 2012), NDTi’s employment research and commissioner tool (NDTi, 2014), and what good practice is currently available.

4.1 Putting in place the right supported employment model

The evidence on what works in general to support people with mental health needs into employment is robust and well-established: the IPS model of supported employment (a “place then train” model) is more effective than “train then place” and other types of employment support (Bond et al., 2008). Studies have clearly shown this to be the case in terms of the numbers of people with mental health needs gaining employment, earnings and number of hours worked (Burns et al., 2007). As a result, a standard IPS model has been developed with 8 components: it is open to all those who want to work, it aims to get people into competitive employment, it tries to find jobs consistent with people’s preferences, it works quickly, it brings employment specialists into clinical teams, employment specialists develop relationships with employers based upon a person’s work preferences, it provides time unlimited, individualised support for the person and their employer, and benefits counselling is included (Centre for Mental Health, 2014).

The table below provides a starting point for local areas to put IPS in place for young people with mental health needs.

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeOpen to all Have in place clear pathways to

employment support via good quality Information Advice and Support services and Independent Support in the Local Offer

Have in place open referral for young people, and professionals with clear guidance about the expectations and partnership approach needed with young people

Ensure that all young people interested in working have access to supported employment options regardless of job readiness

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:

Frontline practitioners (social workers and community nurses etc.)

Clinicians

Education providers

DWP / JCP

Young people and their families

People get personalised support

Good planning conversations start early and are focused on outcomes

Expectations are understood and complied with

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeVocational profiling

Use person-centred tools to identify young people’s aspirations and goals from Year 9 onwards, including planning and regular reviews (may include EHC plan or transitions plan)

Identify skills, talents and training and development needs

Ensure qualifications will support pathway to chosen career / job

Be realistic about timescales and what can be achieved by when

Be clear about the steps needed to achieve this (for example how work experience, Saturday jobs and volunteering can contribute to a career plan)

Use vocational profile form to identify job types and work environments and update with each new job experience

Lead: Supported employment providers

Involved:

Education providers

Frontline practitioners


Aspirations and goals are clearly identified and supported by a pathway to employment that facilitates the right opportunities and work experience to build a quality CV and career plan

Skills and talents are identified and supported by appropriate training and qualifications including a personalised study programme

A vocational profile form that includes information about preferences, experiences, skills, current adjustment, strengths, personal contacts, etc. is used

Employer engagement

Engage with local employers via relevant forums

Collaborative approach to potential employers across all partners

Look for employer champions

Promote the benefits of employing young people

Create and promote good stories and outcomes

Be creative about selling

Spend time with potential employers to build sustainable relationships


Involved:

Education providers

Economic development teams

Youth employment services

Employers

A range of good local options are available with a number of employer champions

Young people are gaining the skills and training to reflect the local job market and its needs

Support is available to offer opportunities for self-employment and sole trading development

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeJob matching in competitive employment

Create the right expectations and understanding in young people about attendance / time keeping / work ethic /appearance

Ensure everyone has an understanding of the Equality Act and the principles and practicalities of reasonable adjustments


Involved: Employers

Young people can perform in a competitive interview or working interview

All assessments and reviews includes questions about ambitions for employment

Non-time-limited support: in-work support (for individual and employer) and career development

Partnership working with the supported employment provider and host employer

Clear roles and responsibilities defined

Mentoring is developed to encourage natural support

Responsive support to employee and employer

Employee has clear plan of support to ensure job retention

Continuity of support is important esp. for YP people with MH needs

Opportunities are identified for career development via in house or external providers

Employment support workers are placed in mental health teams and have strong working relationships and influence


Involved:

Employers


Clinicians

Plans in place that details support for individuals

Good relationships between employee, employer and supported employment provider

Young people stay in the workplace and make progress

There is a career plan in place

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeBenefits counselling

Better off calculator is used to provide good quality information about wages /potential funding streams/ benefits

Have good conversation with young people and their families, about the benefits of working versus benefits, and help to understand the impact on the household budget over time


Involved:

Welfare Rights services

DWP


Young people and families are clear what their finances will be

There is good information available to aid decision making

Messages are strong about the benefits of work and getting a job

Works quickly Each element of the employment pathway is defined and time limited

The young person should be supported to make progress and key milestones and measures of success should be agreed

The support provided to the young person should be responsive and flexible to changing needs and circumstances


Involved:


Employers


Clear pathway with SMART outcomes and timescales

Personalised employment plan supports access to employment pathway

Responsive and proportionate support helps young person progress

Works in partnership with clinical teams / professionals

Supported employment provider builds relationships with employers through regular contact to understand their needs

Clinical teams work with the employer to assist them with supporting the young person; this is delivered via a tapered model of support but is responsive to changing needs and can react in a crisis if needed


Involved:


Clinicians

Employers

Plan in place that details support

Good relationships with employee and employer, supported employment provider and clinical team

Young person stays in the workplace and make progress

There is a career plan in place that is supported by good clinical interventions when they are needed

Employee and employer can access clinical team support when its needed in a timely way

4.2 Making supported education available

Supported education extends the principles of IPS to include fulfilling educational goals along with support to gain employment. It has been shown to effectively support, for example, young people experiencing first episode psychosis to gain or retain open employment (Rinaldi et al., 2010b; Robson et al., 2008). The supported education principles are: a goal of participation in mainstream education, assistance is individualised and based on individual preferences, assistance is aimed to achieve rapid enrolment and commencement of formal study, whenever possible communication is established between mental health service and support at educational institution, and ongoing support for education as well as employment goals is provided (Manthey et al., 2012).

The table below provides a starting point for local areas to put supported education into place.

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeGoal of participating in mainstream education

Mainstream education is an aspiration regularly and frequently highlighted and discussed amongst relevant professionals for young people with mental health needs

Relevant staff and young people who could be supported are aware of the goal, including support services available

Ensure there are no non-educational admittance criteria

Involved:

Education providers


An expectation that young people with mental health problems are educated in a mainstream education setting

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeAssistance is personalised based on individual preferences

Use person-centred tools to identify young people’s aspirations and goals for whatever level of education, including planning and regular reviews (may include EHC plan or transitions plan)

Identify academic history, skills, talents and aspirations

Be realistic about timescales and what can be achieved by when

Be clear and specific about the steps needed to achieve this

Specific time is allocated for working with young people

Reasonable adjustments are made (incl format of materials)

Training for staff to help do this

Continuity of support

Lead: Education providers

Involved:

Supported employment providers



Aspirations and goals are clearly identified and supported

Skills and talents are identified and supported to appropriate qualifications

A clear, SMART plan for each individual supported

Rapid enrolment and commencement of formal study

Follow-up / intake happens and is documented within 30 days of referral

Support to complete application materials

Accompaniment to educational institution

Support to access any financial support

Support to access academic resources (e.g. textbooks, supplies)

Support to understand timetable and campus

Support to access transportation

At least one educational activity is completed within one month of referral


Involved:




There is continuity of support for everyone benefitting from supported education

People are supported holistically and not just in terms of their education outcomes

Clear pathway with SMART outcomes and timescales

Personalised education plan supports access to education and employment pathway

Responsive and proportionate support helps young person progress

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeLinks between mental health service and education setting

Specialist team acts as liaison to further education / all other education providers, and to mental health support

All relevant professionals meet with each other regularly

Education professionals attend MH team meetings to seek to recruit new clients for education or employment

Communication in a variety of different ways

Joint planning


Involved:


Clinicians



Plan in place that details support

Good relationships with young person, education provider, supported employment provider and clinical team

Young person stays in education and makes progress

There is a career plan in place that is supported by good clinical interventions when they are needed

Young person, education provider and supported employment provider can access clinical team support when its needed in a timely way

Ongoing support for education and employment goals

Different forms of tutoring available if needed (e.g. academic tutors, peer support)

Assertive outreach occurs with new referrals or when a young person stops participating in education

Educational and employment goals for YPMH are specifically tracked


Involved:



Clinicians


Plans in place that details support for individuals

Good relationships between young person, education provider and supported employment provider

Young people stay in education and make progress

There is an education plan in place

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4.3 Putting in place the right conditions

Recent research (NDTi, 2014) has shown that the effectiveness of employment support for people with mental health needs is explained by one or both of the following: (1) the service model being used (right model); and (2) organisational/strategic actions taken (right conditions). Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 and 4.5 highlight what the right employment support model is for young people with mental health problems. The right model needs to exist within the right conditions, and these are as follows:

• Shifting culture and prioritising employment – a positive decision by key leaders to make employment a central strategic outcome

• Defining what is meant by employment – employment pathway, hours, wages, and retention

• Agreeing across all key partners a strategic plan to deliver employment support

• Using knowledge of best practice to develop the market – working with providers to specify, support and manage systems that can deliver the above

• Establishing systems for measuring performance – agreeing meaningful targets and actively managing and monitoring them.

The table below provides a starting point for local areas to put the right conditions into place.

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeOwnership / leadership

Clear and strategic vision held commonly across all relevant partners

Championed at a senior level across all relevant partners

Committed and informed leader, including with knowledge of best practice and time to use it

Commitment and action from people responsible for delivering employment support services

Employer engagement across all employment sectors and employer sizes, with leadership from employers

Lead: Commissioners

Involved: Mental health providers


Education providers



A positive decision by all relevant key decision makers to make employment a central strategic outcome and contextualise that to local circumstances so it becomes part of all relevant cultures and behaviours

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeDefinition of employment

Shared definition of employment (for example of real work) that is understood and adhered to by commissioners and providers

Shared local definition of employment that contains enough information to promote good outcomes (for example wage levels, hours, terms and conditions)

Shared understanding of the evidence-based steps of employment support (following recognised best practice – see Section 4.1)

People maintaining/retaining employment is viewed as of equal importance to gaining employment (targets are set and monitored)

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:


Mental health providers


Education providers


A clear understanding amongst all relevant stakeholders of what is meant by employment based on ‘real’ work

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeStrategic plan Good level of knowledge of best practice

and national policy among employment support leads

Evidence of key players having ownership (leadership, commitment, policy and practice development, connection to other initiatives) rather than just a passing interest (use of language, receiving reports)

The strategy includes links to economic regeneration

The strategy is clearly linked in to a measurable, delivery plan (for example details expected number of jobs gained and retained and sectors)

The Local Offer is co-ordinated with the Strategic Plan. The Preparation for Adulthood section of the Local Offer sets out what support is there from age 14 to support young people (including those with mental health needs) into employment. Gaps are identified and fed into the local offer. The Local Offer should be co-produced with young people who have mental health problems and their families

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:

Frontline mental health practitioners

Mental health providers


Education providers


A comprehensive employment strategy, owned by key players, based on evidence linked to wider strategies that is used to guide action/delivery that is aligned with the Local Offer

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeDevelop the market

Providers have a clear understanding of best practice and national policy

Commissioners have a clear understanding of best practice and national policy

Services are developed following conversation with all stakeholders

Commissioners have the knowledge and skills to develop a ‘marketplace’ of best practice based employment supports

Checks are in place to ensure that providers have fidelity to best practice (i.e. IPS and supported education – see Sections 4.1 and 4.2)

Lead: Commissioners

Involved: Supported employment providers

Knowledgeable leadership (if not commissioners then commissioners listening to it) that works with all stakeholders, but especially providers, to specify, support and manage development of systems and markets that deliver the objectives stated above

Performance Management

Outcomes data is available on the performance of each employment support service and the overall service. This includes hourly wage, hours worked, employment type (gained/retained), sector job is in, job progression, plus all equality data required (see below)

There is clear evidence of outcomes data being used in the development, monitoring and review of services

Data includes outcomes, customer satisfaction and individual stories

Lead: Commissioners

Involved: Supported employment providers

The gathering of relevant and appropriate data and information to inform achievement of the above

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4.4 Increasing opportunities for meaningful work experience

Although employers may not expect an employment history, experience of work provides young people with important skills, knowledge and confidence about being in the workplace (Oxenbridge and Evesson, 2012; Mann, 2012). A study of transition age young people with mental health needs found a difference in attitude towards employment between young people who had been consistently employed, and young people who had been inconsistently employed (Catty et al., 2008). The consistently employed young people had acquired self-awareness, professionalism and work-place knowledge, while the inconsistently employed described worries about controlling emotions or behaviours on the job. Wider evidence indicates that gaining work experience while in education may be an important factor in achieving better job outcomes (Mann, 2012). This may have particular implications for young people with mental health needs whose opportunity for part-time work and work experience may have been disrupted by the experience of mental health needs.

The table below provides a starting point for local areas to increase opportunities for different types of meaningful work experience into place.

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likePart-time work Develop a local employment strategy that

supports an employment pathway

Work with local employers to local create options

Ensure that employment conversations about aspirations start early in schools

Schools work with local employers to ensure good options and choices that are tailored to a young person’s career plan

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:

Education providers


Employers

SEND teams / Connexions / 14-19 teams


DWP / JCP

A wide range of tailored options are available for young people as they start to explore their career choices

Young people have opportunities to try part time working as part of their career plan

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeWork experience Work experience should start early in

schools (primary)

Work ethics and expectations need to be part of the curriculum

Work readiness preparation is supported by appropriate work experience

Schools and colleges should ensure this is an integral part of their curriculum and study programmes


Involved:


Employers



DWP / JCP

Schools and colleges provide access to a wide range of work experience options that are tailored to a persons preferences and needs

Job tasters Job tasters should be available when a young person is starting to think about their options and planning for their future (from at least Yr 9)

Schools and colleges need to ensure this is part of the employment pathway


Involved:


Employers



DWP / JCP

Schools provide access to a wide range of work experience options that are tailored to a persons preferences and needs

Young people can try before they buy

Confidence is developed and work readiness is supported

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeApprenticeships/internships

Use existing resources and evidence-based practice to commission good quality options like supported internships and study programmes

Partnership working across education/health and social care to ensure resources are used

Ensure that all young people have access to an inclusive Post 16 offer

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:

Education providers


Employers



DWP / JCP

A range of options are available in colleges

Local areas deliver an inclusive model of apprenticeships

Commissioners use the evidence to invest in models that work

4.5 Making the most of friends, family and networks

One final factor to consider is that many young people gain job leads through family and friends. Research on the employment aspirations of disabled young people (including young people with mental health needs), emphasised the strong influence of parents, and found that people relied on parents and other family members for advice, practical support and lobbying power during their time at school and beyond (Burchardt, 2005). A particular issue for young people with mental health needs is that this form of job support diminishes with onset of psychosis, and is replaced by low expectations, caution around potential stress related to work and concerns about relapse (Rinaldi et al., 2010a).

The table below provides a starting point for local areas on how to make the most of friends, family and networks.

Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeHigh expectations/ ambitious

Start in early years with conversations about what children want to be when they grow up

Showcase good examples of young people in work

Work with families to raise expectations

Recruit young people to places where children and families come into contact with them

Have good person-centred planning tools and processes in place to support different conversations with people

Acknowledge that a young person’s needs may change and support the develop of contingency plans to support this

Involved:

Young people

Parents, friends and families

Peer mentors

Parent forums / partnerships

Education providers


Good conversations in early years aspiration planning

Evidence of schools leading and owning this in their work with young people and families

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Factor What to do Who should do it What the outcome looks likeUse of personal networks

Develop a support network that can help young people achieve their ambitions

Create opportunities for work / job tasters etc. in places where their support network works

Create supportive challenge environment that facilitates high expectations about work and careers

Lead: Commissioners

Involved:


Young people

Parents, friends and families

Peer mentors

Parent forums / partnerships

Education providers


Circles of support are in place and work to deliver employment outcomes for young people

Appendix 1: Further information on stakeholders

As highlighted in Section 2, putting in place employment support for young people with mental health needs involves a wide range of stakeholders. For brevity in Section 4 we use a shorthand to refer to each of the stakeholders. Below we therefore provide more detail on who we mean by each of the stakeholders.

• Commissioners: commissioners of children’s services, adult’s services and health services that relate to mental health

• Mental health providers: Children’s and Adolescents Mental Health Service providers and Mental Health Trusts that provide adult mental health service

• Frontline practitioners: mental health practitioners who work with young people with mental health needs aged 16-25 and co-ordinate their support. This could include, for example, social workers or community mental health nurses

• Clinicians: A mental health professional responsible for assessing, diagnosing and treating a young person’s mental health need. This could include, for example, a clinical psychologist, a psychiatrist or psychologist

• Education providers: all relevant education providers, including schools (mainstream and independent specialist providers), colleges and adult learning providers

• Supported employment providers: any organisation that provides supported employment services to people with mental health needs

• DWP / JCP: local representatives of the Department for Work and Pensions, or local / regional representatives or staff from JobCentre Plus

• Young people and their families: any young person with any mental health need, a member(s) of their family or friend

• SEND teams / Connexions / 14-19 teams: any local team, typically employed by the local authority, whose support is focused on young people aged 14-19

• Economic development teams: any team within the local council or area with responsibility for local economic strategy or regeneration

• Youth employment services: any local team, typically employed by the local authority, whose support is focused on employment opportunities for young people

• Employers: Any employer of any size from the local area

• Welfare Rights services: Any local organisation that provides information, advice or support to people regarding welfare support (such as benefits, money/debt advice etc.)

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In Section 4 we have differentiated between who might lead an element of work and who would be involved. By lead we mean which stakeholder would typically take ownership of putting the associated work into place; by involved we mean which stakeholders would typically be involved in supporting the above.

This information is designed as an indication of how an area might typically go about putting in place employment support; local practice and what teams exist will reflect the particular circumstances in any given area.

References

Bond, G. R., Drake, R. E., and Becker, D. R. (2008), An update on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based supported employment. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31(4), 280–90

Burchardt, T. (2005), The education and employment of disabled young people: Frustrated ambition. Bristol: Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Burns, T., Catty, J., Becker, T., Drake, R. E., Fioritti, A., Knapp, M., Lauber, C., Rossler, W., Tomov, T., van Busschbach, J., White, S., and Wiersma, D. (2007), The effectiveness of supported employment for people with severe mental illness: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, 370 (9593), 1146–52.

Catty, J., Lissouba, P., White, S., Becker, T., Drake, R. E., Fioritti, A., Knapp, M., Lauber, C., Rossler, W., Tomov, T., van Busschbach, J., Wiersma, D., and Burns, T. (2008), Predictors of employment for people with severe mental illness: results of an international six-centre randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science, 192(3), 224–31

Centre for Mental Health (2014), Individual Placement and Support. Available from http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/employment/ips.aspx

Dartmouth IPS Supported Employment Center (2008), Supported Employment Fidelity Scale. Available from: http://www.dartmouthips.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IPS-Fidelity-Scale-Eng1.pdf

House of Commons Health Committee (2014), Children’s and adolescents’ mental health and CAMHS: Third report of session 2014/15. London: The Stationery Office Limited

Mann, A. (2012), Work experience: Impact and delivery - insights from the evidence. London: Education and Employers Taskforce.

Manthey, T., Coffman, M., Goscha, R., Bond, G., Mabry, A., Carlson, L., Davis, J., and Rapp, C. (2012), The University of Kansas Supported Education Fidelity Scale. University of Kansas School of Social Welfare: The Office of Mental Health Research and Training

http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/employment/ips.aspxhttp://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/employment/ips.aspxhttp://www.dartmouthips.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IPS-Fidelity-Scale-Eng1.pdf

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References

NDTi (2014), The cost effectiveness of employment support for people with disabilities. Available from: http://www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/The_cost_effectiveness_of_Employment_Support_for_People_with_Disabilities,_NDTi,_March_2014_final_v2.pdf

Oxenbridge, S., and Evesson, J. (2012). Young people entering work: A review of the evidence. London: Acas

Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) (2014), Supporting young people with mental health problems into employment: A rapid review of the evidence. Available from: http://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdf

Rinaldi, M., Killackey, E., Smith, J., Shepherd, G., Singh, S. P., and Craig, T. (2010a), First episode psychosis and employment: a review. International Review of Psychiatry, 22(2), 148–62

Rinaldi, M., Perkins, R., McNeil, K., Hickman, N., and Singh, S. P. (2010b), The Individual Placement and Support approach to vocational rehabilitation for young people with first episode psychosis in the UK. Journal of Mental Health, 19(6), 148–62

Robson, E., Waghorn, G., Sherring, J., and Morris, A. (2010), Preliminary outcomes from an individualised supported education programme delivered by a community mental health service. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(10), 481–486

http://www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/The_cost_effectiveness_of_Employment_Support_for_People_with_Disabilities,_NDTi,_March_2014_final_v2.pdfhttp://www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/The_cost_effectiveness_of_Employment_Support_for_People_with_Disabilities,_NDTi,_March_2014_final_v2.pdfhttp://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdfhttp://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/media/379783/supporting_yp_into_employment_-_final.pdf

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About this publication

This factsheet was produced by the Preparing for Adulthood programme. The Preparing for Adulthood programme is funded by the Department for Education as part of the delivery support for the SEN and disability reforms. The Preparing for Adulthood programme is delivered by a partnership between The National Development Team for inclusion and The Council for Disabled Children.

This factsheet was first published in March 2015.

Extracts from this factsheet may be reproduced for non-commercial research, education or training purposes on the condition that the source is acknowledged. For any other use please contact us.

If you have any questions about the Preparing for Adulthood programme please contact us:

Phone: 0207 843 6348

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