Asperger Syndrome Employment

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Asperger SyndromeEmployment

• Bristol Asperger Syndrome Service

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Asperger Syndrome

• A term that describes a person who is
  intellectually able, yet experiences significant
  social difficulties

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Local situation

• Up to now there has not even been an assessment
  or diagnostic service anywhere in the South West
  for clinicians to refer people to
• Consequently, individuals or families seeking a
  diagnosis have been forced to travel to other
  parts of the country, and seek funding from PCTs
  to be seen by (expensive) experts
• e.g. Elliott House (NAS) - 3500
• People needing specialist input go out of county
  into expensive placements (probably care home
  minimum of 1500 weekly, inpatient 3500 weekly)

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Very recently however, the forward thinking
people at Bristol PCT..

• commissioned a pilot, multi-disciplinary service
  for adults with AS from April 2009 2010.
• Skill mix
• 0.6 wte consultant psychologist
• 1.0 wte nurse specialist
• 1.0 wte assistant psychologist
• 1.0 wte community support worker
• 1.0 wte autism coordinator (joint-funded by
  Bristol City Council the NAS)

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Role of our team

• Specialist assessment/diagnosis
• Post-diagnosis education/counselling
• Specialist treatment intervention/range of
  preventative interventions
• Practical support around social inclusion i.e.
  help with housing, benefits, employment, training
  for carers etc
• Supervision/consultation for staff
• Teaching/training/awareness raising

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What we can offer

• Treatment advice
• Training/supervision to enable teams to adapt
  their treatment to meet the needs of service
  users with an autism spectrum condition Tuesday
  consultation clinic
• Diagnosis/Post Diagnostic Support
• -Training/supervision of teams to undertake
  diagnostic assessments and deliver
  post-diagnostic support
• -Carry out joint diagnostic assessments with team
  members in complex cases
• Training
• Asperger Awareness basic training
• -More specific training based on needs of team
  e.g.

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Aims of service

• One of the main aims of the service is to help
  local providers work more effectively,
  sensitively efficiently with this client group,
  via
• Training
• Consultation
• Joint-working
• Idea is to skill up local teams, not to end up
  being perceived as the only service able to work
  with people with AS

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Costings

• The estimated lifetime cost to the exchequer of
  a person with high functioning autism or Asperger
  syndrome is 750,000
• (Knapp.M., Jarbrink.K. 2000 The cost of
  Autistic Spectrum Disorder)

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Statistics

• Research conducted by the National Autistic
  Society indicates that
• 15 of people with autism are in full time paid
  employment.
• 61 of those not working said they wanted a job.
• 79 of people on incapacity benefits said they
  wanted a job.
• People with Asperger Syndrome represent an
  untapped workforce who have the potential to be
  an asset in any business.

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Barriers to work

• Job adverts/specs use jargon and often stipulate
  excellent communication, even if not essential
  for post.
• Interviews involve hypothetical or open
  questions, unwritten rules.
• Concept of selling yourself may be alien to
  someone with Asperger Syndrome.

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Current Issues

• Lack of knowledge and skills in JobCentre staff
  and supported employment agencies
• Employment agencies work with time restrictions
  and must meet targets
• No specialist employment services
• Agencies are not able to provide enough
  information or support for employers

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What we have done so far

• Produced phase one of Asperger Syndrome awareness
  and employment training.
• Delivered initial training to all DEAs in West
  of England.
• Liaised with all employment agencies in Bristol
  and offered/arranged training.
• Successfully bid for PSA 16 funding to create
  specialist job coach within Mental Health
  Matters.

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PSA 16

• Secured 12,000 from PSA 16 for a job coach
  within Mental Health Matters to specifically
  support people with Asperger Syndrome.
• BASS will refer people to MHM and will be part of
  care pathway for people on ICPA.
• Project will necessarily bring the importance of
  paid employment into care co-ordination.
• Only available to people already receiving
  secondary mental health services.

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Tip of the iceberg

• BASS/MHM project is a good start but will only be
  available to a small number of people.
• Investment is needed in autism specific job
  coaches within mainstream employment services, as
  a preventative measure.
• Without appropriate, paid employment there is a
  real danger of people with AS developing mental
  health problems therefore requiring highly
  expensive, reactive service provision.

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What next?

• Produce second phase training package, more in
  depth for specified staff within agencies, then
  provide supervision.
• Develop Asperger Syndrome employment steering
  group
• Hold conference to raise awareness and promote
  networking between agencies.
• Include employment posts to cover Bristol, BANES
  S.Glos in proposal for expansion of BASS to
  build on the work we have started.

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Contact Details

• Thank you very much for listening please feel
  free to get in contact to discuss this further.
• Our team are contactable at
• ian.ensum_at_awp.nhs.uk psychologist
• annie.alexander_at_awp.nhs.uk team manager
• matthew.trerise_at_awp.nhs.uk employment
• amy.baddeley_at_awp.nhs.uk asst.psychologist
• simon.allen_at_nas.org.uk housing
• melissa.lane_at_awp.nhs.uk - referrals