The government has published a review recommending how employers can better support autistic people to start and stay in employment.
Commissioned by work and pensions secretary Mel Stride and led by Sir Robert Buckland KC, it sets out 19 recommendations for employers around supporting autistic people.
Just three in 10 autistic people are currently in employment, despite most wanting to work, according to Department for Work and Pensions figures. This is compared with half of all disabled people and eight in 10 non-disabled people.
The recommendations include developing training packages focused on autistic staff in order to encourage career progression, supporting careers advisers to provide appropriate advice to autistic jobseekers, and helping those who are already in the workplace with “autism design guides”, where they can have input into their physical surroundings and equipment.
It also advises companies to sign up for the Autistica Neurodiversity Employers Index, which enables businesses to benchmark themselves against best practice in neuro-inclusion. Employers could additionally work with software suppliers to develop IT systems that meet autistic employees’ needs, it adds.
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Over the next five years, the review hopes government and businesses can work together to build pilot employment programmes, showcase successes in the employment of autistic people, and provide tailored support for autistic staff.
Stride said: “I want autistic people to have every opportunity to benefit from work, and recognise that businesses and government must come together if we are to create the cultural change needed to move the dial.
“Backed by the extra employment support provided through our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan, this report provides employers with practical and inexpensive steps to open up workplaces to autistic people, boost employment rates and, above all, change autistic people’s lives.”
Sir Buckland said the review could “make a truly radical difference” to autistic people’s lives, and thanked the hundreds of autistic individuals who supported him in compiling the report.
Minister for disabled people, health and work, Mims Davies, said: “There are so many benefits and positives autistic people can bring to the workplace, and this is matched by what employment can bring to them. We must make sure they get the work opportunities they want and deserve.”
The DWP claimed the review was the “latest milestone” in its mission to support disabled people and make the UK more accessible, following the publication of its Disability Action Plan earlier this month.
However, the Disability Action Plan attracted criticism from campaign groups and charities for failing to include measures that would improve the working lives of those with disabilities.
Shazia Ejaz, director of campaigns at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said recruiters would welcome the opportunity to engage on ways to remove barriers for autistic candidates.
“The opportunity to work with government reflects how we are putting recruiters at the forefront of efforts to support more neurodiverse people to find, stay and thrive in work. Our survey last year with Uptimize found that while only 30% of recruiters have knowingly placed a neurodivergent candidate – 70% of recruiters agree there is a high potential of untapped neurodiverse talent pool,” she said.
“We recently published guidance to encourage more inclusive hiring practices with suggestions for employers on how to make everyday activities such as meetings more manageable and inclusive for people with neurodiversity. The REC is also about to launch specialist training to help recruiters adopt good EDI practice overall.”
Earlier this week, it was revealed that academics at the University of Leicester will conduct a government-backed review that will include research into the extent of autism among adults.
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