A new review designed to boost the employment prospects of autistic people has been launched by the UK Government to spread opportunity and grow the economy. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, has appointed Sir Robert Buckland KC MP to lead the independent review, which will consider how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can work with employers to help more autistic people realise their potential and get into work.
People with autism have particularly low employment rates with fewer than three in 10 in work, however, the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, supported by the DWP and Autistica is aiming to change that. The research and campaigning charity has called for a doubling of the employment rate for autistic people by 2030.
The Review will ask businesses, employment organisations, specialist support groups and autistic people to help identify the barriers to securing and retaining work and progressing with their careers.
The Review will consider issues such as how employers identify and better support autistic staff in their workforce and what more can be done to prepare autistic people for starting or returning to a career. It will also look at working practices or initiatives to reduce stigma and improve the productivity of autistic employees.
Commenting on the launch of the Review, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said: “We know autistic people can face barriers moving into employment and staying there. This is often down to the employers themselves not having the tools to support autistic people, or truly understanding the value of a neurodiverse workforce.
“This important review will provide us with vital information to remove these barriers and help more autistic people start, stay and succeed in work by ensuring more employers provide truly inclusive places to work. I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the review.”
Former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland said he is “delighted” to have been appointed to lead the review. He said: “Our workplaces and businesses would benefit so much from the huge potential that autistic people represent. If we close the employment gap for autistic people, it will not just mean individual fulfilment but a significant boost to employment and productivity for our country.”
The DWP said many of the adjustments and initiatives that would benefit autistic people could also benefit a wider group of people who think differently, including those with other neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Welcoming the Review, Autistica’s chief executive Dr James Cusack, said: “The benefits for autistic people and society will be huge if we can give autistic people the opportunity to work and thrive in employment. That's why as a charity we want to see a doubling of the employment rate for autistic people by 2030.
“We are delighted to support the government on this vital review which will enable us to move from awareness to evidence-based action. This will help us to rethink how we approach autistic people's access to work and perhaps drive a wider rethink around how we accommodate everyone in work, as we all think differently with unique strengths, challenges and needs.”
Tim Nicholls, head of influencing and research at the National Autistic Society, also welcomed the announcement. He said: “Urgent action is needed as the autism employment gap is still far too wide, with only 29 per cent of autistic people in employment, compared to around half of all disabled people and 80 per cent of non-disabled people.
“Autistic people have a huge amount to offer employers, and more and more businesses are recognising the benefits of having a diverse workforce full of people who offer a variety of skills and different ways of thinking.”
He said the Review alone will not ensure autistic people “are able to fully realise their potential in the workplace” but that it is a “really valuable step towards closing the employment gap”.
He called for the UK Government to also “fully fund its national autism strategy so that autistic people can get the vital support they need”.
The UK Government has said the Buckland review is intended to complement the national strategy.
Alongside the Review, Autistica are raising awareness of the barriers autistic people face with the traditional interview process.
Their recent Hire Different campaign, directs employers to the Autistica Employers Guide to Neurodiversity which has guidance on how to run inclusive interviews. They are also encouraging people to get involved in their research and campaigning around employment. You can learn more about the campaign on their website here.
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