Published on 12, July, 2020
DWP are going to be targetting those with Autism and Aspergers, among other hidden disabilities, to undergo Psychotherapeutic interventions. It is very likely that those refusing to participate will have their benefits sanctioned, as they will be considered to be not taking active steps towards seeking employment.
"The aim of the provision is to provide in depth support to assist claimants focus their minds on the activities and behaviours required to obtain and sustain employment. The claimants, who are in receipt of either Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA) will receive a highly personalised, individual, realistic, learning and employability programme, which is structured, focused and tailored to each claimant’s specific needs. This will include tackling complex barriers, as well as worklessness, motivation, interaction, anxiety concerns, and concentration issues."
https://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?NoticeId=1702143
I myself have Aspergers and a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology. Despite my difficulties and concerted effort in seeking work, I only managed to secure my first job aged 32. It always came down to the fact that I was unable to do as well as others in interviews and compete against those without my difficulties. Making employers aware of Aspergers in aplication forms never helped. I only successfully secured a job when an employer was willing to offer unpaid work experience and judge me based on my work performance, rather than interview performance - I had infact just failed to get through an interview at the same employer.
I know the problem is not with people with the types of difficulties described. The problem is employers who are unwilling to see beyond these differences. I welcome any efforts to help people into work. However, I am appalled that this approach blames people for difficulties they never chose to have. Efforts should be directed at employers themselves.
It would be nice to see an official line on this issue from NAS at some point, but I accept this can only be done once all is known. Will try research this issue more later and update this post if necessary.
Requiring people with autism to undergo this sort of therapy is problematic, in my view, because it does nothing to solve the root problems or address the complex and individual needs of people with autism - people with autism are more likely to suffer from mental health issues, less likely to have the sort of social network and support that most people take for granted, and in addition intrinsic autistic qualities are highly individual and often poorly understood by health workers. Without a real holistic solution that involves practical and social support this will do nothing to help.
The reality is also that the current context of high demand for a relatively small number of jobs, and the increasing amount of work based around zero hours and unpredictable hours that people with autism are less likely to be able to cope with, both tend to impact people with autism to a greater extent.
To relate on a more personal level, I'm a 26-year-old with an Aspergers diagnosis and actually getting support is an impossible task despite the large and measurable impact that the disability has. There are no social groups that I can find, very little help to find employment (an autism charity scheme with a three month waiting list), and social support is plainly under-resourced and will do everything they can to avoid following through when you are actually able to get in contact. To be more bluntly political, this is the life being choked out of those of us with needs by the government, whose austerity agenda has measurably stolen from the poor and given to the rich. The simplistic analysis implied by the decision to make autistic people undergo therapy underlines the government's ideology quite well.