Access to work: Is it denying Access to work?

I have a 16; now seventeen year old, son with ASD and co-occuring learning difficulties.

His FE experience has been extreamly poor despite a learning disability assessment and earlier this year he was at breaking point with the stress of education and the lack of support given by the College.

At the eleventh hour this Sept, he decided to walk away from education altogether.

He was given three options, Apprenticeship, find work or go on the dole!

After a long string of job rejections over the Summer, he felt his only option was to go self-employed, but this option was never presented to him by any of the agencies.

The YES Team (youth employment team) have been helpful in some respects, but admit they have never mentored a 16 year old for self-employment before. Princes Trust and other charitable organizations will only help over 18's with such support. This potentially meant my son became a NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training.)

He did a Summer of voluntary work, which roughly translated to slave labour and was being ushered into the Apprenticeship option at every oppotunity by any government organisation he approached. Given that he had left education due to the stress of the lack of support in the college environment and that apprenticeship incorperates a compulsory educational component, this was not an option for him!

He's insisted he doesn't want to be unemployed until he's 18 in order to be taken seriously for self-employment, so he's forged ahead despite the barriers.

Access to Work, the £80m-a-year scheme that provides technology and other assistance to disabled workers is the only option left for him as it allows applications from 16 year olds up, employed or self-employed and those in receipt of DLA, (not some other benefits such as Incapacity Benefit, ESA, SDA, Income Support or national Insurance credits.) 

The problem lies with the interpretation of the guidlines by some ATW staff, the vagueness of the support offered and the cuts that have now been implimented which act as a barrier to the very support it was meant to provide those with disabilities.

My son has severely Dyslexic, but now cannot get support with a laptop or assistive software that would give him Access to Work, as it is deemed that most laptops have this facility and that most employers would provide a laptop as a 'reasonable adjustment.'

This takes no account of whether the particular assistive software program is appropriate for the person with a disability or whether their auditory processing difficulties prevent them from using such a basic program. Additionally. it sites that most employers would provide a laptop. What happens then if you are self-employed?

These cuts are just a few of many implimented along with severe cuts to support for those who are deaf and those like my son who will require a support worker to help them attain and maintain work.

Another issue highlighted recently in the Disability News service is that those who are eligable for ATW Support are mainly in receipt of DLA as their only qualifying benefit, but they have to pay NI Contributions in order to qualify for ATW. Apparently, many in reciept of DLA are actually NI exempt by the DWP. If this is the case, how does that work? The only benefit that entiltes you actually precludes you from claiming ATW?

This link gives an example of a high profile, self-employed individual that has struggled with the red tape of ATW.

disabilitynewsservice.com/.../

In this link it states that their are procedures for challenging individual decisions.

www.abilitymagazine.org.uk/.../Article-108-3.aspx

yet in the ATW Leaflet it states in 'How do I appeal against an Access to Work decision?' 

There is no statutory entitlement to Access to Work and so there is no formal appeal procedure. However, an Access to Work manager can look at your decision again.

Well which is it? Can you appeal a decision or not? If this scheme has an £80 Million pound a year price tag, should it not have a formal appeal procedure?

The final link from Disability Now, shows how stressful and slow the whole process is.

www.disabilitynow.org.uk/.../atw-denying-access-work

When struggling with managing such disabilties are those most entiltled to such help even going to apply? And if so, what real help will they get for their disability?

Is deciding which disability you are going to help, not in fact, disability discimination?

Our journey has only just begun, but it doesn't bode well...Frown

Parents
  • Thank you for your feedback,

    I am currently looking for a mentor, but i'm not sure how to go about finding one.

    Access to Work does appear very complex. My son doesn't have A Computer at present so I'm unable to move forward with assistive software or even a support worker.

    It seems I'm unable to access help for him because i'm not aware what is availible, yet ATW won't divulge what assistance is available. It's a catch 22.

    All I know is I cannot continue to support him alone when I'm already caring for his brothers needs. He needs a mentor who has self-employment knowledge and is experience with ASD.

    He's ready for working for himself, but he needs support. The stress levels are already way down on the educational experience. What I hope is that if anything happens to me, his life won't colapse like a house of cards. He needs indiependant support so at least one aspect of his life has stabiltity and normality. My health hasn't been good with all the stress of caring etc. If anything happens, he needs to know that other elements of his life are safe and that life still has purpose.

    Coogy. xx

Reply
  • Thank you for your feedback,

    I am currently looking for a mentor, but i'm not sure how to go about finding one.

    Access to Work does appear very complex. My son doesn't have A Computer at present so I'm unable to move forward with assistive software or even a support worker.

    It seems I'm unable to access help for him because i'm not aware what is availible, yet ATW won't divulge what assistance is available. It's a catch 22.

    All I know is I cannot continue to support him alone when I'm already caring for his brothers needs. He needs a mentor who has self-employment knowledge and is experience with ASD.

    He's ready for working for himself, but he needs support. The stress levels are already way down on the educational experience. What I hope is that if anything happens to me, his life won't colapse like a house of cards. He needs indiependant support so at least one aspect of his life has stabiltity and normality. My health hasn't been good with all the stress of caring etc. If anything happens, he needs to know that other elements of his life are safe and that life still has purpose.

    Coogy. xx

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