Real Work Opportunities: establishing an accessible vocational rehabilitation programme within a forensic intellectual disability service
| Pages | 160-166 |
| Published date | 08 December 2014 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDOB-10-2014-0016 |
| Date | 08 December 2014 |
| Author | Alyssa Cox,Hayley Simmons,Ginny Painter,Pippa Philipson,Rachel Hill,Verity Chester |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities,Offending behaviour |
Real Work Opportunities: establishing
an accessible vocational rehabilitation
programme within a forensic intellectual
disability service
Alyssa Cox, Hayley Simmons, Ginny Painter, Pippa Philipson, Rachel Hill and Verity Chester
Alyssa Cox and Hayley
Simmons are Occupational
Therapists, Ginny Painter is
Support Time and Recovery
Worker, all at the Partnerships
in Care Learning Disability
Services, Diss, UK.
Pippa Philipson is an Acting
Regional Operations Manager
at the Partnerships in Care,
London, UK.
Rachel Hill is Lead
Occupational Therapist and
Verity Chester is Research
Assistant, both at the
Partnerships in Care Learning
Disability Services, Diss, UK.
Abstract
Purpose – Patients treated within secure/forensic settings experience numerous barriers to meaningful
vocation, including restrictions under the Mental Health Act, which limit community access. The purpose of
this paper is to describe the development of Real Work Opportunities, an inclusive and accessible vocational
rehabilitation programme within a forensic intellectual disability service. The programme involved setting up
employment and interview workshops, interviews, and interview feedback, and job roles within the secure
service, to simulate the real work process.
Design/methodology/approach – A reflective account of the development and implementation of the
Real Work Opportunity programme with a forensic intellectual disability population.
Findings – The programme was well received by the patients involved and a high attendance rate
was maintained over time despite the demands that were expected. Roles have been advertised for
two employment periods and have had two sets of successful candidates. Patients demonstrated
skills development throughout the employment process, including general work-based skills, punctuality
and time management, managing duties, responsibility, specific role-related skills, interpersonal skills and
personal presentation.
Research limitations/implications – Despite limited experience of work prior to admission, many patients
were enthusiastic and motivated to work. The initial trial of the programme has been well received by both
patients and staff. Future developments will include widening the number and types of opportunity offered
by the programme.
Originality/value – This paper describes a vocational rehabilitation programme for a particularly
marginalised population, people with intellectual disabilities within a forensic service. The programme
proved highly popular with patients, and enabled them to develop transferable employment skills.
Keywords Learning disability, Secure, Forensic, Occupational therapy, Real Work Opportunities,
Vocational rehabilitation
Paper type Technical paper
Introduction
The Real Work Opportunity programme was first developed for patients within forensic mental
health services by Philipson et al. (2014). The programme involves providing job roles within the
perimeter of the secure service, with the aim of instilling skills, confidence and motivation to apply
and sustain work after discharge. This paper describes the specific issues and adaptations
necessary for patients within a forensic intellectual disability service. This is a highly complex group
who experience numerous barriers to employment, due to their multiple comorbid diagnoses,
including behaviour disorder, personality disorder, autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, psychosis,
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JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR
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VOL. 5 NO. 4 2014, pp. 160-166, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8824 DOI 10.1108/JIDOB-10-2014-0016
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