Dr Marie Caslin (Edge Hill University) and Ellie Curran (Liverpool Hope University)
Get Britain Working – a reflection of the barriers encountered by young disabled people when entering the world of work
Recent government announcements have made clear that a key priority is getting young people into employment. Yet such government initiatives have been subject to criticism as they focus on individualistic responses that do little to address the systemic barriers that are encountered by young disabled people in their transitions. Since 2011 schools have been responsible for ensuring all young people are provided with career support in the classroom to enable them to successfully transition into further education, training or employment.
This paper will offer a reflection of our experiences of undertaking a research project exploring the barriers and challenges of supporting young disabled people to access career provision within mainstream schools. We seek to provide an insight into good practice when supporting young disabled people and highlight the importance of being led by their lived experience. In addition, we will offer a critical discussion of the impact of the current English government policy initiatives on the lives of young disabled people. This paper advocates for a move beyond individualistic deficit approaches to ensure we work collaboratively in the hope of developing a more inclusive society.