discussion_paper

Page 1

Inclusion for people with disability through sustainable supported employment - Discussion paper

Inclusion for people with disability through sustainable supported employment

Discussion paper

For copies of this paper andalternative formats please call

1800 919 801 or (TTY) 133 677

ISBN 978 1 921647 40 6 © Commonwealth of Australia 2010

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General’s Department, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca

DisclaimerThe Commonwealth accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any material contained in submissions provided by the public. Additionally, the Commonwealth disclaims all liability to any person in respect of anything, and of the consequences of anything, done or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance, whether wholly or partially, upon any information presented in public submissions.

The Commonwealth may use the content of submissions to inform government policy and in developing options and recommendations.

The Commonwealth may publish submission but will not do so without the prior permission of the author/s of that submission.

If you would like additional copies of this discussion paper, or a copy in easy English, Braille or audio, please:

Telephone: 1800 919 801, or Email: [email protected]

If you are deaf or have hearing or speech impairment, you can contact us in the following ways:

TTY users - phone 133 677 then ask for 1800 919 801

Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users - phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1800 919 801, or

Internet relay users - visit the National Relay Service website at www.relayservice.com.au and ask for 1800 919 801

Copies are also available to download on the FaHCSIA website at www.fahcsia.gov.au.

Page 1

Contents

Executive summary 21 Our collective challenge 4 1.1 How you can contribute to this process 52 The context for this discussion paper 7 2.1 Incidence of disability 7 2.2 The importance of human rights 7 2.3 Key policies and developments 73 Setting the scene—employment for people with disability 10 3.1 Disability employment assistance—open employment 10 3.2 Disability employment assistance—supported employment 10 3.3 The characteristics of the supported employee workforce 11 3.4 Employers—Australian Disability Enterprises 14 3.5 The role of the Australian Government 184 Realising inclusion for people with disability through sustainable supported employment—a starting point 21 4.1 A work environment 22 4.2 A fair wage 24 4.3 Choice and flexibility 25 4.4 Appropriate supports over the life course 27 4.5 Businesses delivering supported employment 29 4.6 Partnerships formed 31 4.7 Conclusion 325 How you can have your say 33 5.1 Making a submission 33 5.2 Participating in a community consultation 34References 36

Page 2

Executive summary

Placing the views of supported employees at the ‘centre’ of a new vision

George—I just want this business to be recognised by everyone as a normal business.

Paul—I like working here because I get to meet different people. I find most of the jobs we do are fun and enjoyable. My experiences I have learnt are vast and improving at a dramatic pace.

Gordon—I like doing this job because it’s more interesting. I have been at work for 30 years and find there is more variety of jobs at work now with the new contracts.

Sharon—More money would be good.

Rachel—I like doing different types of jobs, getting to know good friends and learning new things.

Lizzie—Some of the people are friendly and kind. We should have an RDO once a month.

Supported employees in various Australian Disability Enterprises, 2010

The Australian Government provides a range of specialist Disability Employment Assistance to help people with disability prepare for, obtain and retain employment.

There are two key approaches to Disability Employment Assistance:¢ open employment through Disability Employment Services¢ supported employment through Australian Disability Enterprises.

The purpose of this discussion paper is to encourage the community to contribute their views and ideas to the development of a new ten-year vision for people in supported employment.

Supported employment is on-the-job support funded by the Government. It helps people with disability participate in paid employment. The Government funds Australian Disability Enterprises to provide supported employment in a real workplace offering real work. These Enterprises operate over 600 commercial businesses across Australia and employ around 19 000 people with disability. These Enterprises pay a wage to people with disability for the work that they do and provide them the support that they need to do their work.

The Government values the significant contribution of Australian Disability Enterprises to the wellbeing and independence of people with disability as well as to the Australian economy.

The Government wants to improve access for people with disability who need supported employment, improve the experiences of people with disability in supported employment, and strengthen Australian Disability Enterprises as progressive and sustainable commercial enterprises providing inclusive supported employment.

The Government wants to ensure that supported employment is valued as a pathway to full participation and inclusion in community life for people with disability.

Page 3


To achieve this goal, the Government proposes to develop a new vision for people needing supported employment over the next ten years. The Government wants to partner with people with disability and their families and carers, supported employment organisations and the wider community to deliver on a new vision.

The new, ten-year vision will be positioned within a human rights framework where—¢ everyone has the right to work, where possible¢ everyone has the right to work in an environment that is inclusive, supportive and accessible

¢ everyone has the right to fully participate and be included in Australian society.

As a starting point for community consultation, a new vision is proposed:


With a horizon to 2020 for this vision, six areas for improvement have been identified in this discussion paper reflecting our understanding that:

1. People with disability in supported employment want to be employed in a work environment that has inclusive workforces and safe workplaces.

2. People with disability in supported employment want to earn a fair wage through improved wage determination processes and other employee benefits.

3. People with disability in supported employment want choice and flexibility in where they work and in the work they do through a person-centred approach.

4. People with disability in supported employment want to benefit from appropriate supports over their life time through timely and seamless access to assistance.

5. People with disability in supported employment, the supported employment sector and Government want to be confident that businesses are delivering supported employment through better practice models.

6. People with disability in supported employment, the supported employment sector and Government want to be confident that partnerships are formed through genuine respect and innovation to improve the supported employment system into the future.

Chapter 4 of this discussion paper offers some ideas for action to achieve this vision over the next ten years and asks you questions about your views and ideas to deliver improvements.

The Government invites you to contribute to the development of a new vision for people needing supported employment by either making a formal written submission by Friday 17 September 2010, or by participating in a community consultation. Details about how you can have your say are contained in chapter 5 of this discussion paper.

Page 4

1 Our collective challenge

I believe in a nation where hard work is rewarded and where the dignity of work is respected.

The Hon Julia Gillard Prime Minister of Australia, 2010

The Australian Government has heard consistently from people with disability about their desire to work and to benefit from employment. While financial reward is important, people with disability and their families and carers have emphasised that employment also provides valuable opportunities to make friends, to develop a sense of identity, self-esteem, responsibility and autonomy, and to connect with the wider community.

However, people with disability have consistently experienced markedly lower labour force participation rates than people without disability.1 In 2003, the labour force participation rate for people with disability was 53 per cent. This compares with 81 per cent for people without disability (ABS 2004).

The Government is committed to addressing the barriers to participation and encouraging more people with disability into employment.

In particular, the Government recognises that its commitment to facilitate supported employment is critical to enabling people with more severe disability participate in paid employment.

Since 2007, the Government has focussed on strengthening the Australian Disability Enterprises sector to ensure it is viable and sustainable, as well as improving the quality of the supported employment system for employees with disability and their support staff.

Significant gains have been made by Australian Disability Enterprises, including through expanding the employment opportunities for people with disability, the payment of pro rata award-based wages, the achievement of quality assurance accreditation and improved business opportunities and practices across the sector. Australian Disability Enterprises today are not the sheltered workshops of the past.

With Australia’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Government’s commitments under the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy, it is time to take stock of the recent gains and ask whether more can be done to improve the overall quality and inclusiveness of the supported employment system.

1 The labour force participation rate is the percentage of people in the working age population who are currently employed or looking for work.

Page 5


1.1 How you can contribute to this processThe key questions for Government are how can we, over the next ten years:

¢ improve access to inclusive supported employment?

¢ improve the experiences of people with disability in supported employment?

¢ support Australian Disability Enterprises as progressive and sustainable commercial businesses?

Our goal is to ensure that supported employment is valued as a pathway to full participation and inclusion in community life for people with disability.

Through this discussion paper, the Government is seeking ideas about the future of supported employment for people with disability in Australia.

This paper puts forward a proposed new, ten-year vision that is based on the feedback that many stakeholders have already given to Government. The paper also presents a range of ideas for reform, with questions that you may find helpful to guide your responses.

You can contribute by making a written submission and/or by participating in one of the community consultations that will be held around the country between July and September this year. Details about how you can have your say are provided at Chapter 5 of this discussion paper.

Page 6

The Australian Government’s new agenda for people needing supported employment

where

everyone has the

right to work, where possible

everyone has the right to work in an

environment that is inclusive, supportive

and accessible

everyone has the right to fully participate and be included in Australian society

by developing a new vision that achieves


through six key outcomes

a work environment that has inclusive workforces and safe workplaces

a fair wage through improved wage determination processes and other employee benefits

choice and flexibility through a person-centred approach

appropriate supports over the life course through timely and seamless access to assistance

businesses delivering supported employment through better practice models

partnerships formed through genuine respect and innovation

1

2

3

4

5

6

Page 7


2 The context for this discussion paper

Rather than writing them off as unemployable, we should be looking at ways they can be employed ... Every day should hold some learning experience, regardless of how small that might be. [People with disability] should work alongside their non-disabled peers in a safe working environment and where their contribution is equally valued. It is not acceptable to think it is okay for these people to work, as long as it is not in my backyard, or that they must attend the special facility down the road.

Submission to Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia, 2009—from a mother of a young woman with disability

2.1 Incidence of disability Disability programs and supports are primarily intended for people with a profound or severe core activity limitation—who always or sometimes need personal assistance or supervision with activities of daily living, including self-care, communication or mobility.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), around 2.2 million, or 17 per cent of the population, have a disability and are of working age. Around 520 000 people in this group have a profound or severe core activity limitation (ABS 2004).

2.2 The importance of human rightsThe Government fully supports the human rights of all people with disability. The Government’s commitment to ensuring that people with disability can fully participate and be included in Australian society is a key driver of reform in disability policy and service delivery today, including the supported employment reform ideas presented in this discussion paper.

2.3 Key policies and developments

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

In July 2008, Australia became one of the first western nations to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. By ratifying the Convention, Australia has undertaken to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people with disability, and promote their inherent dignity.

Article 27 of the Convention states that countries ‘shall safeguard and promote the realisation of the right to work’, which includes the opportunity to gain a living by work, to free choice of employment and to work in an environment that is inclusive and accessible to people with disability.

Page 8

Australia has agreed, among other things, to take appropriate steps to ensure that people with disability have ‘just and favourable conditions of work, including equal opportunities and equal remuneration for work of equal value, safe and healthy working conditions, including protection from harassment, and the redress of grievances’. This right relates to all forms of employment, including supported employment.2

Australian Government legislation

Successive Governments introduced the Disability Services Act 1986 and Disability Discrimination Act 1992 well in advance of the Convention. These laws affirm the dignity, worth and human rights of all people with disability. The legislation is also clear in its intent to increase employment opportunities for people with disability and address the barriers that make it harder for them to obtain and retain employment and therefore fully participate and be included in Australian society. A key feature of the legislation is the emphasis on people’s ability to work, rather than their disability.3

National Disability Agreement

The Council of Australian Governments agreed to the new National Disability Agreement, which commenced on 1 January 2009. Through the agreement, the Government, together with the state and territory governments, has agreed to strive to ensure that people with disability and their families and carers have an enhanced quality of life and participate as valued members of the community. To achieve this objective, all governments have agreed to create a disability service system that helps people with disability achieve economic and social inclusion, enjoy choice, wellbeing and the opportunity to live as independently as possible, and ensure their families and carers are well supported.

The Government recognises that its responsibility for the funding and regulation of the Disability Employment Assistance program, including supported employment, makes a critical contribution towards achieving these objectives.4

National Disability Strategy

Complementing reform of the national disability support system through the National Disability Agreement, the National Disability Strategy (to be released this year) will guide governments’ actions across all disability-specific and mainstream areas of public policy.

2 For more information on the Convention, go to <ww2.ohchr.org/english/law/disabilities-convention.htm>.3 For more information on the Disability Services Act 1986, go to <www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/

lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200410482>. For more information on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, go to <www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/ip200401406>.

4 For more information on the National Disability Agreement, go to <www.coag.gov.au/intergov_agreements/federal_financial_relations/docs/IGA_FFR_ScheduleF_National>.

Page 9


All Australian governments have agreed to work together on the development and implementation of the National Disability Strategy, under the auspices of the Council of Australian Governments. Community and disability services ministers across Australia have agreed on an initial vision, values and set of principles for the strategy. It is the first time that all Australian governments have agreed to such a wide-ranging set of directions for reform of the disability support system.5

Productivity Commission inquiry

As a key action under the new National Disability Strategy, the Government has already commissioned an inquiry by the Productivity Commission into the feasibility of implementing a new national disability long-term care and support scheme. All disability supports, including supported employment, are considered to be within the scope of the inquiry.6

Social Inclusion Agenda

The Government is committed to building a stronger fairer nation. The Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda is central to this vision. Social inclusion means building a nation in which all Australians have the opportunity and support they need to participate fully in the nation’s economic and community life, develop their own potential and be treated with dignity and respect.7

National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy

Addressing the barriers to employment faced by people with disability is central to achieving the aims of the Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda. The Government launched the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy in September 2009 to specifically address the under-representation of people with disability in Australia’s labour market, improve their employment outcomes and further our national economic prosperity.

As part of the Strategy, the new Disability Employment Services began operating in March 2010.8 The new services provide flexible, tailored assistance for all eligible job seekers with disability seeking employment in the open labour market. These services are demand driven, so for the first time all job seekers with disability have immediate access to a place in an employment service.

The development of a new vision for people in supported employment was an important commitment in the Strategy.9

5 For more information on the National Disability Strategy, go to <www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/govtint/Pages/nds.aspx>.6 For more information on the Productivity Commission Inquiry, go to <www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support>.7 For more information on the Social Inclusion Agenda, go to <www.socialinclusion.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx>.8 Disability Employment Services replaced the Disability Employment Network and Vocational Rehabilitation Services on

1 March 2010. 9 For more information on the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy, go to <www.workplace.gov.au/

workplace/Publications/PolicyReviews/EmploymentStrategy>.

Page 10

3 Setting the scene—employment for people with disability

People with disability want to live in a society where they are treated with respect, dignity and importantly with equality, and not as “poor things” nor merely as recipients of services. Additionally they do not want to be segregated as “people with disabilities”.

Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia, 2009

3.1 Disability employment assistance—open employmentThe Government provides a range of specialist disability employment assistance to help people with disability prepare for, obtain and retain employment in the open labour market:

¢ Disability Employment Services assist people with disability, injury or health conditions to prepare for, find and keep a job in the open labour market. There are no waiting lists for eligible job seekers.

¢ The Employment Assistance Fund10 provides financial assistance to purchase a range of work-related modifications and services for people with disability in the workplace.

¢ Wage subsidies provide a financial incentive to employers to employ people with disability. Wage subsidies are paid to employers to help cover the costs of paying wages in the first few months of employment.

¢ The Supported Wage System provides employment opportunities for people with disability in the open labour market who do not have the capacity to work at full productivity.

¢ Work Based Personal Assistance is for people with disability who need regular assistance with feeding or personal hygiene in the workplace.

¢ Mobility Allowance is a non-means tested income support payment for people with disability who are participating in approved economic activities and are unable to use public transport without substantial assistance.11

3.2 Disability employment assistance—supported employmentThe Government funds supported employment for people with disability whose employment opportunities would be very limited or non-existent if they were to compete for a job in the open labour market.

10 The Employment Assistance Fund replaced the Workplace Modifications Scheme and Auslan for Employment from 1 March 2010. 11 For more information on ‘disability employment assistance–open employment’, go to <www.jobaccess.gov.au>.

Page 11


Under the Disability Services Act 1986, supported employment has, as its primary aim, the achievement of paid employment for people with disability in a quality work environment. Other important outcomes include increased independence, enhanced self-esteem and full participation as equal members of the community.

Supported employment is broadly targeted to people with disability of working age who have a profound or severe core activity limitation—that is, the around 520 000 people with disability aged 15 to 64 years who always or sometimes need personal assistance or supervision with activities of daily living, including self-care, communication or mobility (ABS 2004).

Currently, to participate in supported employment, a person needs to:

¢ have a disability

¢ be of working age

¢ be unlikely to work at full productivity

¢ have the capacity to work at least eight hours a week, and

¢ require ongoing assistance in the workplace to retain employment.

It is not a requirement that the person receive a Disability Support Pension or any other income support payment.

3.3 The characteristics of the supported employee workforceAt the end of March 2010, 18 780 people were accessing supported employment across Australia.12 Supported employees are predominantly male, with 64 per cent (12 096) males and 36 per cent (6684) females. The average age of supported employees is 39.4 years. A total of 475 (2.5 per cent) supported employees identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and 6 per cent (1075) of supported employees were born in non-English speaking countries. Map 1 shows the geographic spread of the supported employee workforce across Australia.

Some 70 per cent (13 166) of supported employees have an intellectual disability. One quarter (4530) of supported employees were living in residential facilities and group homes.13

All but 63 supported employees received a main income support payment through Centrelink.14 Around 51 per cent (9703) of all supported employees received the maximum rate of payment, whilst 46 per cent (8739) received a reduced rate of payment because of other income that they were receiving, such as wages.

12 Sourced from Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) administrative data.13 This figure is an estimate based on 30 June 2009 FaHCSIA administrative data.14 Income support payment data was not known for 1.5 per cent (275) of supported employees.

Page 12

FIguRE 1: Supported employees—a snapshot profile, 31 March 2010

Statistics at a glance

¢ Gender—64% males; 36% females

¢ Average age—39.4 years

¢ Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander—2.5%

¢ Born in non-English-speaking countries—6%

¢ Single—90%

¢ Lives in outer regional and remote areas—11%

¢ Has an intellectual disability—70%

¢ Owns their own home—7%

¢ Lives in public housing—13%

¢ Lives in supported accommodation—24%

¢ Lives with their parents—20%

¢ Has an informal carer—29%

¢ Disability Support Pension recipient—96%

¢ Mobility Allowance recipient—53%

Disability type No. %

Intellectual 13 166 70

Psychiatric 1 874 10

Physical 1 176 6

Autism 665 4

Acquired brain injury 514 3

Neurological 401 2

Vision 262 1

Learning/ADD 249 1

Hearing 187 1

Deaf blind 39 0

Other 145 1

Unknown 102 1

Total 18 780 100

Source: FaHCSIA 2010 (unpublished data).

Major cities64% 11 994

Inner regional25% 4 606

Outer regional1 929 10%

Remote246 1%

TAS 3%

NT 0.4%

ACT 1.3%

NSW 37%

VIC 22%

QLD 11%

WA 11%

SA 14%

geographic locationState profile

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

aC

anbe

rra

Can

berr

a

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Bris

bane

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

eySy

dney

Sydn

ey

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

neM

elbo

urne

Mel

bour

ne

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Adel

aide

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rtHo

bart

Hoba

rt

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Perth

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

inDa

rwin

Darw

in

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

liaG

eogr

aphi

cal C

over

age

of A

ustra

lian

Disa

bilit

y En

terp

rises

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

ns -

Aust

ralia

Geo

grap

hica

l Cov

erag

e of

Aus

tralia

n Di

sabi

lity

Ente

rpris

es C

omm

erci

al L

ocat

ions

- Au

stra

lia

Dep

artm

ent o

f Fam

ilies

,

Aus

tral

ian

Gov

ernm

ent

Hou

sing,

Com

mun

ity S

ervi

ces

and

Indi

geno

us A

ffai

rs

Lege

nd:

Roa

d / R

ail M

ajor

Hig

hway

High

way

Mai

n Ro

adSe

rvic

e Ro

ad

Popu

late

d C

entre

s=

> 99

999

= 25

000

- 999

999

= 50

00 -

2499

9=

< 50

00

LEG

END

ADE

Com

mer

cial

Loc

atio

n

ADE

Supp

orte

d Em

ploy

ees

(pla

ce o

f usu

al re

side

nce

- po

stco

de a

rea)

Rail

Line

km20

040

060

0

Not

es:

Dat

a So

urce

s:Fa

HC

SIA

Dis

abilit

y C

arer

Gro

up

Prod

uced

By:

Spat

ial I

nfor

mat

ion

Serv

ices

Sec

tion

Info

rmat

ion

Serv

ices

Bra

nch

Dep

artm

ent o

f FaH

CSI

A©

Com

mon

weal

th o

f Aus

tralia

201

0

Map

Iden

tific

atio

n:IS

B-10

-DR

4662

-1/2

110

/06/

2010

Proj

: Lon

gitu

de /

Latit

ude

(WG

S 84

)C

entre

: 134

.18,

-27.

04W

idth

: 5,0

00 k

mM

SWIZ

4.1

Mul

tiple

AD

E's

loca

ted

in c

lose

pr

oxim

ity o

n th

e gr

ound

may

see

m

to a

ppea

r as

a si

ngle

loca

tion

on th

e m

ap.

Page 14

3.4 Employers—Australian Disability EnterprisesThe Government acknowledges the importance and contribution of the Australian Disability Enterprises sector. This sector is not only a vital part of the broader national disability support system, but also a vital part of the Australian economy.

Australian Disability Enterprises manage a complex range of factors associated with their unique role. These include building their commercial business around their supported employee workforce and providing a wide range of support services that far exceeds the general obligations of an employer.

Many Australian Disability Enterprises form part of larger disability organisations that provide other types of disability supports (such as supported accommodation and day programs). Other Enterprises operate as stand-alone commercial businesses. Despite sharing many characteristics with small to medium-sized commercial businesses, nearly all Australian Disability Enterprises are not-for-profit organisations.

In valuing the unique and critical role that Australian Disability Enterprises play in contributing a vital community service to people with disability in supported employment, while also operating as viable commercial businesses, the Government recognises that this duality of focus must be supported and strengthened into the future.

Structure of the Australian Disability Enterprises sector

Since 2004, there has been significant consolidation in the supported employment sector, mostly in the form of mergers and re-auspice of outlets by other supported employment organisations. The Government has supported and facilitated this business activity within the sector to ensure continuity of supported employment for people with disability and coverage within the geographical area. This activity has also delivered improved business opportunities for those supported employment organisations with the capacity and willingness to expand their business operations and support for people with disability.

At the end of March 2010, there were 206 Australian Disability Enterprises in operation across Australia. These organisations operated over 600 commercial businesses, as shown on Map 1. They form an important part of the Australian economy, with a total workforce of around 23 050 employees. Of these, 18 780 are supported employees and around 4270 are full-time equivalent staff15 who manage and administer Enterprise operations as well as provide disability supports to employees with disability (FaHCSIA 2010).

The Australian Disability Enterprises sector is affiliated with a diverse range of industries, and many Enterprises are affiliated with more than one industry (Figure 2).

15 This figure is based on a 35-hour working week.

Page 15


FIguRE 2: Australian Disability Enterprises, by industry sector, 31 March 2010


Wages and conditions for people in supported employment

As commercial businesses, Australian Disability Enterprises operate within federal and state industrial relations regulatory frameworks. Under the 2002 amendments to the Disability Services Act 1986, Australian Disability Enterprises were required to meet new disability services standards. These standards include the requirement to pay award-based wages to supported employees using a transparent wage assessment tool.

This standard is reflected in the Supported Employment Services Award 2010. This award currently allows the wages of supported employees to be determined through one of 30 wage assessment tools. These wage assessment tools have been independently assessed as valid and reliable in their own right using the criteria set out in A Guide to Good Practice Wage Determination (FaCS 2001). Each Enterprise chooses the wage assessment tool it uses to assess the wages of its supported employees.

At the end of March 2010, the majority of supported employees (67 per cent; 12 633) were earning $100 or less a week. A further 22 per cent (4203) of supported employees were earning between $101 and $200 a week, while 7 per cent (1220) were earning over $200 a week. As a group, supported employees earned on average (mean) $88 a week (Figure 3) (FaHCSIA 2010).16

Indu

stry

sec

tor

No. of business sites

321

17

2224

2834

548486

107113

127175

0 50 100 150 200

PackagingLandscaping

Cleaning & RecyclingLight Manufacturing

Mail ManagementSub Assembly

Food & HospitalityRetail Sales

Laundry Printing

Arts & CraftSewing

Corporate GiftsOther

Indu

stry

sec

tor

No. of business sites

16 Wages data was not known for 3.9 per cent (724) of supported employees.

Page 16

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

>$5

01$4

50-$

500

$401

-$45

0$3

51-$

400

$301

-$35

0$2

51-$

300

$201

-$25

0$1

51-$

200

$101

-$15

0$8

1-$1

00$6

1-$8

0$4

1-$6

0$2

1-$4

0<

$20

No.

of s

uppo

rted

em

ploy

ees

The productive capacity of supported employees is reflected in their gross hourly rate of pay. At the end of March 2010, the average gross hourly wage of supported employees was $3.61. This represents a 24.5 per cent increase, up from $2.90 in June 2006 (FaHCSIA 2010).

FIguRE 3: Supported employees, by gross weekly wage category, 31 March 2010

gross weekly wage category ($)

Supported employment service consumers

No. %1–20 1 478 821–40 3 034 1641–60 3 139 1761–80 2 967 1681–100 2 015 11101–150 2 888 15151–200 1 315 7201–250 618 3251–300 276 2301–350 158 1351–400 63 0.3401–450 36 0.2451–500 20 0.1>500 49 0.3Unknown 724 4Total 18 780 100


The majority of supported employees were employed on a part-time basis (less than 35 hours per week), accounting for 71 per cent (13 418) of all supported employees at the end of March 2010. Around one-quarter (4638) of supported employees were employed on a full-time basis. As a group, supported employees worked on average 25 hours per week (FaHCSIA 2010).17

17 Hours of employment data was not known for 3.9 per cent (724) of supported employees.

Page 17


Recent Achievements In Supported EmploymentIn 2007, the Government committed $33.71 million over five years for an extra 750 supported employment places.

In November 2008, Business Services were renamed Australian Disability Enterprises, with a new logo and business directory. The new name and logo brought together all Australian Disability Enterprises under a unified national brand, helping to build a strong corporate image for the supported employment sector. A new website—www.australiandisabilityenterprises.com.au— was also launched to promote the quality products and services of the Australian Disability Enterprises sector and make it easier for potential customers, including individuals, businesses and governments, to do business with the sector.

A do-it-yourself marketing kit was issued to improve the marketing of Australian Disability Enterprise products and services. Each Enterprise also received a one-off payment of $2500 from the Government for marketing and promotion of their products and services.

Important changes have also been made to the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines to enable Government buyers to purchase from Australian Disability Enterprises without the requirement to go to tender. To raise awareness of these changes, the Government has funded a National Disability Procurement Manager position with National Disability Services to connect Government buyers with Australian Disability Enterprises, simplifying the procurement process even further.

The most recent initiative aimed at connecting Government buyers with Australian Disability Enterprises was the Purchasing with Purpose Expo for Australian Government Buyers held on 1 June 2010.

The Government also provided financial assistance to Australian Disability Enterprises facing short-term financial difficulties during times of economic downturn to continue to provide quality supported employment.

In 2010-11, the Government allocated an additional $4.5 million for Australian Disability Enterprises to continue to employ around 19 000 people with disability.

In July 2010, the Government introduced a 12-month red tape reduction trial that will reduce the amount of time that Australian Disability Enterprises spend re-assessing the support needs of existing supported employees under the case-based funding model.

Page 18

3.5 The role of the Australian governmentRegulation

As the regulator and funder of supported employment organisations, the Government funds Australian Disability Enterprises on the condition that they meet 12 Disability Services Standards. The standards are a clear statement of what it means to meet the objects, principles and objectives of the Disability Services Act 1986. The standards define the Government’s requirements for service quality, and are directly linked to each Enterprise’s core processes and outcomes. The 12 standards are:

¢ Service access

¢ Individual needs

¢ Decision making and choice

¢ Privacy, dignity and confidentiality

¢ Participation and integration

¢ Valued status

¢ Complaints and disputes

¢ Service managment

¢ Employment conditions

¢ Service recipients training and support

¢ Staff recruitment, employment and training

¢ Protection of human rights and freedom from abuse.

Compliance with the standards involves an independent audit process conducted by certification bodies. Full audits are conducted every three years, and an annual surveillance audit is conducted in the intervening years.

All Australian Disability Enterprises are currently certified as meeting the Disability Services Standards. Under the National Disability Agreement, the standards are currently undergoing review.

Funding model

Australian Disability Enterprises are funded under a case-based funding model, which links funding to individual support needs and employment outcomes. The explicit intention of the funding is to help Enterprises meet the support costs of supported employees. Under this model, the amount of funding each Enterprise receives varies according to the number of supported employees it employs, the employment phase of the supported employee, and the level of assistance the supported employee needs in the workplace. The funding model, however, is not affected by how many hours a week a supported employee works.

A case-based funding assessment is the means by which the level of support required and subsequent funding level is determined. Upon completion of the assessment, a monthly ongoing Employment Maintenance Fee is paid according to the level of assistance the supported employee needs, with funding level 1 applying to those with low support needs and funding level 4 to those with high support needs (Table 1).

At the end of March 2010, 51 per cent of supported employees had been assessed at funding level 4, 24.5 per cent at funding level 3, 17.5 per cent at funding level 2 and 7 per cent at funding level 1 (FaHCSIA 2010).

Page 19


TABlE 1: Cased-based funding fee structure, 2010–11

Fee type Amount

Intake Fee $553

Employment Assistance Fee (per month, for up to 12 months)

$553

Employment Maintenance Fee Funding per month Funding per year

Funding level 1 $325 $3 900



Funding level 4 $1 101 $13 212

Source: FaHCSIA Long Form Funding Agreement (Disability Employment Assistance Program May 2007).

The Government also makes supplementary payments to Australian Disability Enterprises to help them meet the additional costs of assisting supported employees who need personal care assistance, supporting employees in apprenticeships and providing supported employment outside of metropolitan areas.

Total Government expenditure on Australian Disability Enterprises was $192.8 million in 2008–09 and is around $200 million in 2009–10. Figure 4 shows total Australian Government expenditure on supported employment over the period 2001–02 to 2008–09, along with the average Government expenditure per supported employee.

FIguRE 4: Total government expenditure and average expenditure per supported employee, 2001–02 to 2008–09


$0

$1000

$2000

$3000

$4000

$5000

$6000

$7000

$8000

$9000

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

2008-092007-082006-072005-062004-052003-042002-032001-02

Gov

ernm

ent e

xpen

ditu

re ($

m)

Ave

rage

cos

t ($

)

Total government expenditure Average cost per supported employee

Page 20

Allocation of supported employment places

The Government allocates a set number of supported employment places. Each Australian Disability Enterprise outlet is allocated a specific number of places, and each outlet is responsible for managing expressed demand for placement at its outlet.

Nationally, 19 551 supported employment places were available in 329 Australian Disability Enterprise outlets at the end of March 2010. Of these 329 outlets, 41 per cent had filled all their places (FaHCSIA 2010).

Referral pathways

Referrals to Australian Disability Enterprises are generated through Centrelink, via Job Capacity Assessor referrals, or contact is made directly to Enterprises through their connections with special schools, other specialist disability supports such as accommodation support or community access, and disability support groups in the community. There are no guaranteed referrals as a result of a funding agreement between the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and an Australian Disability Enterprise. Additionally, there is no automated waiting list to ensure that vacancies in Enterprises are filled quickly, although some Enterprises maintain their own informal waiting lists.

What are your views?¢ Is regulation through the legislated quality assurance system effective?

¢ How well is the case-based funding model working for supported employees and for Australian Disability Enterprises?

¢ What could be the impacts of the 12-month red tape reduction trial to reduce the time spent by Australian Disability Enterprises re-assessing the support needs of supported employees under the case-based funding model on supported employees and Enterprise operations?

¢ What would be an appropriate compliance and assessment regime that meets the needs of supported employees, Australian Disability Enterprises and the Government?

¢ Are the current referral pathways to Australian Disability Enterprises effective?

Page 21


4 Realising inclusion for people with disability through sustainable supported employment—a starting point

The Australian Government believes that everyone who wants to work, including people with disability, should be given the chance to do so. With almost 20 per cent of our citizens having some form of disability, we have to act.

The Hon Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, 2009

The Government’s focus in recent years has been on strengthening the Australian Disability Enterprises sector to ensure it is viable and sustainable, as well as improving the quality of the supported employment system for employees with disability and their support staff.

Through Australia’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we recognise that there are still a number of challenges facing the supported employment system today. Most importantly, we need to put people with disability at the centre of the supported employment system and ensure we can better support them to fully participate and be included in Australian society.

In this discussion paper, a new vision is proposed as a starting point—inclusion for people with disability through sustainable supported employment. To move Australia and its supported employment system toward this vision, this paper focuses on six key outcome areas as pathways for reform.

This vision may not resonate with everyone, and the Government welcomes your ideas on a vision that expresses what you would like to see people with disability experience through supported employment.

Page 22

A case study—BlueLine Laundry, Tasmania

BlueLine Laundry has championed itself as an integrated and inclusive workplace. Established in 1893, the Laundry provided employment for disadvantaged women and girls. It has evolved to become a fully commercial and competitive laundry, investing in state of the art computer and laundry equipment to streamline production and to ensure the highest quality of service to their customers, whilst continuing to offer employment, training and personal development to employees with and without disability.

The Laundry employs 75 people, and 43 identify as having a disability. The average weekly hours worked and wages for supported employees at the laundry are above the national average for Australian Disability Enterprises.

Employees with and without disability work alongside each other in all areas of the laundry. The Laundry has a rotational policy so all employees and co-workers have the ability to learn new tasks. This delivers increased competency leading to improved wages and improved carer paths for employees.

One section of the Laundry (packaging sterile bandages) is completely controlled by supported employees.

All Laundry employees are encouraged to accompany the delivery/pickup drivers to get a better understanding of the whole business and to build rapport with businesses that contract BlueLine Laundry for their services. Through increasing self-confidence, more supported employees are also moving from supported accommodation to living independently in shared accommodation.

4.1 A work environment that has inclusive workforces and safe workplacesInclusivity

Supported employment organisations help build an inclusive Australia by enabling people with disability to participate in paid employment.

Greater social inclusion could be achieved by expanding the number of supported employment organisations that have inclusive workforces where people with disability are genuinely working alongside people without disability in the production of goods and services. For most supported employees, contact with people without disability in the workplace is mainly with supervisors and support staff.

Page 23


Some, like the National Council on Intellectual Disability, are critical of this aspect of the supported employment environment:

The Australian Disability Enterprises model, now in operation for around half a century, is a poor investment in meeting a social inclusion agenda, the spirit of the United Nations Convention, nor is it coherent with vocational research for people with intellectual disability … What the research tells us is that this model of employment service provides poor outcomes in terms of inclusion and wages, placing low expectations on people with intellectual disability.

People in supported employment should have the option to work in diverse and inclusive workplaces. ‘Inclusive’ employment models promote a positive image of the contribution of people with disability to the workplace and the Australian economy and help breakdown the barriers people with disability face in the labour market. Inclusive workplaces also give people with disability greater opportunities to learn from others, broaden their social networks and engage in more diverse and rewarding work.

One way to achieve an inclusive workforce is with an appropriate balance between supported employees and non-supported employees. A range of factors may influence this balance, including the nature of the work to be undertaken, the size of the business, and the location and availability of other jobs. A more fluid interface between open and supported employment assistance programs could also play a role in encouraging inclusivity.

It is also important to value the contribution of non-supported employees to the quality of the experience of supported employment for people with disability and to put in place specific strategies to attract and retain non-supported employees to the sector. This may involve specific recruitment strategies, as well as consideration of favourable pay and working conditions that are attractive to non-supported employees.

Safety

Inclusive workplaces also must be safe workplaces. Investments in occupational health and safety (OH&S) mean that the risk of incidents and injuries can be minimised. Such an investment also avoids costly disruptions to the operations of a business. The Government believes good safety is good business, no matter what the nature of the business.

While supported employment workplaces are no different from other workplaces in many respects, there may be common OH&S practices and design elements that enhance the safety of workplaces for supported employees. There may be value in identifying and promoting these practices and design elements across supported employment organisations. There may also be value in considering core design elements and practices to ensure, over time, that all new workplaces are safer for people with disability.

Page 24

What are your views?¢ What actions or strategies would assist in creating a more inclusive workplace for people

in supported employment?

¢ What are the challenges or the risks associated with adopting a more inclusive employment model?

¢ What strategies would attract and retain quality non-supported employees in Australian Disability Enterprises?

¢ Is there any value in considering core workplace design elements and practices to ensure new workplaces are safer for people with disability?

4.2 A fair wage through improved wage determination processes and other employee benefitsWage determination

Australians believe in ‘a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay’. A fair wage reflects the value of the work or tasks completed—that is, it reflects the contribution of the labour used to produce a good or service. This is broadly consistent with the current supported employment wage setting system, which takes into account the productivity and/or competencies of supported employees.

The wages of people in supported employment are assessed through one of 30 wage assessment tools. Depending on what tool is currently used and what work is performed, the gross hourly wage rate of supported employees ranges from $1.71 per hour to $8.51 per hour, with an average gross hourly wage rate of $3.61 per hour (FaHCSIA March 2010). The breadth of this range in the hourly wage has led to questions about the fairness of supported employee wages nationally (AHRC 2007).

Many supported employment organisations also conduct wage assessments in-house. This practice is consistent with current program guidelines, but is not necessarily consistent with the better practice principle of independence in decision making necessary to safeguard impartiality and objectivity.

Recognising this, the Government is currently reviewing A Guide to Good Practice Wage Determination (FaCS 2001) with the aim of strengthening the objectives and principles that underpin good practice wage determination across the supported employment sector. The outcome will be a set of new objectives and principles for determining the pro rata wages of supported employees. Additional actions could, however, be considered to ensure supported employees and their families and carers have confidence in the fairness and impartiality of the processes that determine the wages of supported employees.

Page 25


Other benefits

Like other workers, supported employees value having savings to help them in retirement and having attractive employment conditions, such as long service leave. If these benefits were improved for all employees, including managers and support staff, it would help position these organisations as employers of choice. If alliances were formed between supported employment organisations, worker benefits could also be made portable. This could contribute to the development of a more strategic and long term approach to workforce planning and management across the sector, at least within geographic regions, to supplement locally driven staffing decisions.

What are your views?

¢ How can a fair wage be determined?

¢ How can the wage setting process for supported employees be made more consistent, equitable and transparent?

¢ What could the Government do to improve the standardisation of the wage assessments of supported employees across the sector?

¢ What benefits or arrangements should be put in place to assist supported employees build reasonable savings for their retirement?

¢ What strategies could be put in place to improve access to other worker benefits such as long service leave?

4.3 Choice and flexibility through a person-centred approachPerson-centred

While the supported employment sector has expanded significantly over the last two decades—from 10 000 supported employees in June 1989 to 18 780 at the end of March 2010 (an increase of 89 per cent)—it still falls short of meeting the demand for supported employment. Demand is projected to increase as Australia’s population continues to grow and the prevalence of disability increases with the ageing of the population (FaHCSIA 2010).

Figure 1 in Chapter 3 demonstrates that people with disability from the traditional equity groups—women, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people born in non-English-speaking countries and people living in outer regional and remote areas—particularly face barriers to accessing supported employment where they live. Because of the concentration of industries with which Australian Disability Enterprises are affiliated, supported employees are also quite limited in the work roles and tasks available to them. And the vast majority of supported employees have a weaker attachment to the workforce than those without disability, with the majority working part-time hours.

Page 26

People with disability should be able to work in roles that are suited to their interests and their full range of competencies and productivity levels, within a reasonable distance from their home. They should also be able to change their jobs as their interests, personal circumstances and support needs change over their life time. This would require a continuum of work opportunities for employees—both within the supported employment sector and through pathways to open employment.

This approach could promote workplace cultures that position the supported employee ‘at the centre’ of a supported employment system focussed on delivering choice and flexibility. Taking a self-directed and person-centred approach to the delivery of supported employment is consistent with a fundamental principle of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Such an approach can also make for better business because workforce strategies that place employees at the ‘centre’ lead to high employee morale and retention, higher workplace productivity and profits (Rucci et al. 1998). This approach would require some supported employment organisations to think differently about the full range of competencies of supported employees, the employment conditions suited to supported employees over the life course, and the different business contracts they could seek that offer a greater variety of roles and work tasks that also range in complexity.

There are a number of ways that the Government could also build more choice and flexibility into the supported employment system, including:

¢ supporting individuals to choose employers and move between jobs as their needs, interests and goals change—for example, by enhancing the information available on the range of employment options and vacancies

¢ tying support funding to an individual and making it portable, so they can take their support funding with them when they move to another job

¢ providing greater opportunity and flexibility to move between supported and open employment, and to work across multiple supported employment organisations to increase hours worked and the variety of work undertaken

¢ establishing a system of employment brokers to facilitate movement across the disability employment assistance program (supported and open employment).

Page 27


What are your views?¢ What needs to be put in place so that supported employment organisations can better

respond to the changing demand patterns for supported employment, across all geographic areas?

¢ What can be done to address the barriers that are experienced by the traditional equity groups?

¢ How can we create a continuum of work opportunities for supported employees within and across the sector? What would be the benefits for supported employees and for supported employment organisations?

¢ To what extent do supported employees want to work across both supported and open employment?

¢ How significant is the issue of under-employment for supported employees? What impact is this having on supported employees and on their families and carers?

¢ Are there other issues beyond working hours that are having an impact on workforce attachment that need to be addressed?

4.4 Appropriate supports over the life course through timely and seamless access to assistance Responsiveness

Australia’s population is ageing, and so too is the population of people with disability. As more supported employees reach retirement age, there is a need to examine more closely the transitions to retirement and the disability supports available in retirement. According to recent projections, the number of supported employees aged 50 years and over will increase from 21 per cent to nearly 50 per cent of the workforce in 15 years (SPRC 2009).

Equally important is the availability of appropriate disability and complementary supports to enable other key transitions—for example, school to supported employment; post-school options programs to supported employment; community access/day programs to supported employment; and supported employment to open employment (and vice versa). Due to pressures on meeting the demand for supported employment, and for other supports in the broader disability support system, these key transitions do not always occur in a timely manner.

Recognising this, the Government is working with state and territory governments to make the transition from school to employment easier and to ensure that young people with disability are better prepared for work. There are a range of different transition-to-work programs currently in place or being developed.

Page 28

The Government is also working with the New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory governments to implement small-scale transition to retirement pilot projects in three Australian Disability Enterprises. Outcomes from the retirement pilots will be helpful in developing a wider response to streamlining transitions for people with disability throughout their life course.

Employee attraction and retention

The ongoing commercial viability of the supported employment sector is also dependent upon the availability of a young workforce willing and able to replace older supported employees as they move into retirement. For supported employment organisations to remain viable, they will need new approaches to attract and retain younger supported employees. At the same time, they will need to develop workforce strategies to retain older often less productive supported employees, as well as successfully transition supported employees ready for retirement.

The supported employment sector may need to consider its points of differentiation as an employer so it can attract younger people with disability and other willing employees. Consideration needs to be given to how supported employment organisations can better meet the aspirations of people with disability as they position themselves as ‘employers of choice’. The Government could play a more active role in industry development strategies to facilitate this process, along with marketing strategies to further promote the supported employment sector as a good place to work.

What are your views?¢ How does the ageing of the supported employee workforce impact on its productivity?

¢ What strategies need to be put in place to address the issue of an ageing supported employee workforce?

¢ What needs to occur to better assist people with disability during transitions into and out of supported employment?

¢ What can supported employment organisations do to be more attractive to school leavers with disability needing supported employment?

Page 29


4.5 Businesses delivering supported employment through better practice modelsIn Australia, the approach to delivering supported employment has changed in significant and important ways over the past 50 years—from a welfare model to a business model that has increased employment opportunities for people with disability and has diversified and expanded the operations of supported employment organisations.

Many countries are now moving to strengthen the employment opportunities for people with more severe disability by phasing out the reliance on traditional models of delivery and funding of supported employment in segregated work settings. Inclusive supported workplace models in social enterprises, where people with disability are employed alongside people without disability, are being embraced as a better practice model. This is emerging as the ‘new’ supported employment model, internationally, for people with disability.18

Social enterprises

Social enterprises are commercially oriented organisations that aim to achieve a social outcome. They include both not-for-profit organisations that use business models to pursue their mission and for-profit organisations whose primary operations are directed towards meeting social objectives. Many commercial businesses would consider themselves to have social objectives, but social enterprises are distinctive because their social purpose remains central to their operation and all profits gained are reinvested for this core purpose.

The adoption of a social enterprise model may present significant benefits for the supported employment sector. The model has the potential to provide a ready mechanism for creating inclusive workplaces involving people with and without disability within diverse and sustainable commercial businesses.

Supported employment organisations are already similar to social enterprises in that they are commercial businesses that exist to achieve a social outcome. However, there are also some key differences. For example, as we have discussed earlier in this chapter, not many supported employment organisations have inclusive workforces, offer the diversity of work that many social enterprises offer, or have activity in the extensive range of industries with which social enterprises are engaged.

A social enterprise approach to supported employment would also reinforce the importance of supported employees and their families and carers being involved in the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the social enterprise, including the selection of disability support staff.

18 For more information on international developments in the area of disability employment assistance, go to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Sickness, Disability and Work project, <www.oecd.org/els/disability>.

Page 30

This could involve:

¢ fostering an ‘open door’ approach where people feel comfortable having input and providing feedback

¢ regular meetings that provide an opportunity for open dialogue between managers of the social enterprise and supported employees and their families and carers

¢ selection and appraisal of disability support staff.

Supplier council

The ‘supplier council’ or ‘minority supplier council’ model may also strengthen the focus and success of supported employment organisations. A disability supplier council could promote supported employment organisations, build partnerships with private sector corporations and government agencies, and build and identify business opportunities for supported employment organisations. It may also promote greater cooperation among supported employment organisations by expanding the range and number of opportunities for these organisations, moving the sector away from internal competition created by a limited range of supported employment business opportunities and contracts.

Complementing the supplier council model, the knowledge, insights, goodwill and experience already available within the supported employment sector could be more effectively shared for the benefit of supported employees and the benefit of the sector.

Providing opportunities for managers and staff in supported employment organisations to come together to share information, ideas and experiences—perhaps through regular forums or networks—is one way of bringing this skill and knowledge base together. These forums or networks could be very beneficial in developing the direction of the supported employment sector. They would provide an ideal platform for sharing ideas, learning and promoting innovative thinking. They could also provide Government with a means to ‘tap into’ sector thinking and ideas.

Enhancing the governance of supported employment organisations would also promote the growth of the sector. Boards need to have a range of skills that are required in order to govern and operate an effective commercial enterprise, including strategic thinking, leadership and effective corporate planning. Importantly, supported employment organisation Boards need to have both knowledge and understanding of contemporary disability service provision, as well as commercial acumen and experience in managing a business. Attracting more Board members with commercial and business skills will be important in ensuring that supported employment organisations remain viable and are able to grow. There are a range of strategies that could be considered to attract Board members with specific skills, including forming links with professional bodies (such as the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Institute of Chartered Accountants), or with specific corporate entities.

Page 31


What are your views?¢ Would the social enterprise model be a good model for supported employees and for

supported employment organisations?

¢ What other business models could improve outcomes for people with disability and improve the commercial viability and sustainability of supported employment organisations?

¢ What would the Government need to do and what would supported employment organisations need to do to encourage the right businesses for supported employees?

¢ What actions would help ensure that supported employment organisations keep the balance between community service and sustaining commercial viability?

¢ How can supported employees and their families and carers be more involved and influential in the day-to-day operations and strategic directions of supported employment organisations?

¢ How can supported employment organisations attract more Board members with the most appropriate leadership and commercial skills?

4.6 Partnerships formed through genuine respect and innovation

It is timely and important that Australian Disability Enterprises engage in well-informed debate about the challenges they face—not just today’s challenges, but those looming on the horizon. In doing so, they can help shape the future and forge a path ahead, in partnership with Government, that delivers valuable employment outcomes to people with disability and financial sustainability for the sector.

National Disability Services, 2010

Community service

The Government recently released the National Compact: working together. This is a high-level, aspirational and principles-based document. It articulates a mutually respectful relationship between the Government and the third (or not-for-profit) sector to deliver improved policy and services. The compact outlines how the Government and third sector organisations will work together in new and innovative ways based on partnership and respect.19

The Productivity Commission has also released a report on the contribution of the not-for-profit sector that highlights the importance of strengthening this sector. The report focuses on reforming the not-for-profit sector’s regulatory operating environment and improving funding arrangements. These reforms aim to support innovation, reduce red tape, improve outcomes for the community and strengthen the community’s confidence in the not-for-profit sector.20

19 For more information on the National Compact, go to <www.socialinclusion.gov.au/LatestNews/Pages/NationalCompact.aspx>.20 For more information on the Productivity Commission research, go to <www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/not-for-profit/report>.

Page 32

The Government values the ‘duality of focus’ that supported employment organisations have—delivering supported employment while sustaining commercial viability. However, while Government recognises the additional costs associated with operating in regional and remote localities and in providing on-the-job support to people with disability under its current funding approach, it does not explicitly recognise the ‘community service contribution’ of the supported employment sector.

The supported employment sector values the Government’s role in providing leadership, funding and stimulating innovation in supported employment design and delivery. However, the sector needs to ensure that its business models are sustainable across the economic cycle, that its organisations are strategic in maintaining the productive capacity of its supported employee workforce, and ensure its operations genuinely reflect its intrinsic community service.

What are your views?¢ How can the Government better support supported employment organisations and the

sector to maintain an effective balance in its focus on people with disability and their families and carers, and its commercial operations?

¢ How can supported employment organisations build on their viability and expertise in delivering supported employment through strengthened Government and other partnerships?

4.7 ConclusionSome of the ideas presented in this discussion paper would be easier to implement than others. Some of them would be beneficial if they were implemented early in the ten-year vision process, and others would need to be considered only once other reforms had been achieved. Some of these ideas may have funding and operational implications. Any reforms would need to be sustainable and cost effective if they were to receive Government support and funding.

We expect that there will be a wide range of new ideas that will be generated through the community consultations and written submissions that will follow the launch of this discussion paper. We acknowledge that the new ideas generated through community consultations and written submissions may overtake ideas presented in this discussion paper.

Page 33


5 How you can have your sayYou can provide Government with your views and comments on this discussion paper and your ideas about your vision for people in supported employment in two ways.

You can either make a written submission to the Government or you can participate in a community consultation.

5.1 Making a submissionSubmissions are encouraged from people with disability, their families and carers, organisations and other interested persons from the community. If you would like to make a submission in response to this discussion paper, please complete the submission cover sheet. This cover sheet should be attached to your submission. This cover sheet is also available for download on the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website (www.fahcsia.gov.au), or via email from [email protected].

Content of submissions

Your submission, setting out your views and comments, can be as short or long as you like. You may wish to address each question in this discussion paper, or you may prefer to set out your views and comments in a way that you consider to be more appropriate. Where possible, it would be helpful if you could provide additional supporting information.

Confidentiality of submissions

Your submission (including name and address details) could be published on the FaHCSIA website and may be published in part within a printed report by the Government at the conclusion of the discussion paper process.

If you do not want your submission made public, please mark your submission ’Confidential’ on the submission cover sheet. Automatically generated confidentiality statements in emails do not suffice for this purpose. Anonymous submissions will be accepted, but are not encouraged, as it may be necessary to contact you to discuss the content of your submission.

Submissions may be edited to remove unreasonable disclosure of personal information before they are published. Additionally, any submissions that include personal information identifying specific individuals will be de-identified before they are published.

If you make a submission, you grant the Government, a permanent, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce and adapt any intellectual property (including supporting information) for any purpose related to the development of a vision for people in supported employment.

All material, including submissions marked ‘Confidential’, collected by the Government for the purpose of this discussion paper may be subject to requests for access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982. Such requests will be determined in accordance with that Act.

Page 34

Address for submissions

Written submissions can be sent by post or email.

Posted to: Vision for People in Supported Employment PO Box 7101, Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610

Emailed to: [email protected] (send as a Microsoft Word document (.doc) or similar format)

Questions relating to submissions

If you cannot send your submission by post or email, or you are concerned that the Government may not have received your submission, please contact us:

Telephone: 1800 919 801

Closing date for making submissions

The closing date for making a written submission is Friday 17 September 2010.

5.2 Participating in a community consultationIn July 2010, details of the community consultations will be available on the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website (www.fahcsia.gov.au) or by telephoning 1800 919 801. We welcome your participation in one of those community consultations.

If you participate in one of the community consultations being held around the country between July 2010 and September 2010, the Government will certainly take your ideas into consideration. We may share your ideas with others, but without attributing your comments to you so that your privacy is protected.

Page 35

Submission cover sheetInclusion of your personal information is optional.

Your contact details (optional)

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Phone: Fax:

Email:

Website:

Which best describes you? (if applicable)

Person with disability

Family member

Informal carer

Paid carer

Disability/Carer peak body

Australian Disability Enterprise

Disability service provider (other)

Other (please describe)

Is this submission made on behalf of an organisation or is it a personal submission?

Organisation Personal

Name of organisation:

Role in your organisation:

Is this submission “CONFIDENTIAl”?

Yes No

(If you tick No, your submission could be placed on the

Government’s website at some time in the future)

Page 36

ReferencesAustralian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings, Cat. no.

4430.0, ABS, Canberra, <www.ausstats.abs.gov.au>.

Australian Government 2009, National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, <www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Publications/PolicyReviews/EmploymentStrategy>.

Australian Government 2009, Social Inclusion Agenda, <www.socialinclusion.gov.au>.

Australian Human Rights Commission: Innes G 2007, Making rights relevant, paper presented at the National Disability Services conference, Canberra, 28 November 2007, <www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/speeches/2007/nds.htm>.

Council of Australian Governments 2009, National Disability Agreement, <www.coag.gov.au>.

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs 2009, National Disability Strategy, <www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/govtint/Pages/nds.aspx>.

Department of Family and Community Services 2001, A Guide to Good Practice Wage Determination, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, <www.facs.gov.au/sa/disability/pubs/employers/Pages/services-wage_determ.aspx>.

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), <www.comlaw.com.au>.

Disability Services Act 1986 (Cth), <www.comlaw.com.au>.

National People with Disabilities and Carer Council 2009, Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, <www.facs.gov.au/sa/disability/pubs/policy/community_consult/Pages/default.aspx>.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2010, Sickness, Disability and Work project, <www.oecd.org/els/disability>.

Productivity Commission 2010, Disability Care and Support Public Inquiry, <www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support>.

Productivity Commission 2010, Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector, Research Report, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, <www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/not-for-profit/report>.

Rucci AJ, Kirn SP & Quinn RT 1998, The employee–customer–profit chain at Sears, Harvard Business Review, January–February 1998, pp.82-97.

Social Policy Research Centre: McDermott, S, Edwards, R, Abelló, D & Katz, I 2009, Ageing and Australian Disability Enterprises: Final Report, August 2009, SPRC, Sydney (unpublished).

United Nations 2006, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, <www2.ohchr.org/english/law/disabilities-convention.htm#27>.

Page 38FAHCSIA11017.1007

Documents

discussion_paper