Research into employment outcomes for young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

This research was commissioned in order to inform the development of the refreshed ASD Strategic Action Plan and in response to concerns about post-education employment outcomes of young people.

The main objectives of this research were:

• to map the extent to which young people with ASD living in Wales secure employment
• to identify the barriers to employment faced by this group of young people
• to document which of these barriers are being reduced or overcome in Wales currently and which are not
• to identify and document initiatives in Wales and elsewhere which are working effectively to overcome or reduce barriers to employment for young people with ASD
• to consider how any un-addressed barriers might realistically be reduced or overcome.

The research included an online survey and follow-up interviews with research with mainstream, pan-disability and ASD-specific employment support services currently operating in Wales, in order to understand the extent to which they are able to address the key barriers to employment for young people with ASD. Interviews were also undertaken with 26 young people with ASD and their families to understand more about the lived experience of securing, or trying to secure, employment after leaving formal education, the nature of support received and the difference this made to any employment outcomes achieved.