For an Easy Read version of this blog, click here

We spoke to people with Learning Disabilities and they say this is why employment is still not inclusive. 

It’s Learning Disabilities Week 2024 and at Ealing Mencap we think that is a pretty big deal! This blog series celebrates, discusses and enlightens upon all things Learning Disabilities. Everything covered in this series is based upon conversations and research with people with Learning Disabilities so you know, it really counts. We hope you enjoy!

Part 2 of the series is all about employment, people with Learning Disabilities have spoken and this is what they have to say! 

From our research and conversations, we found that 90% of people with Learning Disabilities say that it is hard to get a job. 

Here is their explanation as to why. 

Standard Interviews 

“If you go to a job interview they ask you a lot of difficult questions”

The feedback from our discussions showed that many people with Learning Disabilities find the interview process a difficult step when gaining a job.

Interviews can be a daunting experience for anyone but for some people with Learning Disabilities, interviews can be an obstacle to prevent them from even getting their foot in the door to employment. One person stated that employers need to have “Better pathways to get jobs as interviews are designed to exclude people like us, as we do not cope with them.”

One person said that interviews are a problem because  “they ask you difficult questions that you don’t understand” and “sometimes they talk really fast and you don’t know what they’re saying.” 

The BBC reported on how employers are not putting in reasonable adjustments to support people with disabilities to gain employment. 

Application Forms 

“The forms are hard to fill out people that can’t read properly find it harder”

Another key response from our discussions was that filling out application forms can be a more complicated step for some people with Learning Disabilities when trying to gain employment. 

Many people stated that the films are “long and complicated”. 

When shown an easy read version of a form everyone we spoke to said that the format was easier to understand. 

People with Learning disabilities recommended that employers also include Easy Read versions of job descriptions and applications to make the process inclusive for everyone. 

Making Assumptions 

“They see me and think I am not the right person for the job” 

This powerful statement shines a light on why many individuals with Learning Disabilities feel that employment is still not inclusive. Through our research, we heard from many people with Learning Disabilities who shared their experiences of being unfairly judged. One individual put it bluntly: “Managers make assumptions.”

This eye-opening feedback reveals a significant issue. Despite the laws in place to protect against discrimination, people with disabilities still feel it happens all too often.

Training On How To Support Learning Disabilities 

The last striking theme to discuss is that people with Learning Disabilities said that they felt that many employers don’t have the training or understanding to support people with Learning Disabilities. 

One person said that employers should have “more training to help people understand someone with a Learning Disability. Businesses need to…understand more about disabilities”

Other people reported that it would support more people with Learning Disabilities if employers had an understanding of Makaton. For more information on Makaton click here. 

For more information on training, National Mencap suggests a range of ways to make the employment process more accessible for people with Learning Disabilities. Take a look here. 

And finally, we asked people with Learning Disabilities “what should employers know to help people with Learning Disabilities to get a job?” This is what they said!  

Show them around and explain instructions in an easy way. Put less words on a form.

Have better pathways to get jobs as interviews are designed to exclude people like us, as we do not cope with them. 

Everyone has skills, even when they have things they find challenging. It is about taking time to find the skills and help young people access opportunities.

Not all employers are trained to be able to offer jobs to people with disabilities and then ensure that people receive enough adequate support to be able to keep their jobs and to have reasonable adjustment in place depending on their individual abilities and needs.

Provide more opportunities to people with LD.

More training to help people understand someone with a Learning Disability. Businesses need to take the time out and they need to understand more about disabilities. Businesses should recognise it more and not judge a person because they might have a hidden disability. Businesses need more disability toilets because they don’t have them everywhere.

Thank you for reading, we hope that by creating awareness and having more conversations about inclusive employment we will support more people with Learning Disabilities to gain employment.