What more can be done to secure equality for disabled people in the jobs market?

Question

How can the welfare state be reformed to support disabled people who can get into jobs, whilst offering a decent standard of living and wellbeing for those who can’t?

Of the total number of people of working age out of work in Britain, 40 per cent are disabled.

Only 51 per cent of disabled people are in work, falling to 21 per cent of people with a mental health condition and 17 per cent of people with a learning disability.

Almost a third of working-age disabled adults live in income poverty. This is higher than a decade ago, double the rate for working age non-disabled adults and higher than the rates for either pensioners or children.

68 per cent of households with children where both parents are out of work include at least one disabled parent and 32 per cent of lone parents.

For disabled people with a higher education qualification, the ‘lacking but wanting work’ rate of 14 per cent is actually higher than the ‘lacking but wanting work’ rate of non-disabled peopl

Answer 1

didnt bother reading it, but ill give you my answer, everyone has something to contribute to society, and no one should be turned away because of a disability

Answer 2

I work with disabled people, part of my work includes helping those who are ready to return to employment to do so.

The attitudes of some employers is disgusting. My belief is that everyone is valuable and has something positive to contribute. One of our "two tick" employers REQUIRES every employee to have a full driving licence and a car, many disabled people are unable to drive because of their disability so how can that be fair? Why should someone office based have to have a driving licence? I have taken this up with the ombudsman for that employer and am awaiting his response....

I find many of my clients get interviews but are obviously there to "make up the numbers" and by interviewing them the employer tries to show they are willing to employ a disabled person.... I had one guy interviewed as a building site labourer even though he has a disability that affects his mobility AND the job he applied for was in the office. Obviously he didn't get either job but the employer could claim that they were not discriminating due to disability.

I'm not even going to go into mental health and discrimination.

Answer 3

Firstly, let's not utter the term "disabled" anymore as it makes them low in confidence. Let's either adress them as physically/ mentally challenged. Job opportunities should be created for them,by the govt. training them on handicrafts, handloom & other fine arts related occupations. People should change their attitude towards them by not showing a steady gaze when they look at a physically challenged person, rather they sould be looked at equally in the society.
Although the govt. has made various provisions for the disabled, they are only to bark and not to bite.It is all bloody politics in the game. Private flourishing companies should take initiatives in developing the life of those challeneged. In a country like India, where Software & IT firms are in the ever time boom, the IT giants should provide them training & induction to employ them in their organistaions.
Moreover through counselling and various special programs the inbron talent of those people should be identified and they should be developed on it.
Through these ways it is possible to a certain extent to achieve equality for the physically/ mentally challenged people.

Answer 4

people have a mis-conception that disabled means totally unable to help themselves and in need of constant care, which as we know is total c**p, unless we can change peoples minds we will be unable to get more people with disabilities into the workplace...

In the end its ignorance and fear, I have people with disabilities working with and for me and they are the most honest workers I have ever had and would not change them for the world