School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications
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ItemDeveloping a Career Access Program (CAP) for people with intellectual disability in the Victorian public sector: The evidence base to inform the development and implementation of CAP(Department of Health and Human Services and The University of Melbourne, 2019)
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ItemThe Characteristics of Effective Staff Teams in Disability Services(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2019-01-01)People with autism and other developmental disabilities are often supported by staff teams in accommodation, day support, and employment services. Although the literature outlines a number of individual staff characteristics that can influence the “quality of support,” there is a paucity of research investigating the characteristics of teams as a whole. Given the emphasis placed on “team work” in human services, this study investigated what constitutes the characteristics of an effective team in disability services. An online Delphi study was employed, whereby disability support staff and their managers answered a series of surveys to build a consensus as to “what constitutes an effective team.” The emerging consensus was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, descriptive statistics, and the intraclass correlation coefficient. A consensus emerged concerning three core elements which combined constituted an effective staff team. In order of importance, these were a shared focus on client outcomes, effective leadership, and good communication among the team. However, a range of additional factors were also identified. These represented additional considerations that were, in the opinion of the participants, also important to building and maintaining an effective team. Focusing on client outcomes, fostering effective leadership, and ensuring good communication are necessary, but insufficient to establish an effective staff team. The implications are discussed in the context of policy development concerning staff recruitment, team development, supervision, and service evaluation.
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ItemTrained assistance dogs for people with dementia: a systematic review(WILEY, 2020-02-17)This systematic review investigated evidence for the effectiveness of trainedassistance dogs as an intervention and support for people with dementia.Peer-reviewed articles were retrieved from multiple databases (SCOPUS,Web of Science, and Google Scholar).
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ItemThe Scope-University of Melbourne Partnership Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Autism(The University of Melbourne, 2020-07-02)This submission is a collaboration between one of Australia’s leading disability service providers and leading academics from the University of Melbourne on key issues relating to the services, support and life outcomes experienced by Autistic people in Australia and the associated need for a National Autism Strategy. The submission is grounded in research evidence and contains both policy and practice recommendations. Importantly, several of the contributors to this submission identify as Autistic, and in addition to their academic and professional experience bring to the submission the expertise of their lived experience. The Scope-University of Melbourne Partnership submission to this inquiry will focus on key issues relating to the services, support and life outcomes experienced by Autistic people in Australia, specifically focusing on the areas of advocacy, education, employment, health and mental health and the NDIS.
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ItemInnovative Workforce Fund: Final Implementation and Reflection Report(Innovative Workforce Fund, 2018)This project developed an approach to Customised Employment (CE) tailored to the needs of Australians with disability. An overview of Customised Employment is provided at Section 4 of this report, and an overview of the final curriculum for the staff development program (The Work First™ curriculum) plus the interview guides are provided in the appendices. Also, the references include links to several on-line resources generated as part of this project (e.g., interviews with world experts in CE, and managers implementing CE in their organisations), which could be used in both staff and organisational development activities.
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ItemDeveloping open employment outcomes for people with an intellectual disability utilising a Social Enterprise Framework(IOS PRESS, 2018-01-01)Background: Workplace participation for people with ID is a major policy issue, with both economic and social imperatives. Policy reforms in Australia associated with the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) require new and innovative approaches to address these problems. Objective: This project was established to investigate how a Social Enterprise Framework could be used as a mechanism to transform supported employment services (Australian Disability Enterprises) into open employment settings that secure meaningful, rewarding, and sustainable employment for people with ID. Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken, and a model of Social Enterprise was developed that would be inclusive of people with ID. The theoretical model was reviewed by industry experts and refined. Its practical application and feasibility was then tested through the implementation of an organisational audit and strategic planning exercise. This was designed to produce an enterprise model. Results: Social Enterprise is an umbrella term describing any organisation that focuses on social change. For people with ID, its essential features include an economically viable business, which provide the payment of 'a living wage', in a setting involving meaningful work that includes opportunities for the acquisition of socially valued skills and career development, as well as contributing to the person's opportunities for social relationships. Conclusion: Though a challenging undertaking, Social Enterprise provides a promising employment option for some people with ID, when such initiatives are driven from executive and senior personnel of an organisation.
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ItemTransitioning Australian Disability Enterprises to open employment community hubs using the Australian legislative framework(IOS PRESS, 2019-01-01)The transition of sheltered workshops or Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE) as they are known in Australia, to open employment settings unlike the USA lacks the legislative driver to encourage providers to move towards the promotion of integrated employment in the community. As a result, we have witnessed a move to rebadge ADE's as social enterprises in order to change public perceptions, without changes in wage outcomes or pathways to real work in the community. ADE's in Australia present as something of a challenge for government in trying to balance the competing provider agenda, against its obligations to people with a disability underpinned by the Disability Services Act (1986), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability and the establishment of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). OBJECTIVE: This paper will examine the policy drivers for change and findings from work undertaken by the Centre for Disability Employment Research and Practice (CDERP) to promote provider transformation to integrated employment settings and the issues experienced in provider transformation within these policy settings. CONCLUSION: Education, ongoing support for employment staff and families, along with community partnerships are seen as ingredients for creating provider transformation and meaningful employment outcomes.
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Item“I Would Love to Just Be Myself”: What Autistic Women Want at Work(Mary Ann Liebert Inc, 2019-12-01)Autistic individuals experience barriers obtaining and sustaining employment. In the general population, gender also impacts labor market experiences. Understanding the occupational aspirations and expectations of individuals disaggregated by autism diagnosis and gender may assist the development of tailored workplace policies and support strategies.
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ItemYou Can’t Solve Homelessness Through Housing Alone(Council to Homeless Persons, 2017)Individual Supported Living (ISL) Manual - A tool to inform the planning and evaluation of individual living arrangements.
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ItemFactors associated with the use of mechanical restraint in disability services(ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2019-01-02)