Case studies - Disabled Employees

Leicestershire County Council has a target to contribute to an increase in the employment rate for people with disabilities.  This initiative is part of the Public Service Agreement which the County Council signed up to last year to achieve financial incentives from the government for further improvements to services.

To achieve this goal the County Council has been working with partners across the County.
Below are case studies of some of the authority’s existing disabled employees.

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The County Council’s ICT Services has gone through a significant period of change over the last few years and has continued to provide an in house ICT service to an organisation employing around 20,000 staff.  One of ICT Services employees is Alex, a Systems Analyst who has worked for the County Council since 1991.  She is responsible for designing computer systems on behalf of the Education Department within her team, and has areas of responsibility, including supervision of work, system testing and customer liaison.  What is different about Alex is that she is blind.

Her day-to-day job is aided by special adaptive technology in the shape of a Braille display and speech synthesis.  Although she now uses one of the most up-to-date pieces of software, it was not always like this.

Alex said: “My initial job was as a trainee programmer.  The equipment first provided to me via central government’s disability service was unsuitable for the job, and left me unable to do many tasks.  It took some considerable time, and the necessity to attend a national adaptive technology exhibition, in order to find the right advice and eventually the correct adaptive technology solution.  Finally a piece of hardware was purchased, along with the driving software.  This saw me through the first few years of work.  

The nature of the work carried out within ICT Services requires that staff constantly undergo training, to keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date.  Working in the world of Information Technology means that things are constantly changing, and we therefore need to keep pace with the private sector in order to remain competitive and provide good service and value for money to our customers.  In this way, equipment needs are reviewed regularly to ensure that it is all still relevant, and that I have enough tools at my disposal in order to carry out my job to the best of my ability.

In addition to the Braille and speech software on my desk I also use a laptop with speech and Braille, which means that I am truly flexible.  If I need to work off site, for example at a training course, or visiting customers not based at County Hall, I am mobile.  It also means that from time to time I can work from home, if important projects require that I spend a concentrated amount of time on design or specification.  

Having a visual impairment does not prevent me from doing my job, and is not a barrier to achieving my potential.  I began work here as a trainee programmer, then moved up to a programmer/analyst (now known as system developer).  I have been in my current post since 1999, having competed with both internal and external candidates in order to attain this position.

Disability is not a barrier to employment in the Information Technology sector, especially now that so many pieces of adaptive technology are available, and the quality of advice is so much better.  As long as the person has the ability to do the job, or the potential to be a success in that role, and undergoes the appropriate training, there is no reason why that person should not be employed.”

The WORKSTEP programme provides support for disabled people in their jobs enabling them to work effectively and develop in their roles.  It is a government funded programme, managed by Jobcentre Plus and delivered by agencies including local authorities

When operational service requirements demanded a documentation clerk for the County Council’s Melton Carnegie Museum, the WORKSTEP team knew just whom to suggest.  The systematic and methodical approach to data input of Jeff, who is learning disabled, combined with his IT skills and knowledge of the Melton area, made him ideally suited to the role.

The refurbishment of the museum, made possible by lottery funding, had generated increased interest in the museum from local people. Coupled with the ongoing development of the County's museums' collections and the sharing of collections with Leicester City museums service, there was an immediate and pressing need to support and update records on the computer cataloguing system.

Recognising that the work might provide an ideal opportunity for a disabled person to gain valuable work experience that might assist them to achieve longer term employment, manager Jenny Dancey contacted the Breaking the Barriers team in the County Council’s Social Services Department. Paul Watson, Employment Development Officer, recognised a close match between the job requirements and one of the people that he was helping look for employment. Because of the reluctance that managers sometimes show in offering permanent jobs to learning disabled people who have not had opportunities to demonstrate their abilities at work, Paul and Jeff identified this 2-year contract as a way into work.

Now 6 months into his new job, there is plenty of evidence of Jeff's valuable contribution to the work of the museum. His systematic, methodical approach makes him ideally suited to the work and the updating of records is progressing at a steady pace.

He has also been extending his skills through formal and informal training. One of the major areas of growth for museums and archives has been the potential to increase access through website development. To enhance his contribution in that context, Jeff has enrolled for a short introductory course on digital photography at a local college. He is also acquiring other important work skills, including communications and health & safety as the result of his experience in the workplace. Because the museum is small but busy, Jeffrey supports a number of other areas of work, demonstrating his flexible approach and his commitment to the team.

Iris is a Social Worker in the Community Mental Health team for North Charnwood. She has been working for the last three years as a social worker for people aged 65 and over with moderate to severe mental health difficulties. The team is multi-disciplinary, which means Iris works alongside a range of care professionals including community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), occupational therapists (OTs) and a consultant psychiatrist.

Iris has a visual impairment, this means that she is not completely blind. She possesses what is classed as useful vision, which means she can get around and function normally in a lot of scenarios where the environment is familiar to her. However her visual impairment does stop her driving a car, reading and taking notes.  A programme run by Jobcentre Plus called 'Access to Work', whose remit is to provide equipment and resources for workers with a disability to be able to perform their role more effectively, provides funding to the Council for a support worker to help her do these things. This programme has also provided Iris with a computer with magnification and speech software.

At the moment Iris is undertaking her Approved Social Worker (ASW) training. This course lasts for about 6 months and involves her working a placement with a new team, the Adult Community Mental Health Team (working with people aged 18 to 65). ASWs are unique to the mental health service area. After completing the training it will allow Iris to be placed on the ASW rota. This would give her responsibility for undertaking mental health act assessments with doctors, which could mean the difference between a severely mentally ill service user being able to stay at home or not. Iris will be the first visually impaired person in Leicestershire to have this responsibility.

Iris is also involved in the Disability Task Group in the Council, where she represents the Disabled Workers Group.

Iris really enjoys her job, the team that she works in is very supportive, and she feels very settled within the team and the role. Iris says she has worked in places that are better equipped and some less equipped to help their disabled staff, but she recognises that, “On the whole the Council have been a supportive employer". She also says that since she started working for the Council 3 years ago improvements have been made, and are continuing to be made, but "we have got to find a way of recruiting and retaining staff with disabilities if we are going to move forward.”

Having met the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Lady Diana in the course of his work, Leicestershire County Council employee Paul Cooper has proved that dyslexia is no barrier to a high profile and successful career.

Paul is the Council’s joint Assistant Catering Manager.  He has been a County Council employee for the last six years, although he has been linked with the authority since 1971.

As a catering lecturer at Loughborough College he contributed to the provision of catering on occasions at County Council-owned Beaumanor Hall.  And, he also provided services to the Council whilst running his own catering business.  Paul relishes his role as part of the management teaml, which involves organising and overseeing the catering requirements for formal civic occasions, including royal visits, public receptions and awards ceremonies at County Hall.

Paul has only known for the last four years that he has dyslexia.  “A lot of people don’t realise they have dyslexia,” he said.  “Some of the more unhelpful teachers said I was thick and lazy because I couldn’t spell properly.  But I was always much better when it came to the more creative things.”

It has had an effect on the work that Paul does.  “Doing reports all day for me would be like running up Everest.  I don’t sit at a desk and I haven’t got a computer, but I am flying around County Hall all day.

“When running my own business, the creative side of things was no problem.  The nightmare would come with all the paperwork for the government.  I would have to ask someone else to complete it.”

Paul puts a positive spin on his disability.  “Dyslexia is not the end of your life – it is a gift.  It has improved my other skills.  You have to find ways around it and use different strategies.  People with dyslexia devise their own coping strategies – their own way to deal with it.

“It has made me more aware of issues with others and I now go out of my way to help people with disabilities where I can.”

Paul said he would like to see a wider awareness of dyslexia in society.  But employers like Leicestershire County Council are injecting help for employees with dyslexia. The arrival of new technology (including the spellcheck facility that all of us use!) has made a world of difference. Voice activated software assists some employees to prepare written work, for example. Contact with the Dyslexia Institute in Leicester (0116-251-1525) has generated valuable information and relations. Whatever the problem, somebody has experienced it previously and knowing that there is expert help available provides invaluable support to employees and managers alike.

The County Council is aiming to increase the employment rate for people with disabilities.  This initiative is part of the Public Service Agreement which the County Council signed up to last year to achieve financial incentives from the government for further improvements to services.

To achieve this goal the Council has been working with partners across the County to identify the barriers to employment experienced by disabled people and how to overcome them.

Ruth is a teacher in a secondary school - she teaches food technology and is responsible for citizenship education. This is a recent initiative by the government which includes teaching children personal, social and health education, helping them to be more responsible citizens.

Ruth has been a teacher for 29 years. She started losing her sight in her first year of teaching, now she is registered blind. It is frustrating to her that she can’t get things done as easily as sighted people but this motivates her to work hard and complete her tasks to a high standard, showing that having a visual impairment doesn’t hinder her ability to do her job well.

People can forget that Ruth has a visual impairment but she finds, on the whole, that: “People are quite cagey with disabled people, when we’re just the same as everyone else. They feel they have to make an effort when there’s really no need.”

Through the Council Ruth has access to full-time sighted assistants to help her with paperwork and admin and to “see” for her in class. She also has a computer provided by the Breaking the Barriers team which incorporates speech software.

Ruth loves her job, she feels respected and she knows that she’s good at her job. She says, “the kids are brilliant too.”

Receptionist/Clerical Assistant Julie works in one of  the County Council's registry offices..

She has a congenital hip displacement, which leaves her with poor mobility.

Julie has been in post at the registry office since April but has worked for the County Council for over four years.

In that time she has seen many changes which have made the working environment more disability friendly which she says has not always been the case.

In her current post, the working area is completely flat which aids her mobility while she also has access to a special car parking bay.

Dinesh is an Assistant Sports Development Officer for the County Council.  His job involves promoting sport and setting up clubs in the local community.

Although he has spina bifida Dinesh is determined not to let this get in the way of his day to day work.

He has been working for Leicestershire County Council since 1987 and has been in his current post for two and a half years.

As part of his job Dinesh is involved with sports such as Sportsability (a range of adapted sports catering for people with limited mobility), cricket, basketball and many others.

He describes his job as rewarding and enjoys being so closely involved with sport.

Sue is one of Leicestershire County Council’s Social Workers.  She has been employed by the authority for the last five years.

Sue has a hearing impairment.  In the time she has been with the County Council, she has benefited from support and technological improvements that have helped her in her work.

Her impairment means that she struggles to hear high notes but can still hear lower notes.

To help deal with her impairment Sue wears a pager around her neck which vibrates when her phone is ringing and the fire alarm is sounding.

Sue also uses a personal loop system, which she wears around her neck.  This helps by creating a purer sound in her vicinity and helps in situations such as training sessions.

The use of e-mail is also more helpful to Sue as it is a visual way of communicating.  She can also lip read although what is said can be misinterpreted.

Sue said her colleagues and team manager have been very supportive, as has the County Council in general.

She said: “The authority has been very good at making adjustments and ensuring facilities and equipment are available.

“It is important people know that facilities are made available so that people with disabilities are not put off from applying for jobs.”

Sue said the needs of disabled people are being taken into account more and more.  She praised the Council’s Disabled Workers’ Group, which enables disabled workers to feedback their experience in their day to day work – both positive and negative.  Sue said the authority has been very supportive and would recommend Leicestershire County Council as an employer.

Go to Support for Disabled Applicants