The government has set out a vision for workplace culture changes to support autistic people to start and stay in work.
And Sir Robert Buckland, who led the review, has urged employers to get involved. He said: “The review can make a truly radical difference to the lives of autistic people and their families. I call on employers and government to lead this change and make these recommendations a reality.”
About three in 10 working age autistic people are in employment, compared with half of all disabled people and 8 in 10 non-disabled people, despite the majority saying they would like to be employed.
A review has made a number of recommendations for businesses and government, including:
- signing up for the Autistica Neurodiversity Employers Index to access guidance on designing inclusive processes and procedures
- encouraging career progression by developing packages of training focused on autistic staff
- improving recruitment by ensuring careers advisers can provide appropriate advice to autistic jobseekers
- supporting autistic people who are already in the workplace by producing “autism design guides” to create appropriate premises, furnishings and equipment
- working with software suppliers to develop IT systems that meet autistic people’s needs.
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment was supported by charity Autistica and includes the views of hundreds of employers and autistic people.
It sets out how businesses and government can work together over the next five years – whether that is showcasing the successes of autism employment, developing pilot programmes in national and multinational companies, or providing tailored support for autistic staff at work.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, said: “I want autistic people to have every opportunity to benefit from work, and recognise that businesses and government must come together if we are to create the cultural change needed to move the dial.
“Backed by the extra employment support provided through our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan, this report provides employers with practical and inexpensive steps to open up workplaces to autistic people, boost employment rates and, above all, change autistic people’s lives.”
