Supported Employment is more than just a model, it has a rich set of values that underpins the way we work with individuals, communities, and employers. This guide will provide you with a practical understanding of how the model, values, and quality alignment will drive the best outcomes for Disabled, Neurodivergent, and disadvantaged people accessing careers. Alongside this guide there is a network of best practice across the UK, and BASE highly recommends connecting with other practitioners and accessing training.
Developing a career
All the written content and images are by copyright with limited rights to reproduce subject to fair dealing. Visit Exceptions to copyright – GOV.UK for more information on whether your intended use of this material is fair. This practitioner’s handbook video was created by BASE Inclusive Training in partnership with Local London.
This Staff Guide is part of a set of resources designed to help Supported Employment providers better understand, deliver, and evidence high-quality Supported Employment provision and should be used to supplement any training and continuous professional development undertaken by operational staff.
This tool is not intended to be used in isolation and its purpose is to support operational staff who have received appropriate training and can be used as a reference handbook.
The Guide provides a clear, viable framework for supporting residents into sustainable, meaningful employment. It is designed to help staff understand how to deliver each stage confidently and professionally, using real examples and clear, step-by-step guidance.
Supported Employment is a method of working with disabled people and other disadvantaged groups to access, maintain paid employment and build careers in the open labour market. The model focuses on the principle that none of us are truly ever entirely ready for work, and the sooner we provide real-life experiences, the more likely people are to build up the skills and strengths needed for a career.
The goal of supported employment is to support each individual into competitive, integrated, paid employment in mainstream settings, at market rate, and chosen by the participant.
Supported employment differs from mainstream welfare-to-work provision through more intensive interventions, lower caseloads, more workplace training support, and ongoing support for both employer and employee.
The Supported Employment model views the employer and employee as equal customers, each with needs to fulfil. It includes a toolkit of techniques such as Training in Systematic Instruction (TUSI), which assists jobseekers to learn and carry out complex tasks. The model has been described as mainstream as possible, as specialist as needed.
The concept, principles and values of supported employment are based on the early work from North America which demonstrated that people with significant learning disabilities could perform a variety of complex tasks, highlighting the potential and capabilities of people with learning disabilities to participate in paid work in the open labour market. Due to the success of supported employment in assisting people with learning disabilities to access and maintain employment, the model was developed and expanded to include all areas of disability and disadvantage.
Supported employment is often described as a “place, train, and maintain” model of support. At its heart is a focus on identifying the most appropriate work role for each individual so that it makes use of their skills, meets their work preferences, and meets the employer’s needs. It is about placing the right person in the right job with the right level of support, empowering all to flourish.
This guide is not only a reference tool to support you but will help you align your work to the Supported Employment Quality Framework Model Fidelity (SEQF), see Section 4 for further details on SEQF.
1. Supported Employment Model
This 5-stage model has at its heart the notion that anyone can be employed if they want paid employment and sufficient support is provided. It provides space and support to unpick any barriers that may impact people’s motivation to work and starts from a high ambition and aspiration support. The model is a flexible and continuous process, designed to meet all anticipated needs.
The Supported Employment Toolkit – ASEE background information and practical “how to” guides. The model focuses on both early careers and workplace retention, ensuring that we don’t just support people into a job, but help them to progress and remain in secure employment.
The SEQF further reinforces this by offering fidelity standards and tools to measure and improve service quality. It encourages ongoing development rather than seeing employment as an endpoint.
2. The Underpinning Core Values of Supported Employment
Core Values of Supported Employment
For a supported employment practitioner to practice competently they must apply skills and knowledge that is informed by a set of underpinning values. Supported employment practitioners are expected to be aware of and to apply a value - based and ethical approach in their practice. These values, skills and knowledge are formalised in the National Occupational Standards – The British Association of Supported Employment for Supported Employment Practitioners.
1. People with disabilities and/or disadvantages can make a positive contribution in the workplace.
2. People with disabilities / disadvantage should have access to a real job where:
• wages are paid at the going rate for the job,
• the employee enjoys the same terms and conditions as all other employees.
• the job helps the person to meet their life goals and aspirations.
• the role is valued by managers and colleagues.
• the job has similar hours and times at work as other employees, with safe working conditions.
3. Practitioners uphold the “zero rejection” philosophy of supported employment so that, with the right job and the right support, everyone who wants to work, can work.
4. Supported employment does not adhere to a work readiness model and a ‘place, train and maintain’ approach is implemented.
5. Job search should happen at the earliest opportunity.
6. People are encouraged to exercise choice and control in achieving their career aspirations. Support is individualised and all options assume successful employability.
7. There is genuine partnership between the person, their family carers, employers, community supports and the provider of supported employment.
8. People are supported to be full and active members of their workforces and wider communities, both socially and economically.
9. Support services recognise the importance of the employer as a customer of supported employment in their own right with requirements that need to be satisfied.
10. Supported employment draws on Social Role Valorisation (SRV) in recognising that employment is a valued social role and becoming employed can help reverse societal devaluation, with wider positive consequences for the person.
11. Supported employment draws on the social model of disability recognising that disability is the product of the physical, organisational, and attitudinal barriers present within society. The removal of discrimination requires a change of approach and thinking in the way in which society is organised, in this case removing barriers to employment.
12. Supported employment should encourage the career development of individuals by promoting training opportunities and seeking options for increased responsibility.
The Underpinning Values of Supported Employment
People with disabilities and disadvantages can make a positive contribution in the workplace. They should have access to real jobs where they are paid the going rate, enjoy the same terms and conditions as other employees, work in roles that help them achieve their life goals, are valued by managers and colleagues, and have similar working hours and safe conditions as their peers.
3. Mapping the Process: Supported Employment Model
The Supported Employment model is mapped through key stages:
Stage A: Jobseeker Engagement
Stage B: Vocational Profiling
Stage C: Action Planning
Stage D: Employer Engagement
Stage E: Job Matching
Stage F: In-Work Support & Career Development
Stage G: Monitoring and Reviewing
ENGAGEMENT
Build Trust
Raise aspirations
Involve circle of support
VOCATIONAL PROFILING & ACTON PLANNING
Get to know the job-seeker SMART goals
Monitor/adjust
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT
Support the employer with their needs
Utilise the business case
Stage A: Jobseeker Engagement
With a starting point of assuming everyone can work, supported employment proactively engages with individuals and communities to promote high aspirational careers for all.
Supported Employment doesn’t wait for people to come to them, instead they take Supported Employment to the people, connected into communities and services that serve them.
Supported Employment focusses on high ambition for disabled and neurodivergent people, proactively engaging with potential jobseekers beyond the traditional routes, such as Jobcentre Plus and is likely to include individuals using traditional day services or receiving support from health and social care agencies.
Supported employment services maintain close links with referring agencies and seek to encourage people to explore employment as a way of improving their quality of life and raising ambitions across services and systems. Supported Employment is a holistic approach and will work in partnership with services to address barriers that may prevent someone from engaging with employment.
Objectives:
MONITOR AND REVIEW
Regular meeting
Outcome tracking
Plan adaptation
IN-WORK SUPPORT & CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Plan and review support
Fade support
Encourage career development
• Spark interest in work and raise expectations.
• Build trust and a safe foundation for exploring options.
• Address fears about work, benefits if any, or past negative but also positive work-related experiences.
Stage A: Jobseeker Engagement
Practical approach:
• Meet people where they are –home visits, community spaces, day services, schools, youth groups, libraries, community cafés, faith or cultural centres, volunteering venues.
• Practical approach: instead of inviting someone to the office, suggest:
“Would you like to meet at your local community café or library?”
“I’m happy to come to a place you feel most comfortable – where would that be?”
“We could have a meeting in your neighbourhood or in a space you enjoy.”
• Avoid sterile office-only meetings to break power dynamics.
• Use accessible, motivating conversations. Ask:
“What’s the best part of your day?”
“If you could try any job for a day, what would it be?”
“What do people often say you’re good at?”
• Use peer success stories, videos, and visuals to inspire.
“What do you enjoy that makes you feel proud?”
• Involve trusted supporters early. With consent, invite family or key workers to initial discussions.
• Help them see employment as possible and positive.
• Address benefit worries directly.
• Offer clear, jargon-free Better Off Calculations:
“We provide or facilitate easy to understand benefits counselling (e.g., Better Off Calculations) to help participants understand how employment may adjust their benefits and financial situation.”
• Provide real-life examples of people who kept benefits or transitioned smoothly.
Example application:
A participant with learning disabilities is hesitant to discuss work. The practitioner arranges a meeting in a local café where the participant feels comfortable, shares success stories from peers with similar backgrounds, and invites a trusted family member to join. Over time, the participant begins to express interest in roles that involve helping others.
Check this short video for a quick visual example of how the example might look in a real-life situation: Stage A: Jobseeker Engagement
Common challenge:
Trust issues or disengagement
What to do if trust is broken or appointments are missed repeatedly:
• Avoid punishment or judgement.
• Contact gently (text or call), showing care:
“We missed you – hope you’re okay. Want to catch up another day?”
• Rebuild gradually: suggest low-pressure activities (coffee, walk, short drop-in).
To visualize this challenge, check out this short explainer: Challenges 1: Jobseeker Engagement
Stage B: Vocational Profiling
The first element of a successful job match is the vocational profiling or “getting to know you” process and is one of the key pillars of supported employment. Vocational profiling is not a transactional conversation but a tool to ensure you gain a rich understanding of who that individual is. Identifying the aspirations, individual skills, past experiences, talents, potential barriers, and job interests of the jobseeker.
Working with individuals, families, and support workers, we gather the information needed to inform a good job match. We look to identify the ideal job for that person based on their skills and preferences, such as hours, types of work, distance of work and the right working environment. People have never worked or not worked for many years may need support to make informed choices about career opportunities.
Vocational profiling is not a form filling exercise and remains a live document that grows as you get to know the individual and their circle of support. We know that people behave differently in different environments, so it is critical that we gather information from a variety of sources, including direct observation and information from the person’s circle of support, and test out assumptions to gain an accurate understanding of the individual. The jobseeker should not be asked to complete a profile by themselves as it is a supported and collaborative process.
Vocational profiles are tool to gather information about individual jobseekers, to support making a good job match and should not be shared with Employers, as they will include information the employer doesn’t need to know.
Practical approach:
• Use “Walk and Talk” where possible.
• Visit shops, parks, or familiar places to observe comfort zones and interests.
• Collect information from different sources – family, friends, old colleagues, support workers – always with consent.
• Focus on real preferences: environment (quiet or busy?), activities (hands-on, creative, people-facing?).
• Co-create a one-page profile.
• Keep it visual and simple.
• Include: likes, dislikes, travel range, support needs, key strengths, dream job ideas, jobs they can do today, or will not ever go for.
• Adapt for different groups:
– Youth: explore experiences, interests, “trying things out.”
– Over 50s: respect lifetime experiences, link to community roles, address tech worries.
– Neurodivergent: highlight sensory preferences, clear routines, and stress factors.
– MAPPA: address barriers openly and highlight transferable skills and strengths.
Stage B: Vocational Profiling
Example application:
During a community garden visit, Patricia engaged confidently with hands-on tasks such as planting and maintenance. She followed practical instructions well and demonstrated ease in outdoor, physical work and informal social interaction.
Following the activity, a reflective discussion was held to explore her work preferences and any challenges. Patricia shared that she often feels under pressure in roles involving extensive paperwork or formal customer interaction, due to concerns about making mistakes or struggling with written information.
These preferences were recorded based on Patricia’s own insight, rather than assumptions from observation. This highlights the importance of using reflective conversations to understand the reasons behind role choices and to identify appropriate areas for support.
Check this short video for a quick visual example of how the example might look in a real-life situation:
Stage B: Vocational Profiling
Common challenge:
Only “office form-filling” happening
What to do:
• Schedule at least one session outside the office.
• Use prompts in conversation rather than rigid checklists.
• Show examples:
“What if we walk into a shop and just observe today? You tell me what looks interesting or stressful.”
• Ensure that vocational profiles are holistic and detailed. They are often overly concise and don’t reflect the detailed knowledge that the job coach has gained.
To visualize this challenge, check out this short explainer:
Challenges 2: Vocational Profiling
Stage C: Action Planning
Action plans are created alongside vocational profiling.
A good action plan should contain SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound) objectives that are regularly monitored and amended if required. These objectives help translate the vocational profile into tangible goals, empowering individuals to own their journey.
SEQF emphasises that these plans remain live documents, evolving as individuals build confidence and skills. This approach reinforces choice, control, and person-centred progression.
Objectives:
• Turn aspirations into clear, realistic, and shared steps.
• Ensure the person owns the plan and can see progress.
Practical approach:
• Set up a supportive environment – choose a calm place or do it during a walk.
• Use paper, large sticky notes, or any type of visual tools.
• Start from the big goal:
“What job would make you proud?”
“What would you like to try first?”
• Break it down into small, concrete actions.
• Make each action SMART – S pecific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Stage C: Action Planning
Example scenario:
Coming from a cultural background where women traditionally did not work outside the home, a mother of five adult children had never been in paid employment and faced multiple barriers, including low confidence, fear of failure, limited digital skills, and uncertainty about her future identity in a work environment. Together with her practitioner, they created a SMART action plan to explore suitable vocational options. Through vocational profiling, she identified transferable skills and a growing interest in event work. A financial planning session helped her see how work could improve her independence, which boosted her motivation. She completed a short stewarding course, followed by her SIA training. With job matching support, she secured a part-time role in event security. She continues to build confidence; balances work with her family life and is now exploring long-term career progression.
Check this short video for a quick visual example of how the example might look in a real-life situation:
Stage C: Action Planning
Stage D: Employer Engagement
As the underpinning values state, employers are equal customers of Supported Employment services. Employers understand why they should include Inclusive Recruitment within their workforce planning but remain concerned about how to achieve this for disabled and neurodivergent people. The engage fully with the “why” but lack confidence in the “how.” Supported Employment provides a unique space to support Employers to progress their Disability Inclusion work; by ensuring they are valued as equal partners.
Staff need to develop their knowledge about the local labour market and the various opportunities it can provide. Each locality will have a different makeup of employers and sectors. Local labour market information will be available through the local authority. You can also view information at nomisweb.co.uk
The Supported Employment model provides an opportunity and framework for employers to build Disability Inclusion into workforce planning, supporting employers to understand the full business case, support available and how this supports both early careers and workforce retention planning.
Common challenge:
Participant feels overwhelmed or lacks confidence to set goals.
What to do:
• Start with small, concrete steps that feel achievable.
• Use visual tools like diagrams or sticky notes to break big goals into manageable actions.
• Reinforce that they set the pace, and you are there to support rather than push.
• Highlight early successes to build momentum and self-belief.
For a visual representation, please check: Challenge AP
Supported Employment encourages early job search activities to maintain motivation and momentum, aligning with SEQF’s principle of moving forward without unnecessary delays.
Watch how to approach an employer and build up a business case: Employer Engagement
Stage D: Employer Engagement
We know that traditional recruitment techniques can be overly rigid and formal interviews seldom result in getting the right person for the right job. Employers are increasingly recognising the value of “working interviews” which allow individuals to demonstrate their skills in the workplace and allow the employer to gather the sort of evidence that a formal interview seeks to capture.
Generally, our aim is to secure ‘employment and training’ rather than ‘training then employment’. This means that a participant gets a job from the beginning. We know that most people learn skills better in situ rather than in artificial environments. By doing this we overcome the “job readiness” obstruction where people can get stuck in permanent training. It also increases people’s motivation significantly because they see from the beginning that they are employed.
Language is important when engaging with employers, make sure you familiarize yourself with the different levels of Disability Confident and how you can support them to progress along their Disability Inclusion Journey.
Building relationships with employers takes time, consistency, resources and being able to confidently describe the full business case for employing disabled and neurodivergent people, alongside the full offering of support available for them.
There are two methods of engaging with employers, Broad-brush and targeted employment. Practitioners need to be aware of their offer which includes:
• A free recruitment service.
• Free selection by matching motivated employees to particular vacancies.
• Advice, information and guidance about disability and adjustments.
• On-going support to train and retain staff.
• A credible and professional local service.
• Strong customer service with rapid response.
• A focus on problem-solving.
Supported Employment is all about finding the right job for the right person. A completed and comprehensive vocational profile should identify preferred career paths and give strong clues as to the type of job sought. It should identify the specific skills that the jobseeker can offer an employer and give an indication of the sort of workplace culture sought. This will help greatly in focusing employer engagement activity. Targeted employer engagement can then take place to seek the preferred opportunity for a particular jobseeker.
Most services will also want to raise general awareness of their services across the geographical area that they serve. This broad-brush canvassing makes use of marketing materials and networking events to inform employers about how they can benefit from engaging with your service.
Objectives:
• Identify potential employers and build long-lasting partnerships.
• Explore job carving or role shaping to fit participant strengths.
• Promote inclusive practices.
• Support employers and meet their business needs.
Stage D: Employer Engagement
Practical approach:
• Start with relationship-building, not placements.
• Reach out to employers to understand their business needs first.
• Present value clearly and discuss adjustments early.
• Use proactive, respectful language.
• Offer low-pressure introductions (e.g., informal visits, work trials).
• Employment support is coordinated with social care professionals, families, and other key individuals involved in the person’s life to ensure holistic, person-centred support.
Example scenario:
To build a relationship with a local retail employer, the practitioner arranged an informal visit to understand their staffing needs and workplace environment. During the conversation, it became clear that the manager was open to inclusive recruitment but lacked confidence in supporting neurodivergent employees. In response, the practitioner offered a free, tailored workshop on disability awareness and reasonable adjustments, which was delivered on-site to team leaders. This built trust and positioned the practitioner as a knowledgeable partner. As a result, the employer agreed to offer a working interview to a jobseeker with autism, leading to a successful job match and ongoing collaboration.
If the trial goes well, they explore next steps like a job offer and future opportunities.
Check this short video for a quick visual example of how the example might look in a real-life situation:
Employer Engagement
Common challenge:
Employer hesitant to engage due to fear of “extra work” or misunderstandings about support needs.
What to do:
• Focus discussions on the business case (e.g., diverse perspectives, staff retention, reduced recruitment costs etc).
• Offer to facilitate work trials or working interviews rather than formal interviews to reduce pressure.
• Provide practical examples of reasonable adjustments and share success stories from other employers.
For a visual representation, please check:
Handling objections Employer Engagement
This approach ensures employer engagement is not just a means to place individuals but a long-term relationship, aligning with SEQF’s standards for quality partnerships and systemic change.
For further information on employer engagement go to Section 8
Stage E: Job Matching
It is particularly important that we match the right job role to the right jobseeker if job outcomes are to be sustained. Two considerations are paramount:
• Is the person able to fulfil the role to the employer’s satisfaction?
• Is the workplace safe and supportive?
Job Analysis is a tool used in the workplace to build a rich understanding of that working environment and a specific job role.
As part of the Job Analysis process, you can explore any assumptions that have been made in the job description. A Job description usually describes the overarching responsibilities for an employee, whereas Job Analysis provides a detailed analysis of the job specifics, and the entire working environment.
Supported employment services should review all aspects of the job and the workplace, including health & safety and workplace culture, to make sure we have the right job for the right candidate.
Conducting a Job Analysis will ensure that you have the best job match, identify the skills gap which will guide in-work support, and give you valuable insight into how an individual will fit in with the company or organisation. A job analysis is done prior to the job match or job start.
We determine whether extra support or adjustments to working practice, or the environment are needed. This helps to produce a better job match. The job analysis might point towards ways of shaping together parts of job descriptions that suit the workers’ talents or creating new job descriptions that suit the worker and are cost effective for the employer, whilst continuing to meet their business needs.
Matching the right person to the right role, will help you to build up trusted partnerships with both jobseekers and employers, ensuring job retention is as important as job starts.
When you don’t have the right job match it is important to continue the dialogue and partnership with employers, to ensure you could continue to work together in the future.
Check this video for a visual highlight of job analysis:
Job Analysis SEQF
Objectives:
• Carry out job analysis to understand the role, tasks, and environment and ensure the right match for the candidate.
• Find roles that fit both participant strengths and employer needs.
• Ensure long-term sustainability and job satisfaction.
Practical approach:
• Conduct detailed job analysis, prepare for on-thejob adjustments, compare demands with profile, set clear milestones and self-management tools, encourage social inclusion and workplace relationships, and check environmental suitability.
• Visit the workplace, observe tasks, and speak with the employer to gather details that support job matching and adjustments.
• A Job Analysis tool helps ensure the right job match by identifying key tasks, routines, workplace culture, and training methods before employment begins.
• It outlines job demands, expectations, and environment.
• Comparing this with an individual’s vocational profile reveals any skills gaps, which can be addressed through training, adjustments, or job shaping.
Stage E: Job Matching
Example scenario:
Alex wanted to work in a data analyst role. Through the vocational profile it was identified that they had great attention to detail, were confident with data. They were a loud and vivacious character, with a loud voice and a passion for music. While they had the skills to do any data focused role, to ensure the right job match, the culture of the organisation was as important. Following a job analysis, a Marketing company was identified, that was looking for a data analyst, with a fun and upbeat work culture, where big personalities thrived. A job match was made, that was more than just the right tasks but the right package.
For a visual representation, please check:
Stage E: Job Matching
Stage F: In-Work Support & Career Development
By using a vocational profile and a job analysis you can identify any skills gaps and identify an in-work support plan around how these skills gaps can be bridged by workplace training, reasonable adjustments or job shaping. By developing ‘in work support plans’ the appropriate level of support is identified encouraging the involvement of the employer and co-workers, to maximise the use of sustainable natural workplace supports.
Supported employment services can support the person’s induction and provide on-site training support as identified in the in-work support plan. This can support employees to reach the productivity, quality and social standards set by the employer. They may also offer out of work support if needed, if required.
If Job Coach support is required in the workplace, it is important that the most natural method of learning a job is used. This will normally include working alongside or shadowing other members of staff who already do the job.
Common challenge:
Participant is offered a job that does not fully match their own interest or profile.
What to do:
• Discuss the job openly with the participant, reviewing their vocational profile together.
• Check which elements align and which do not.
• Consider negotiating role adjustments or suggesting phased tasks.
• If not a good match, continue dialogue with the employer rather than forcing a placement that may lead to poor retention.
• SEQF highlights the importance of thorough job analysis and co-production in designing roles that are meaningful and sustainable for the individual and beneficial for the employer.
• Moreover, SEQF underscores that in-work support should aim at career development and not just retention. Individuals should be encouraged to explore progression opportunities, additional training, or new roles as their skills and confidence grow.
For a visual representation, please check: Challenges 5: Job Matching Common Challenge
Any in-work support we give must be empowering and given in such a way that enables the jobseeker to learn in a method that is as non-intrusive and natural as possible. It is important that neither employee nor employer become reliant on the job coach. Having a job coach when learning a job is something artificial – it’s not natural to the workplace. Job coaches should always be mindful of why they are going into the workplace and have a clear strategy for how they will support the employer to train their new worker.
Practitioners may have to use Training Using Systematic Instruction (TUSI) within the workplace to support the supported employee. To visualize the highlights of TUSI, check: TUSI
Stage F: In-Work Support & Career Development
Any support that you put into the workplace for someone starting work must at some point be withdrawn. It is therefore of paramount importance that support is carefully considered, planned, and reviewed so that the individual, employer, and job coach are satisfied that the individual can do the job to company or organisational standards.
When providing in-work support and fading, a job coach should:
• Focus on training the employeee only on tasks to be taught using natural methods, supplements to natural methods, or natural supports.
• Ensure that you are never supervising the individual.
• If the individual is able to use the canteen and is socially included, do not join them again for lunch – this will lead to other co-workers sitting elsewhere.
• If they are able to clock in and start work, start fading from the beginning of their day. The same goes for the end of the day.
• Make sure the employer has your contact details and respond immediately to any concerns or issues.
• If the individual becomes too close to you, get another job coach to replace you. It is good practice to change job coaches as this will show how much the individual has learned.
By reviewing the in-work support plan, progress can be monitored and support increased or decreased as required. Goals should include actions to encourage the social inclusion of the participant within the workplace.
You know you have delivered good quality in work support, when you are no longer needed, or the support is reduced, and the individual is integrated into the workplace.
It is our responsibility to consider career development at every stage of the employee lifecycle. Not many people stay in the same job for the whole of their working lives and people with disabilities are no different in having to adapt to changing labour markets and wanting to improve their working lives or changes to their personal circumstances. Services should support individuals to take on more responsibility, take relevant workplace qualifications and learn about more senior roles. If someone changes job, then it may be an opportunity to back-fill that role. The important thing is to ensure that you continue to have conversations with people about their careers and make sure this is reflected within action planning around how you could support someone to achieve their short-term, medium-term, and long-term career goals.
Remember getting a job is the first stage and must be viewed as part of career progression.
Objectives:
• Support through onboarding and early stages.
• Build independence and prevent dependency.
• Support career development.
Practical approach:
• Work with the employer and supported employee to create an In-work Support plan.
• Prepare detailed first-day plans, provide discreet on-the-job coaching, promote natural supports, use a fading strategy, set milestones, incorporate self-management tools.
Top Tips in Work Support
Stage G: Monitoring & Review
Example scenario:
Danielle, a young autistic woman, with no work experience, started a work experience admin role to support the vocational profiling process and give Danielle exposure to work environment. Her practitioner set clear, structured goals with her, including building confidence using the≈phone and adapting to the open-plan office. Regular reviews provided a predictable space to reflect on progress, adjust support strategies (like noise-cancelling headphones), and celebrate milestones – such as making her first outbound call. This work experience helped Danielle to progress into employment.
See how this stage is applied in the video below:
Stage G: Monitoring and Review
4. The Supported Employment Quality Framework Model Fidelity (SEQF)
The SEQF was originally developed in 2017 to establish a quality framework for the provision of supported employment to improve services for disabled jobseekers, employees, and employers.
The SEQF is intended to establish a core set of values and quality standards that supported employment service providers should uphold. Supported employment services should ensure that everyone with a disability and/or neurodivergence seeking paid employment receives high-quality support to find, maintain, and flourish in well-matched employment opportunities. Employers seeking to promote workforce diversity should also receive high-quality assistance to guide them.
By evaluating the provider’s adherence to SEQF model fidelity, the assessment can certify the quality of the provider’s supported employment services to jobseekers, employers, and commissioners.
Following a self-assessment, an independent SEQF assessment takes place.
An SEQF external assessment has two key purposes. First, the external assessment enables SEQF providers to receive an externally validated score of the current fidelity of their service across each element of the SEQF model fidelity. This helps services to benchmark their service, understand its strengths and development needs, and potentially to receive SEQF fidelity recognition.
Common challenge:
Participant disengages from reviews or avoids discussing challenges.
What to do:
• Emphasise from the beginning that reviews are opportunities to celebrate progress, not assessments.
• Offer flexible ways to engage (in-person, phone, informal catchups).
• Use strengths-based reflective questions rather than focusing only on problems.
• Involve trusted supporters if appropriate to help re-engage.
• SEQF’s quality standards recommends continuous evaluation and adaptation to maintain fidelity to individual goals and promote long-term success.
For an illustrated challenge, check: Challenges 1: Jobseeker Engagement
Second, an SEQF external assessment enables services to be supported in a process of continual SEQF improvement. It is a constructive external assessment that encourages self-reflection and is oriented towards supporting services in on-going improvement journeys. Whilst services will naturally be focused on their current fidelity score, more important is that services engage with the external assessment as part of an on-going process of reflection and continual improvement.
5. Other Aligned Provision
Community Partnership
Local partnerships play a vital role in connecting people to employment opportunities, training, and support. You can explore more about community partnerships on the Local London, Work Connections website Services Directory | Local London
Supported employment methods are used in several related programmes that help people with disabilities or disadvantages move into work.
Inclusive Apprenticeships
Inclusive Apprenticeships are a recognised route into employment. Inclusive Apprenticeships should provide support to disabled people and ensure that reasonable adjustments are made throughout the apprenticeship lifecycle. There are specific criteria around English, Maths and functional skills regarding Inclusive Apprenticeships and these rules change periodically so we would recommend staff supporting disabled people onto Inclusive Apprenticeships keep up to date with guidance. https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
IPS is a supported employment approach that has been developed for people experiencing mental health and addiction issues. Its principles differ only slightly from supported employment, the most important being the need to co-locate employment support staff with clinical teams.
IPS supports people with severe mental health difficulties into employment. It involves intensive, individual support, a rapid job search followed by placement in paid employment, and timeunlimited in-work support for both the employee and the employer.
IPS has been shown to be more effective the more closely it follows these eight principles:
1. It aims to get people into competitive employment.
2. It is open to all those who want to work.
3. It tries to find jobs consistent with people’s preferences.
4. It works quickly.
5. It brings employment specialists into clinical teams.
6. Employment specialists develop relationships with employers based upon a person’s work preferences.
7. It provides time unlimited, individualised support for the person and their employer.
8. Benefits counselling is included.
More info is available at IPS Grow. Source and further information: What is IPS? – Individual Placement Support – IPS Grow
Supported Internships
Supported Internships are an education study programme for young people with learning disabilities aged 16 to 25 with an Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) or a Learning Difficulty Assessment (or their equivalents in Wales and Scotland) who want to move into employment and need extra support to do so. Put simply, they are an exit route from education into paid employment.
Supported Internships are work-based learning placements within mainstream employment settings. The aim is to secure a job at the end of the placement. Placements should last 6-12 months and normally would extend to at least 20 hours per week. Often, they involve three rotations i.e. the learner would try out three work roles within the company. A school, college or training provider delivers group learning around the placement, often at the start and end of the day, but sometimes through day release. Many colleges contract with supported employment agencies to provide the job coaching element of the course and to support onwards career pathways. Employers also play a key role in the internships. The key is to develop a strong partnership between employer, college, supported employment provider and the local authority.
Learn more at:
Supported internships – GOV.UK
6. Further Training & Resources
Local London Work Connection website Offers
under Ability Not Disability workshops training:
Training Catalogue | Local London
BASE offers training and professional development for supported employment staff through its membership and events
The British Association of Supported Employment
Inclusive Trading CIC, owned by BASE, provides accredited and non-accredited training and consultancy tailored to the supported employment sector.
To explore Supported Emplyment, visit Quality in Supported Employment
For training and consultancy options, visit Inclusive Trading CIC
Training & Consultancy from Inclusive Trading CIC
7. Final Considerations
Supporting individuals into meaningful, sustained employment is a complex and deeply human process. While frameworks, models, and plans provide structure, it is the practitioner’s professional judgement, empathy, and adaptability that truly make a difference.
Practitioners are encouraged to remain reflective and open, continuously learning from each participant’s unique journey. Listen actively, adapt flexibly, and celebrate progress – however small it may seem.
Always focus on building independence, fostering confidence, and promoting real choice. By seeing the person beyond the barriers and working collaboratively, you help unlock potential and create lasting, positive change.
This handbook is designed to serve as both a practical guide and a foundation for ongoing development. Practitioners are invited to use it dynamically: add notes, reflect on challenges, and share learning with colleagues to strengthen practice collectively.
Above all, remember that employment is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity for growth, connection, and a sense of purpose. Your role is to support each person to find and sustain that opportunity in a way that is meaningful to them, whether they are a resident, participant, or jobseeker. Work with individuals to build skills, confidence, and the foundations they need to succeed and stay in work. At the same time, invest in building trusted, open relationships with employers, supporting them recognise the value of inclusive recruitment and supporting them to feel confident in adjusting. Sustainable employment comes from meeting the needs of both the individual and the employer, and you are in a unique position to bridge that connection.
The National Occupational Standards for Supported Employment recognises that employers are customers of our services with their own specific needs and requirements that must be met. Supported Employment providers can position themselves as business support services, suppliers of staff in a similar way to recruitment agencies.
Effective employer engagement requires the commitment of time and resources. As the underpinning values state, employers are equal customers of Supported Employment services. As with any other customer, they will need to be convinced of the value of getting involved. We must show how this will help them to meet their own needs. We need to engage on their terms and using their language. How does recruiting your jobseekers help them economically?
Some job coaches have concerns and fears about contacting employers. They can tend to avoid making contact due to a lack of confidence or not having a clear strategy. However, If a product or service makes sense to an employer and clearly meets their needs, then it will be much easier to convince them of the value of engaging with you.
Understanding Labour Market Information
Professionals in education and employment often understand disability well, but to support job seekers effectively, they also need to understand the local labour market. Most areas have few large employers – typically the NHS Trust and Local Authority while most jobs are in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are more likely to hire people with disabilities.
Large supermarket chains often work with national providers, making direct local job negotiations difficult, though work experience placements may still be possible.
Each area has a unique mix of employers and sectors. Local labour market data is available from the local authority and online at nomisweb.co.uk, which shows growing and declining sectors, and the skills employers are seeking.
Broad-brush and Targeted Engagement
CLARIFY YOUR OFFER!
Before approaching employers, it is vital to be clear on a few things:
• What are you offering employers?
• How do employers benefit from being involved?
• What differentiates your offer to that of others?
• How can you support them to become Disability Confident?
YOUR OFFER!
• A free recruitment service.
• Free selection by matching motivated employees to particular vacancies.
• Advice, information and guidance about disability and adjustments.
• On-going support to train and retain staff.
• A credible and professional local service.
• Strong customer service with rapid response.
• A focus on problem-solving.
You offer employers a free recruitment and selection service, helping them save up to £5,000 per hire by avoiding advertising costs, time spent shortlisting/interviewing, and productivity losses. To maximize savings, services should build long-term relationships with employers, so they approach you before advertising roles.
Supported Employment focuses on matching the right person to the right job. A detailed vocational profile should highlight career preferences, skills, and ideal workplace culture, guiding targeted employer engagement to secure suitable roles.
At the same time, services should raise general awareness across their area using marketing and networking to inform employers of the benefits. Most services use a blend of broad and targeted engagement, and larger ones may have a dedicated employer engagement specialist.
The Business Case
There’s a strong business case for employing disabled workers, though benefits vary by company. Key advantages include:
• Reduced recruitment costs.
• Sustainable hiring through careful job matching.
• Lower staff turnover, improved morale, and reduced absence.
• Access to a diverse talent pool that reflects local communities.
• Enhanced reputation both internally and externally.
• Diversity-improved products and services.
• Fulfilment of corporate social responsibility goals.
Customer-facing sectors like retail may value workforce diversity to attract disabled customers and their families. Others may prioritize retention, morale, or meeting social value obligations.
With over 80% of disabilities acquired during employment, disability inclusion is increasingly seen as a strategic priority. Many organisations aim to become an “employer of choice” by building a reputation for supporting and retaining staff.
Approaching Employers
Employer engagement is a process to build long term relationships; it is often misinterpreted as gaining an employment opportunity within the first contact.
Stay aware of sector initiatives like the NHS’s WDES, which uses ten measures to improve disabled staff experiences.
Employers are approached by many organisations – highlight clearly what makes your service unique. Partner with others to engage networks like Chambers of Commerce, FSB, and CIPD through events and newsletters.
Always reach out to someone with recruitment influence, such as inclusion or belonging managers, not just HR. Aim for a face-to-face meeting to explore how your service can help – don’t sell over the phone.
Identifying and Meeting Employer Needs
Start with a structured conversation – ask broad questions about their business, then narrow in on recruitment and job opportunities. Explore how they hire, what qualities they seek, and their experience with disabled employees. This helps uncover their needs, expectations, and any past challenges, especially around productivity and quality, which often affect job retention.
Employers may have concerns or misconceptions – welcome these as signs of engagement. Address them openly and ensure they feel heard and reassured.
Look for opportunities like workplace buddies and in-house training. Assess whether the workplace culture suits the jobseeker, as environments vary in impact.
The goal of the meeting is to show how your service aligns with employer needs and delivers real benefits. Follow up promptly to maintain momentum.
The Importance of Good Customer Service
Like any other customer, employers expect a responsive, professional service. Key principles include:
• Keep detailed records of interactions and outcomes.
Ultimately, employers want high-quality staff. Ensure a strong match between jobseeker skills and job requirements by using a comprehensive vocational profile and a job analysis of the placement. A poor match can be discouraging for everyone involved.
Maintaining Links
You should aim to build a long-term relationship with employer organisations. Aim to build lasting relationships with employers by maintaining a personal touch – use calls, visits, newsletters, and social media to stay connected.
Consider creating an employer forum or hosting breakfast meetings for networking and peer support. Or explore existing forums you could join.
Invite employers to meet jobseekers, share insights on valued skills, offer mock interviews, or even mentor individuals.
Some employers may want to champion your work-leverage these opportunities, as peer recommendations are highly influential.
Always acknowledge employer contributions-share success stories on social media, present certificates, and feature their efforts in local media.
Additional Reading on Job Matching
To sustain job outcomes, it’s essential to match the right role to the right jobseeker. Two key questions guide this:
• Is the person able to fulfil the role to the employer’s satisfaction?
• Is the workplace safe and supportive?
Every new job involves a skills gap, which must be addressed through training, reasonable adjustments, or job carving. Before deciding if the gap can be filled, assess the jobseeker’s abilities using their vocational profile, and understand the job requirements through a job analysis.
Job analysis should always be done before confirming a match – it helps clarify role expectations and gives insight into workplace culture and health & safety.
Health and Safety
Services have a duty of care to ensure that we place people into a safe working environment. A comprehensive health and safety appraisal will identify any risk factors, and these can be followed up using a risk assessment process.
Job Analysis
Conducting a Job Analysis ensures the best job match, identifies skills gaps to guide job coach support, and offers insight into how a jobseeker will fit within the organisation. It should be completed before a job match or start.
A Job Analysis should cover:
• Contact details: include supervisors, job titles, their role in the organisation.
• Job summary: full description, including shift requirements.
• Targets: expected pace, productivity, and quality standards.
• Demands: physical, sensory, and academic requirements.
• Components: key or risky tasks and how they’re trained.
• Work site: tools, equipment, materials, uniform, and environment.
• Workplace culture: unwritten rules, natural supports, and social dynamics.
• Training methods: how new staff are inducted and trained, including timelines.
• Culture of the workplace: this will include the unwritten rules unique to the workplace, the availability of natural support from co-workers, social groups, and activities.
• Training methods: this will outline how an employer usually inducts and trains a new member of staff to carry out their roles, including timescales.
For a visual representation, please check: Job Analysis SEQF
Skills Gap
To plan effective in-work support, compare the job requirements (from the job analysis) with the jobseeker’s skills (from the vocational profile). This comparison reveals the skills gap, which can be addressed through training, reasonable adjustments, or job shaping to ensure a successful placement.
Additional Reading on In-Work Support & Career Development
In-Work Support & Career Development
It is important to ensure that the most natural method of learning a job is used. This will normally include working alongside or shadowing other members of staff who already do the job, attending training courses, and reading manuals on company policies and procedures. There will normally be a probation period to achieve employer satisfaction.
Any in-work support we give must be empowering and given in such a way that enables the jobseeker to learn in a method that is as non-intrusive and natural as possible. It is important that neither employee nor employer become reliant on the job coach. Having a job coach when learning a job is something artificial – it’s not natural to the workplace. Job coaches should always be mindful of why they are going into the workplace and have a clear strategy for how they will support the employer to train their new worker. This relationship can be formalised through a workplace agreement.
We want to use natural processes wherever possible for inducting and training the jobseeker. Where these are sufficient then they can be formalised into an in-work support plan that identifies the training required and who will be responsible for it taking place.
Any support that you put into the workplace for someone starting work must at some point be withdrawn. It is therefore of paramount importance that support is carefully considered, planned, and reviewed so that the individual, employer, and job coach are satisfied that the individual can do the job to company or organisational standards.
Sharing Information in the Workplace
Agree with jobseekers what personal information is shared. Some may prefer external support only, or limit disclosure to managers. It might be that they are ok with the employer and line manager’s knowing that they have a disability but don’t want their work colleagues to know. In this case, services can provide guidance to line managers but not provide direct training support. Encourage jobseekers to lead on what’s shared and when. The new employee may be the best person to explain to the workforce about how they perform best and what sort of support they would appreciate. An agreed pen picture, shared with the employer, can be a useful way of sharing this information.
Supporting Career Progression
Career development should be considered at every stage. People seek better pay, roles, or work-life balance. Support individuals to take on more responsibility, pursue qualifications, and explore senior roles. Keep career conversations active and reflect goals in action plans for short-, medium-, and long-term growth. Qualifications and learn about more senior roles. If someone changes job, then it may be an opportunity to back-fill that role. The important thing is to ensure that you continue to have conversations with people about their careers and make sure this is reflected within action planning around how you could support someone to achieve their shortterm, medium-term, and long-term career goals.
First Day at Work
On the first day of work, a job coach should:
• Ensure the employer provides a clear, thorough induction and the individual understands their role.
• Help the individual remember names of co-workers and supervisors.
• Support social integration during breaks by encouraging conversation.
• Ensure they can access welfare, canteen and refreshment facilities.
• Be mindful of fatigue, especially if they haven’t worked recently.
• Reassure them that feeling overwhelmed is natural in a new job.
• Always focus on promoting the individual, not yourself – you are their advocate.
Training using Systematic Instruction (TUSI) is a structured training method that helps individuals perform complex tasks accurately. Job coaches are encouraged to complete TUSI training before supporting jobseekers.
TUSI includes three key components:
• Task analysis – breaking tasks into teachable steps.
• Teaching strategies – using varied techniques to support learning.
• Fading support – Gradually withdrawing support so the individual can perform the task independently.
To visualize the highlights of TUSI, check: TUSI
Task Analysis
When natural training methods cannot be used, tasks should be broken down into small, teachable steps; this is called task analysis. It’s based on natural workplace training and uses stimulus-response chains:
• A stimulus is a cue that signals an action is needed.
• A response is the action taken, which often leads to the next cue.
This structured approach helps ensure effective, step-by-step learning.
Types of Instructional Assistance
At the start of workplace training, the job coach holds the instructional power, knowing both the role expectations and training methods. Their goal is to bridge the skills gap through structured support, gradually shifting control to the employee. Training follows a hierarchy of prompts:
• Demonstration – is used at the beginning of training, so the individual has a clear understanding as to what is required of them. It uses maximum instructional power as the employee’s role is to merely observe and nothing is required of them.
• Physical assists – Some individuals will need physical assists or prompts – physically guiding their hands to actually perform a required action. Physical assists are used primarily at the beginning of training because in terms of power balance, the individual acts only with the job coach’s assistance. You need to be aware that some people may not respond to this level of intervention.
• Verbal assists – are used primarily in the middle of training. This means providing assistance to perform a task through communication. The information you give should only be what they need to perform the task or action and not be part of conversation.
• Gestural assists – assists an individual to perform part of a task by gesturing a correct motion or action without touching them. Gestural assists are used towards the end of training as they are the least intrusive of all of the prompts. Sometimes, our body language can signal an instruction without our being aware of it. This can include the way you sit, eye movement and even distance. All of these can give information subconsciously. As a job coach, you must be aware or this because if you are giving unconscious signals, it will cause difficulties in fading support.
Effective support means intervening only when an error is imminent, allowing the individual to demonstrate skills while avoiding failure.
Key Considerations for Fading Support
• Replace physical assists as soon as possible.
• Start with natural prompts, increasing instructional assistance only if needed.
• Keep verbal prompts task-focused, not conversational.
• Adapt to environmental conditions (e.g., noise).
• If one prompt fails, try another way.
• Provide enough information for learning.
• Never give work instructions or supervise directly – that’s the employer’s role.
• Identify and facilitate natural support from co-workers.
• Never do the job for the individual.
Aids and Adaptations
Some individuals may need aids and adaptations to effectively carry out their job role. A job coach will need to carefully consider these as you do not want them to draw negative attention to the disabled employee. There are a wide range of assistive technologies available, including schedulers and programmable support apps.
Fading Support
When providing in-work support, job coaches should:
• Focus training only on tasks using natural methods, supplements to natural methods, or natural supports
• Never supervise the individual – this is the employer’s role.
• If the individual is socially integrated (e.g., using the canteen), step back to avoid disrupting workplace dynamics.
• Begin fading support from the start and end of the workday if the individual can manage independently.
• Ensure the employer has your contact details and respond promptly to any concerns.
• If the individual becomes too dependent, consider switching job coaches to reinforce independence and progress.
Regular reviews and appraisals should monitor the support plan. As the jobseeker’s skills and productivity grow, agree on a strategy to fade coaching appropriately.
Top Tips for In-Work Support & Career Development
• Develop in-work support plan with jobseeker and employer prior to first day in job. Create an in-work support plan with the jobseeker and employer before the first day.
• Explain your coaching approach in advance – no casual conversation during training, as it distracts from learning and may hinder social integration with co-workers. Share this with the jobseeker, their family, and relevant staff.
• Manage your own stress – nervousness can transfer to the jobseeker. Stay calm and confident.
• The word “NO” is out! Unfortunately, many disabled people have had negative experiences when it comes to learning. Using the word “no” or the phrase “no, that’s wrong” implies failure and provides no useful feedback as to where they have made a mistake. At worst, they will disengage from the task.
• Prepare thoroughly – know the job tasks before training begins. Don’t learn the job alongside the individual.
• Own the training process – practice errorless learning. If a mistake occurs due to lack of intervention or clarity, take responsibility, correct it, and let the individual try again.
• Remember that no news is good news. If an individual is performing well, the use of praise will distract from the task, and eventually they will stop concentrating and look for reinforcement from the job coach. Some people may become reliant on praise and, when you try to withdraw support, their standard of work will deteriorate. There are exceptional circumstances where you may have to use praise to boost someone’s confidence. This should be used sparingly and withdrawn as soon as possible.
