Relationship between Collaboration in Work Support and Knowledge and Skills in Providing Support for Individuals with Disabilities

Background: There has been growing hope for initiatives supporting the transition of persons with disabilities from employment-related welfare services to employees in companies. This is against the backdrop of a significant increase in employment among persons with disabilities in Japan. Objective: To improve the quality of this transition, this study examined the relationship between the collaboration of the Work Support Centers for Continuous Employment Type B (WSC-B) with vocational rehabilitation organizations (VROs) and knowledge and skills related to employment support. Methods: A survey including all 122 WSC-B in L-Prefecture was conducted by postal mail. The respondents were asked to rate items on the following six levels concerning collaboration with VROs and understanding of VROs. We used the Japanese version of the Self-Assessment for Students or Counselors (SASC-J) to assess knowledge and skills related to work support. Results: The t-test conducted on knowledge and skills status between WSC-B with a high degree of cooperation with VROs and those with low degrees confirmed significant differences among the various subsystems in VROs. Conclusion: Based on our results, we suggest that maximizing the use of collaboration in work support will enhance the support provided by WSC-B and promote transition support for people with disabilities

Efforts and Effectiveness in Improving Knowledge and Skills of Vocational Assessment for Teachers Supporting Career Decisions of Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: The number of options available to people with disabilities has gradually increased in Japan. At educational institutions where students with disabilities are enrolled, teachers must understand the various ways of life and provide appropriate guidance and support based on the actual conditions of individual students so that students can independently choose their career paths through self-selection and self-determination. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of an intervention using a vocational assessment training program on eight teachers at a special needs school in Japan. Methods: The level of knowledge and skills was assessed before and after the intervention. Intervention effects were analyzed through the Self-Assessment for Students and Counselors-Revised tool using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with corresponding samples for differences in mean scores before and after the intervention. In addition, the difference in the mean pre- and post-intervention scores for teachers with 10 or more years of upper secondary school experience (high experience group) and those with less than 10 years of upper secondary school experience (low experience group) was calculated. Principal Verdicts: Indicated that the training program intervention helped teachers recognize the importance of vocational assessment and subsequently improve their teaching. Furthermore, the number of years of experience in upper secondary schools influenced the effectiveness of the intervention. Conclusions: It was suggested that this training program would be effective for professionals who have acquired basic knowledge and skills in vocational rehabilitation

Support Needs and Service Provision for Social Participation of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: Person-centered support based on self-determination is needed for persons with intellectual disabilities to participate in society in Japan. However, work supporters may be unable to provide sufficient support for this purpose. Objective: This study analyzes work supporters’ implementation of necessary support to understand persons with intellectual disabilities’ support needs. Methods: This study compared persons with intellectual disabilities’ support needs with the implementation of support from work supporters at vocational rehabilitation agencies (Survey 1) and the support needs of persons with intellectual disabilities (Survey 2). Results: The results showed that the persons with intellectual disabilities most required support related to daily living. This was consistent with the support provided by the work supporters. However, there were situations wherein the smooth transition of support was not provided, which was attributed to the lack of knowledge and cross-disciplinary involvement of the work supporters in the employment-related welfare services for persons with disabilities. Conclusions: Possessing the knowledge and skills required for vocational rehabilitation and working in vocational rehabilitation agencies could contribute to the smooth transition of support for persons with intellectual disabilities. Accordingly, the results can clarify the required role of work supporters for persons with intellectual disabilities future participation in society

企業で働く知的障害者の職業適応と 職場のサポートとの関係 -知的障害者本人への調査から-

The importance of support in the workplace for persons with disabilities to adjust to working life has long been recognized in the literature. However, the effects of workplace support on the work adjustment of persons with disabilities have not been well documented. This paper examines whether workplace support is related to job satisfaction, performance (as evaluated by employers), organizational commitment, workplace integration, and their intention to quit their jobs. A survey of people with intellectual disabilities was conducted, and 169 answers were collected. The results of analysis of the survey are as follows: (a) workplace support consists of three factors: education, negative feedback, and supports for work performance, (b) moderate correlation was found between education and job satisfaction, (c) moderate correlation was found between organizational commitment and job satisfaction, and between workplace integration and job satisfaction; a moderate negative correlation was found between intention to quit job and job satisfaction, (d) only a weak negative correlation was found between intention to quit job and workplace support

イリョウ ソーシャル ワーカー ノ ミタ ショクム ノ ジュウヨウド

本研究は,岡山県の病院に勤務し医療ソーシャルワーカー(以下MSWとする)の役職名をもつ41名を対象に, 職務の重要度について郵送調査を行ったものである.職務重要度の評価については,MSWの職務として順不同にリストアップした51項目について5段階のリッカート尺度を用いた.そのうち平均が4点以上であった22職務は,主としてカウンセリング,サービスマネージメント,そして専門性開発等に関連するものであった.職務重要度はこれらの領域をMSWの教育カリキュラムに体系的に組み込むプロセスにおいてひとつの指標となり得ることが示唆され,今後の継続的なMSWの役割研究の必要性が認められた.The purpose of the study was to assess job tasks perceived as important by Medical Social Workers (MSWs). Forty-one individual members of Okayama MSW Associationwho identified themselves as medical social workers were asked to rate on the importancescale for the 51 job tasks randomly listed in the mail questionnaire. Of those,22 jobtasks perceived as important pertained to the areas such as counseling,service management,and professional development. The results of the study suggested the importance of training curriculum for MSWs that would cover those areas systematically,and indicated a need for continuous role studies for MSWs

An Intake Assessment Tool for Vocational Rehabilitation: Development of a Japanese Version of Intake Assessment and Outcome Evaluation (IAOE)

Assessment is one of the most important support processes in vocational rehabilitation. However, there are some issues related to assessment, such as lack of manpower, knowledge, and skills for implementation. We developed a Japanese version of the Intake Assessment and Outcome Evaluation (IAOE), a US assessment tool, to promote its implementation. The IAOE-J is designed to help supporters organize their perspectives in order to provide a needs-based support, rather than simply assessing a person’s condition. The IAOE-J is considered an effective support tool for multi-agency collaboration based on vocational assessment. In the future, we plan to verify the reliability and validity of the IAOE-J