Monday, November 10, 2008

Autism Unemployment Statistic


Scary Autism Unemployment Statistic

Yo. Mick here. I'm the handsome canine in the backseat.

Mum went to an autism conference this past week as her school site representative and one night as a family member. Both lectures were sponsored by SELPA and both had the same presenter, Barbara Bloomfield.

Mum says Barbra Bloomfield is an excellent speaker and would go to see her again and recommends her to others. Barbara has some really helpful suggestions and ideas. There was however one tiny statistic that has Mum really upset.

“The unemployment rate for people with autism is 75% – 97% with the people on the higher end of ASD being the most unemployed”.

Oh my! That's my boy they're lumping into those numbers!

More bad news, of those employed, people with autism are the most under employed as a group. Meaning they earn and work in jobs far below their job skill levels.


I shudder and shake worse than a case of fleas over the terrors of our kids with autism.

I am horrified by the possibility my boy will become an unemployment statistic or find work that doesn’t showcase his abilities.


But I know Mum and she wont let that happen!


So here’s Mum to tell us some more about autism and unemployment based on what she learned. I'm gonna hang in the backseat for this one.


Hey all. Mum Irene here.

What do you think are the employment breaking issues employers give about employees with autism?

• The ability to work independently
• Social Communication
• Planning and organizing skills
• Daily living skills – particularly in the areas of hygiene, grooming, and dress
(The bullets taken directly from the notes of Barbara Bloomfield)

Bloomfield asks the question, “When do we begin to teach to these issues”?


The answer is of course, As soon as possible! ASAP! NOW!


I know!

You feel like another huge burden has just been dropped on your already rocky plate.

I know that feeling very well myself. Take a breath and let’s look at the new scary mess that’s just landed. Plop. Breath out!


Take another breath in - - - - - and out.

Now breath normal (grin).


Absolutely none of these issues are new – they’re already on our plates, they’ve just surfaced to the top as a new way to consider the importance of why we do what we do.


Are you breathing again?


Consider these issues to help focus your efforts on a clear outcome (that being your son or daughter gainfully employed in work that uses their highest skills and has meaning for them).


OK. That’s all well and good but am I doing what I can for my child? Is what I’m doing effective?


I’m sure you are doing what you can and we’ll review some of these things in the next several postings.

As you have learned by now, autism in the family requires a lot of blind faith. Hold your faith and you and your child will be just fine.
Know this too.

You are capable.

We know what our children need (their strengths and deficiencies) and we know their learning styles and motivators – this information is a huge plus.


You are the expert of your child; as Dr. Attwood has said in lecture, “You have a PhD in your son or daughter”. (if you don't know Dr. Attwood he's awesome with asperger and high-functioning autism people)

Embrace your expertise and faith; these will serve you and your family well with the autism experience. Keep your sights on the goal, focus on the joyous aspects of autism and the rewards along the journey.

2 comments:

mama edge said...

My son is 15, and frankly, I can't fathom how he'll ever hold a job at this point. His goal is eventually to become the next Steven Spielberg, but he says he'd settle for working at a video store. Realistic goal? Not really. He often walks up to customers when we're shoppinng and yells at them for buying full-screen instead of wide-screen formats. No matter how many times I explain why this is inappropriate, he insists it is wrong not to "correct" these people. He has a fear of dust because of his allergies, he tends to suddenly start giggling uncontrollably when he's feeling stressed out, and the list goes on and on.

The scary statistic doesn't surprise me at all. But your optimism does, and I want some of that! I look forward to reading your upcoming posts.

Sparrow Rose said...

I've been one of those statistics my whole life though I'm trying to figure out how to change things.

I am 43 years old and working on a graduate degree and hoping that I will be able to find a job when I finish in three more years.

I decided going to university might help my situation so I've been in school now for the last six years. Before going to school, I was living on SSI disability for many years. It's really hard to get by on about $600/month, but since I've been going to school it's been easier because I have student loans to fill in the gaps. I know I will have to repay that money later, but I couldn't have stayed in school if I were still starving myself and only had one set of raggedy clothes to wear (not such an issue when I was hardly ever leaving the house - I could wear rags or nothing and live on nothing but ramen noodles because I wasn't exerting myself in any way. But I got REALLY unhealthy and at first I couldn't even walk one block without having to sit and rest because of what the malnutrition had done to my body.)

Before I got on disability, I spent about two decades trying to hold a job. I'd get a job and then two weeks later (or sooner!) the boss would "let me go" and never tell me what I had done wrong. So with each job I would try harder and harder but fail each time.

I didn't have a degree and was a high school drop out (with a G.E.D.) because I had to get away from the violent bullying (I was seriously afraid the bullies were going to accidentally go too far one day and kill me. They would throw rocks at my head and once put a poisonous snake in my family's mailbox, surely knowing I was the one who picked up the mail every day after school.) I had to leave school because it was just getting too dangerous to be there.)

Because of my lack of education, I was only qualified for low-paying jobs and because I would go through 2 or 3 jobs per month, I'd end up not able to pay rent and spent a LOT of time homeless before I finally got social security disability.

I know this isn't one of those "autism success stories" people love to hear (although I'm praying that I will be a success story after I finish my doctorate!) but I think it's important for parents to see what their child's life will be like if they don't intervene right away and work to help them bridge those gaps that we don't even know we have.

Thanks for listening and I wish all the best to my autistic "brothers and sisters" and to their parents who work so hard to try to help them have a good and normal life.