Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
592. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of job coaches employed to support disabled jobseekers as a way of improving access to the labour market; the estimated cost for the relevant Department or State agency to recruit a job coach; and the amount allocated to her Department to spend on job coaches. [37139/22]
View answerMy Department provides a wide range of services and supports to assist jobseekers with a disability to find work and to incentivise employers to recruit them and support them in employment, including access to the public employment service.
My Department provides a case-managed employment service to all jobseekers, including those with disabilities, who seek support from their local Intreo Centre. Participation by jobseekers is wholly voluntary.
There are currently 25 Employment Services Officers, 272 Employment Personal Advisors (Higher Executive Officers) and 96 Job Coaches (Executive Officers).
Jobseekers with a disability who wish to avail of the service work with an Employment Personal Advisor with a view to agreeing a suitable personal progression plan in order to access the full range of employment supports available with the aim of supporting the person into sustainable employment. If the person would like to explore education and training options, there are a wide range of opportunities available with mainstream and specialist training providers. Funding is also available through the Training Support Grant to help the person to access private sector training providers.
Once the personal progression plan is agreed, Employment Personal Advisors/Job Coaches continue to work with the person to support them along a pathway to employment.
My Department also contracts for the provision of Local Area Employment Services. Providers deliver a case-managed employment service for all jobseekers, including those with disabilities, who avail of the services.
Employment programmes such as Community Employment and the Work Placement Experience Programme provide valuable stepping stones into sustainable employment. My Department also contracts AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access and Disability) to deliver the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) and ‘Get Ahead’ Programmes on its behalf. These programmes provide paid work experience and other supports for graduates with disabilities seeking to enter or re-enter employment.
As part of our commitments under the Pathways to Work Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, my Department is shortly to commence an early engagement approach that will see the Intreo service proactively engaging with persons with a disability, to offer support and assistance to help them enter or return to employment. The process will initially focus on persons aged 18 to 22 and in receipt of Disability Allowance, before being expanded to other age groups and schemes.
I recognise the additional challenges that some jobseekers with disabilities may experience in securing and maintaining employment, and my Department also contracts for the provision of specialist employment services (EmployAbility) to help address this. A jobseeker with a disability who is working with their Intreo case officer (or LEAS provider) may be referred to these service providers if it is agreed that they would benefit from the type of services and support provided. Jobseekers work with a Job Coach who provides both pre-employment and in-employment support and assistance.
There are no directly associated costs in hiring Job Coaches in my Department as these posts are filled from existing, internal staffing resources. Job Coaches are filled at Executive Officer level. The most recently updated Executive Officer salary scale is outlined in Circular 04/2022, available on Gov.ie.
A budget amount has not been allocated specifically to the Department for Job Coaches. These positions are paid for through the Department’s overall staffing budget.
Question No. 593 answered with Question No. 588.
