Jobs for people with a disability employed under the
Commonwealth government's open employment services program
increased by 48%, from 4,736 to 7,027, during 1995, according to
data presented in a report by the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare to be released next Wednesday.
The report, Open Employment Services for People with
Disabilities 1995: The First Year of NIMS Data, presents data
for 1995 on open employment services for people with disabilities
funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family
Services.
This is the first year that comprehensive data on these services
have been collected under a new system funded by the Department,
and managed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in
co-operation with an industry representative.
'At the end of 1995 over 18,000 clients ranging in age from 15
to 64 years were assisted by nearly 250 services in the open labour
market', the senior author of the report, Dr Phil Anderson,
said.
'Clients had a range of disability types. Over one-half were
people with an intellectual/learning disability; 18% had a
psychiatric disability and 12% had a physical disability.'
Other findings in the report include:
- The average time worked per week was 26 hours. The average
rates of pay were $9 per hour and $229 per week.
- Although some were training positions, two-thirds of supported
jobs were on a permanent, regular basis. These were spread across
all industry types, e.g. hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Two-thirds of the jobs that had been given support during 1995 were
still current at the end of the year. The average duration of jobs
current at the end of 1995 was 74 weeks.
- The likelihood of getting a job increased if the client was
supported by an agency with a low client-to-staff ratio.
- Wage rates were higher in urban areas than rural and remote
areas, and clients in remote areas were less likely to get
permanent employment.
22 April 1997
Further information: Dr Phil Anderson, ph. 02
6244 1125 or 04 1923 9581 (mobile).
For media copies of the report (137pp., summary
9pp.): Chris Finnegan, ph. 02 6244 1032 or 02 6244 1044
(fax).
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.