What are your experiences with Disability Employment Advisors?

[Roundtuit]

I'd just like to know what experiences of Disability Employment Advisors people here have had. I saw one years ago who put me on a placement at a care home. When I saw what my duties would be I said I didn't think I could keep up, but she said "Well that's what it's like in the world of work". I have severe dyspraxia and am very slow at household tasks, but thought I'd give it my best shot.

Sure enough I was too slow, but the DEA said I wasn't trying and thought I had a bad attitude. I was working hard, and a friend who knows me well said that from what he knows of me (he'd lived with me) I was giving 200%. I left the DEA's office in tears, and from then on focused on getting a degree because I had a chance of achieving it. I was suicidal after that experience.

This was a very long time ago. I spoke to Mary Colley (if anyone remembers her) about the incident and she said she probably did awareness training with her . Mary Colley was dyspraxic and a neurodiversity activist. She pointed out that not all work is physical and practical and seemed to think the DEA couldn't have been listening very well during the training.

I've always been most successful at jobs I chose for myself. That's a message that I'd like to put across. You know yourself and your skills better than anyone else and other people can help you but not dictate what's going to work for you. All I hear about DEA's is glowingly positive, which sometimes makes me second guess myself being as I apparently got the help most people don't get. Who else has seen a DEA? What was it like for you? Were they helpful?

[Tom fod]

Firstly welcome back.

I fully agree we are the foremost experts when it comes to ourselves, so should always have the ultimate call. That said having some input on what might be helpful is good and some employers tend to want to play the game and have a professional opinion, possibly to help them account for having to be more flexible???

I'd heard they were phasing out DEAs (and likely outsourcing this sort of work?). I once heard and can well believe that the role of DEA was allegedly considered a punishment posting in the Employment Service (as was). I think that's as much because your job is meant to be able to help people but DWP /Jobcentre + and society at large put many barriers between people with any kind of disability and work.

I saw one many years ago but that was in connection with him submitting ATW paperwork for a job I was doing in the mid-90s. I didn't know about my Dyspraxia then so it was all about my visual impairment and getting funding for a big screen/computer equipment for my first job as a Research Assistant with a Disability charity.

I never met Mary but I know people who did. I only came to learn about my being Dyspraxic around the time she sadly passed. I know lots of people with dyspraxia do seem to gravitate towards working in the care sector, but I don't reckon I could do it, as it's a physically and emotionally demanding profession and such people work very hard for others.

[AlexPhilip]

I am a support worker in aged care so it is similar. I used to work in manufacturing and then middle management for a while. I wanted a change and it has been a good 1. I wanted to get away from a stressful job and do something with meaning and helping the elderly. You get paid peanuts but its not always about the money. I honestly really enjoy it. Daily job involves things like showering, feeding( for those who can't feed themselves), the use of hoists to hoist residents from bed to wheelchair, medication administering, handing out meals, some activities like bingo and such. Its really worthwhile.

[Tom fod]

My response may have caused confusion, original poster was asking about experiences with Disability Employment Advisors who you might encounter at your Job Centre and job whose role is to help you get into work.

[ALADDIN]

My experience has been terrible, useless, unsympathetic.

I saw a disability employment advisor, earlier this year .

She could not help me , because I am self employed.

She said people who are neurodivegent are disproportionately self employed.

[Tom fod]

My experience has been terrible, useless, unsympathetic.

I saw a disability employment advisor, earlier this year .

She could not help me , because I am self employed.

She said people who are neurodivegent are disproportionately self employed.

Sorry to hear your experience has been so awful

That seems like a prejudiced statement from this DEA if ever there was one. Given the terrible experiences too many people have had with employers/colleagues who don't accept or try to accommodate difference it's not all that surprising.

[Dball]

I had a tough time with my DEA too. They pushed me into roles that didn’t suit me, and I found I did better in jobs I chose myself.

[RawMe]

I had a pretty rough experience with a DEA too. They pushed me into a role that didn’t fit my abilities, and I felt like they didn’t really understand my needs. Like you, I ended up focusing on other paths where I could really excel. The best advice I can give is to keep trusting your own judgment about what works for you.

[Dball]

One of them really pushed me into a job that didn’t fit my needs at all, and it was rough. It sounds like you had a similar experience where they didn’t quite understand your situation. I’ve had better luck with DEAs who took the time to understand my strengths and limitations, helping me find work that really suited me.

[samij1997scd]

My one recommended a local charity that helps people with disabilities but I'm waiting to see if I'm on the supported employment scheme

[Wheado]

Sounds like you had a rough experience with your DEA, and it’s great that you’ve found your own path since then. I totally agree with you about choosing jobs that align with your skills and interests. It can make such a difference when you’re doing something you’re passionate about. I’ve also heard mixed reviews about DEAs—some people have had positive experiences, while others felt misunderstood like you did. It really varies from person to person. At the end of the day, trust your gut about what works for you.

[Philip]

Before I was put on LCWRA

I had a disability advisor back in 2006, who arranged a 30 day work prep at a local training centre (doing IT) the centre was mainly for people who English was not their first language. I was going to be taken on by the training centre, but funding ran out just after I finished my 30 day work prep (this was over a number of weeks,)

I have had problems before going on LCWRA getting appointments with the DEA , this was because I was on other schemes which the job centre put me on. and some job centre staff refused to referred me to DEA , this was long before work coaches came into play at the job centre, you did not always see the same advisor each time you signed on at the job centre, it was all random, everyone hoped you saw a nice advisor each time.