‘Why won’t anyone give my daughter a job?’
STUDENT WITH AUTISM UNABLE TO FIND AN OPENING
A HARD-working Derbyshire teenager who is desperately seeking a job is being snubbed by employers because she has autism, claims her family.
Erin Gibbins, 17, is honest about her condition when approaching companies but her mum Li suspects it is putting them off contacting her.
Li is helping her but so far Erin has not even been offered an interview.
Erin, from Swadlincote, is studying performing arts at Burton and South Derbyshire College in Burton and wants to work in the theatre industry. She is applying for waitressing jobs that would fit in with her studies but so far, applications to 15 firms in East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire have yielded nothing.
Li, who is self-employed, has called for more to be done to help young people like Erin find work and just wants someone to interview her and judge for themselves what she can do.
She said: “She has massive aspirations. She has two main career pathways. One is that she would love to work backstage in a theatre. It is what she daydreams about all the time. Her other option is to have a quiet job where she has a routine.”
She added: “She’s applied to cafés as she wanted to be a waitress. I think if we didn’t have the word ‘autistic’ on her CV, we would have heard back from some of these places.” One thing that could help Erin find work is an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This would mean she is offered tailored support for her studies and with getting a job. But there is a waiting list of two years for EHCPs and Erin was not given her official autism diagnosis until 2020, although her family had been trying for one since 2017.
Li said: “They say that girls who are autistic often fly under the radar and don’t get a diagnosis through.
“After years of trying, we finally managed to get a diagnosis but we are still trying to get an EHCP through. Erin is a quiet, shy girl but she is exceptionally resilient and does not bend to peer pressure. She doesn’t understand nuances in people’s conversations.”
She added: “We need the EHCP. With that, the job centre can help them find employment. The EHCP is a good idea on paper but it is an absolute nightmare in reality. I have the feeling that it was created by someone in an office. The waiting list is so long. It’s absolutely frustrating.”
Li said Erin has struggled fitting in at college but has worked hard and wants to succeed in everything she does. She said: “College was heartbreaking. She struggled. A lot of her peers didn’t understand her shutdowns or her quiet nature. She was told she was stupid by some of her peers.”
She added: “The college told her she would be better on something called the Pathways course which is for teenagers with learning difficulties. It all seems to be great but to get on it you need the EHCP. It all seems to lead back to that.”
One in 100 people in the UK are on the autistic spectrum, according to the National Autistic Society. It says the extent of the condition can vary greatly and many with it go on to lead normal lives, including finding employment.
The society said recent Government data suggested just 29 per cent of autistic people are in work and this was a “huge and unacceptable waste of talent”.
Tom Purser, the society’s head of guidance, volunteering and campaigns, said: “While some autistic people aren’t able to work, many are desperate to find a job that reflects their talents and interests and have a huge amount to offer employers. But the education system is not currently set up to give autistic children and young people the right start in life.
“Getting the right support at school is the best way to prepare young autistic people for adulthood, but families often face a battle or long wait to get this support in place.
“Even then, there are still too many employers that don’t understand autism and how to support autistic job seekers and employees. Small changes to the recruitment process and workplace can make a huge difference, such as having a basic understanding of autism and working with autistic employees to find out what works best for them.
“Things are slowly changing among employers, with more and more businesses recognising the benefits of a diverse workforce and the potential of autistic people. But this is not happening fast enough and the education system still needs fundamental changes.
“Government must do more to close the autism employment gap by fixing the education system and fully funding future years of its national autism strategy to better support autistic people to find and stay in work. Autistic people have so much to give, they just need a chance.”
A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council, which would deal with Erin’s EHCP, said: “While we cannot comment on individual cases, we do carry out a thorough process to see if there is evidence that a young person’s additional needs cannot be met through the resources and support ordinarily available within their local mainstream school which includes liaising with other organisations involved with the young person.”
A spokesperson for Burton and South Derbyshire College said: “While we are unable to talk about individual circumstances, the college takes a zero-tolerance stance on any form of bullying and we take all allegations of this nature very seriously. The college has to follow local authority guidelines regarding Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and there are set requirements that must be adhered to.
“Our Additional Learning Support Team are committed to working with learners across the college and supporting them throughout their learning journey and next steps.
“We firmly believe that by promoting an inclusive environment and providing timely and person-centred support that learners can achieve their goals and maximise their potential.”
I think if we didn’t have the word ‘autistic’ on her CV, we would have heard back from some places. Li Gibbins