Nationally less than one fourth of adults with IDD have a paid job in their community (National Core Indicators, 2019; Winsor et al., 2021) and in California it is even less than that as the most recent data suggests the rate hovers just under 15%. (CA State Council on Developmental Disabilities). There are many factors that go into ensuring individuals with IDD receive the opportunities and support to pursue meaningful work including the combined efforts of families, schools, agencies, employers, and local communities (Carter et al., 2016). Research shows that parents can be primary partners in the pursuit of competitive integrated employment for individuals with IDD (Dixon & Reddacliff, 2010; Gross et al., 2015). For the majority of individuals with IDD living with their parents (Winsor et al., 2021), decisions about when, where, and how they work directly impact family supports and routines. Best practices advocate for involving parents in decisions about community work in ways that supplement, but do not supplant, the views of their family members with IDD (e.g., Griffin et al., 2007; Papay & Bambara, 2014).
Recent research examined the perspective of parents on meaningful work for their adult children with IDD and found that the most prioritized features included a job that brought personal satisfaction, opportunities to interact with people, opportunities to develop friendship, access to supports, and a match with their child’s interests. The researchers addressed two primary research questions: 1) Why do parents value work for their family members with IDD? 2) What features of a job are considered most important by parents? While there was a range of answers from parents a common theme did emerge in that the majority of parents valued employment for their son or daughter that instilled a sense of responsibility, contributed to greater self-sufficiency and autonomy, and created social connections. Further, parents identified important features of a job as employment that paid a livable wage, sufficient hours, as well as safe and accessible employment.
Promoting integrated employment for individuals with IDD has been an enduring, yet still elusive, outcome of policy and practice for more than 50 years (Wehman et al., 2018). Parents remain critical champions and collaborators in this long- standing pursuit of meaningful work. However, the researchers were very clear that employment practices that must be person-centered and must involve soliciting the values and preferences of individuals and their families when determining which experiences and outcomes to pursue (Parent-Johnson et al., 2020). In addition, they affirm that the voices of those with IDD on these issues should be most prominent, the perspectives of their parents also warrant careful consideration.Future research related to the role of parents, and/or other family members, is needed to gain a better understanding of how parents or family members can contribute to supporting and increasing employment of people with IDD.
