Anecdotal evidence suggests a considerable amount of time is spent on administrative duties by staff. It is acknowledged that a balance is required in achieving the best possible employment outcomes against the expenditure of public monies. What needs to be emphasised is the difference between quality of service and compliance of service delivery. Quality in the form of suitable and sustainable employment outcomes should be the measure of success of the Employment Support Service, rather than a focus on the administrative and compliance oversight to drive service delivery. Gateway and eligibility to DES Develop more appropriate assessment process The MS ESS model: Currently entry into a DES programme as a Job Seeker can only occur once a Participant has undergone an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt), Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and the participant has been deemed eligible for a programme of support. In addition to the ESAt/JCA, MS ESS utilises its own Initial Needs and Vocational Assessment to better an individual’s eligibility for a programme of support. This assessment is conducted by an Employment Support Consultant (a specialist registered allied healthcare professional) to determine a Participant’s barriers to entering and maintaining participation and is completed within the context of the Participants own employment goals and the wider labour market. This report is provided to Centrelink Assessors prior to ESAt/JCA. Identified constraints: ESAt/JCA are administered utilising generic principles in a time restricted manner and often conducted by assessors with limited knowledge of disability types. This can result in superficial and inaccurate assessment. Solution: MS ESS recommends a more holistic assessment ideally conducted by Employment Support Consultants with expertise in identifying barriers to employment and formulating strategies and activities to mitigate the effects of these barriers on the Participant’s efforts to enter the workforce. This is most readily achieved through specialist Disability Employment Service providers. Assistance in the Workplace
Anecdotal evidence suggests a considerable amount of time is spent on administrative duties by staff. It is acknowledged that a balance is required in achieving the best possible employment outcomes against the expenditure of public monies. What needs to be emphasised is the difference between quality of service and compliance of service delivery. Quality in the form of suitable and sustainable employment outcomes should be the measure of success of the Employment Support Service, rather than a focus on the administrative and compliance oversight to drive service delivery. Gateway and eligibility to DES Develop more appropriate assessment process The MS ESS model: Currently entry into a DES programme as a Job Seeker can only occur once a Participant has undergone an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt), Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and the participant has been deemed eligible for a programme of support. In addition to the ESAt/JCA, MS ESS utilises its own Initial Needs and Vocational Assessment to better an individual’s eligibility for a programme of support. This assessment is conducted by an Employment Support Consultant (a specialist registered allied healthcare professional) to determine a Participant’s barriers to entering and maintaining participation and is completed within the context of the Participants own employment goals and the wider labour market. This report is provided to Centrelink Assessors prior to ESAt/JCA. Identified constraints: ESAt/JCA are administered utilising generic principles in a time restricted manner and often conducted by assessors with limited knowledge of disability types. This can result in superficial and inaccurate assessment. Solution: MS ESS recommends a more holistic assessment ideally conducted by Employment Support Consultants with expertise in identifying barriers to employment and formulating strategies and activities to mitigate the effects of these barriers on the Participant’s efforts to enter the workforce. This is most readily achieved through specialist Disability Employment Service providers. Assistance in the Workplace