Exploring the transitions of young adults with SEND from education to work

The thesis will explore the education to work transitions of young adults with Special
Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). Nationally, the employment rates of SEND
populations are just 6%. As one strategy to address this issue, the Department for Education
has recently introduced year-long education to work programmes called Supported
Internships, which aim to prepare 16-24 year olds with SEND for competitive employment.
The programmes are delivered by education providers and based full-time at a host employer
workplace site.
Research on Supported Internships to date has predominantly focused on practical concerns
such as outcomes, and cost-effectiveness, with little in-depth insight generated into the
first-hand perspectives of young people who have participated in the programmes. My
proposed doctoral thesis will seek to address this research gap by engaging with young
people who are completing Supported Internships (Interns) and those who have progressed
through the programme (Graduates). This work will explore how these young people make
sense of their transition experiences as they leave education, enter the workplace and
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attempt to sustain themselves there. Drawing on perspectives from both these groups can
inform the development of policy and practice in this relatively new area, as well as provide
valuable insight into the ongoing needs of people with SEND in employment. The intended
primary site of the proposed research is a multiagency Supported Internship programme
based at an NHS hospital, and prospective participants are young adults aged 16-27 with
diverse SEND, including autism, learning disabilities and sensory impairment.
A programme of three studies will address the following research question: "How are
transitions from education to employment constructed by young adults with Special
Educational Needs and Disability?". It is felt that an inductive, qualitative approach seeking
first-person perspectives can facilitate rich and meaningful insight into these young people's
lives. Study 1 will use an ethnographic approach, observing and interacting with Interns in
their everyday workplace setting. Narrative interviews will be used to generate in-depth
accounts from Interns (Study 2) and Graduates (Study 3). A Thematic Narrative Analysis
approach will be utilized to analyse these data and develop a rich analytical framework
within and across participant accounts. Care will be taken throughout to ensure that the
research process is accessible and responsive to the needs of participants.
Adopting a participatory ethos, this study will seek to appoint a Project Advisory Group
comprised of Interns and Graduates, and it is intended that they will be involved throughout
the project, collaboratively shaping, interpreting and disseminating the work.