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This paper draws on feminist and queer philosophers? discussions of precarity and employment, too often absent from disability studies, to explore the working lives of people with learning disabilities in England in a time of austerity. Recent policy shifts from welfare to work welcome more disabled people into the job market. The reality is that disabled people remain under-represented in labour statistics and are conspicuously absent in cultures of work. We live in neoliberal- able times where we all find ourselves precarious. But, people with learning disabilities experience high levels of uncertainty in every aspect of their lives, including work, relationships and community living. Our research reveals an important analytical finding: that when people with learning disabilities are supported in imaginative and novel ways they are able to work effectively and cohesively participate in their local communities (even in a time of cuts to welfare). We conclude by acknowledging that we are witnessing a global politics of precarity and austerity. Our urgent task is to redress the unequal spread of precaritization across our society that risks leaving people with learning disabilities experiencing disproportionately perilous lives. One of our key recommendations is that it makes no economic sense (never mind moral sense) to pull funding from organisations that support people with intellectual disabilities to work.

"This study looks into the inclusion of persons with disabilities and its impact on the economy. Persons with disabilities have been included in mainstream, specialist and active labour market programmes over the years in the EU. During the first decade of 2000s, many countries have used the "Work First Approaches", which led people to work before any training. The work first approaches have during the previous times provided good employment without people having the skills. In recent times, an activation approach has been developed in order to ensure that people with more complex disabilities are included in the labour market. This created inclusion programmes that assist people in the job search process, like individual counselling, vocational rehabilitation etc". The report provides an extensive overview of studies and research on the economic impact inclusion in the open labour market for persons with disabilities can have for governments and public authorities and a more general overview assessing impact on businesses and individuals. This study provides a review of the relevant literature. Using standard methods, relevant articles in the English language (or with English language abstracts) were identified, published between 1980 and 2016. 
 

This report presents a summary of the main issues and conclusions from a CBR and persons with intellectual disabilities workshop. The workshop’s four sessions included "a session on health care needs led by Alaa Sebeh; a session on inclusive education led by Katharina Pfortner; a session on livelihoods and economic independence led by Philipa Bragman; and lastly, a session on social participation and empowerment led by Kathy Al Ju’beh." At the end of the workshop the participants agreed to establish an electronic group/network on CBR and intellectual disabilities. All presentations can be accessed from the website in pdf format
"CBR and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities"
Agra, India
24-25 November 2012