The Future of Disability Employment Services

Tony Waslin

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Government Agenda

– Review employment services

– Social Inclusion

– Increased focus on education /training

– Address skills shortages

What’s happened already?

Review of general employment services

Jan 08 – Minister called for submissions

June 08 – Release of Discussion Paper

National Mental Health & Disability Employment Strategy

May 08 – consultations

June 08 – submissions

DEN/ VRS contracts extended to February 2010

Moving Forward

Review of Disability Employment Services

• Services are separate and distinct

• Within context of broader review

• Some issues addressed through broader review – Charter of Contract Management

– Compliance Framework for job seeker

– Performance Management

What we’ve heard?Key themes

Complexity– Program design - DEN/VRS capped and uncapped– fee structures– assessment processes Inflexibility– Streaming of job seekers– Linkages between programsRed tape– Administrative burden– Contract management, claims for fees

Building SolutionsComplexity• Comment received:

“Simplifying program structure and funding will reduce a significant amount of existing red tape.”

• Question: Would simplifying the structure of the disability employment

programs help reallocate resources from administration to job seekers?

Do the benefits of a complex fee structure outweigh the costs of administration and assurance?

Building Solutions

Complexity• Comments received:

“assessment processes (DPI) and (DMI) should be reviewed and improved.”

• Question:

How can we improve the assessment processes?

Building Solutions

Inflexibility• Comments received:

“A job seeker style account should be introduced for VRS and DEN”

• Questions:

Would job seekers get a better deal through an account?

Building Solutions

Inflexibility• Comments received:

“speed to placement” performance measures reward short term-outcomes and discourage capacity building.”

• Questions:

How can a performance framework guard against ‘parking’ difficult to help job seekers, while recognising and rewarding getting job seekers into a ‘better’ job (eg. through skilling)?

Building Solutions

Red Tape• Comments received:

“The DEN fee structure is overly complex and should be reviewed”

• Questions: Are the two fee structures and four funding levels for DEN

capped and uncapped useful?

Would simplifying the fee structure reduce red tape?

Building Solutions

Red tape• Comment received:

“There is administrative burden in the overlap between certification under the disability service standards and DEEWR contract management.”

• Question: How can we reduce red tape, while still ensuring that

taxpayer funds are appropriately spent?

Building Solutions

• What other key changes would you like in future arrangements for disability employment services?

Next Steps

Next Steps• Release of formal Discussion Paper• Call for comment and consultations• Contact details

• Website: www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Publications/PolicyReviews/ • Email: desreview@deewr.gov.au • Telephone: 1800 064 516 • Mail: Project Manager

Disability Employment Services ReviewLocation 12M12DEEWRGPO Box 9879Canberra ACT 2601

The Future of Disability Employment Services

Tony Waslin

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations