Placement of Job-seekers with Disabilities - Elements of an Effective Service

Since this guide was first published in 1999 for use by policy-makers andmanagers in the Asian and Pacific Region, the role of placement servicesin assisting people with disabilities to enter the labour market has beenthe focus of increasing global attention. Measures to strengthen employment placement services for persons withdisabilities must be set in a solid policy framework and if necessary, backedby legislation. A clear operational strategy should also be designed toguide implementation. In addition, the employment service needs to formlinkages with other government ministries and agencies at a policy level,to ensure that obstacles which disabled people may face are minimized,and that the skills which they offer are relevant to labour marketopportunities. This edition complements the ILO publication “Assisting Disabled Personsin Finding Employment - A Practical Guide” intended for placement andvocational guidance personnel. To increase its relevance to countries in different regions, the guide hasbeen customized to reflect the legislative and policy frameworks in placein different parts of the world. The original publication from which the currentversion has been drawn was developed for use in Asia and was preparedby Barbara Murray, Senior Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation, andRobert Heron, former Senior Labour Administration Specialist. The ILO ispleased to publish this Caribbean edition, which was customized with theassistance of Dr. Marva Ribeiro and participants at an ILO Workshoporganized by the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean in November2002