You are here:

• Home > 
• Services > 
• Disability Employment Services

Disability Employment Services:

Disability Employment Services provide specialised employment help for people with a disability, injury or illness.

A person does not have to be receiving, or be eligible to receive, a payment from Centrelink to use Disability Employment Services. In most cases a person must be assessed by a Job Capacity Assessment Provider before they can access these services.

The assessment must indicate:

• that the person has a disability, illness or injury
• the level of support a person requires
• the types of assistance required to help them get a job or to stay in a job.

If you are seeking a referral to Disability Employment Services and you do not have a current eligibility assessment, a new one may be arranged for you by Centrelink, or in some cases by the Disability Employment Service provider.

If you have been assessed as eligible for referral to Disability Employment Services, Centrelink can provide you with information about suitable service providers in your area, and can make a referral for you. If you need more help, contact Centrelink.

Types of Help

Disability Employment Services fall broadly into three main categories:

• Disability Employment Network
• Disability Supported Employment services (also known as Business Services)
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Disability Employment Network

The Disability Employment Network is a network of service provider organisations contracted by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

This service approach generally provides one or more of the following services to you:

• support while training for a particular job - the training may be provided by the service or subcontracted to another agency
• help in finding a job and starting employment in the open labour market
• continuing support once you have started work.

You can get a referral from Centrelink or go directly to the service provider to receive assistance from a Disability Employment Network member. If you already have a current eligibility assessment recorded by Centrelink, the service provider may be able to check your eligibility with Centrelink automatically, and organise the referral for you, or where no current assessment exists, the Disability Employment Network provider can refer you directly for an assessment.

[ return to top ]

Disability Supported Employment Services

Disability Supported Employment services are provided through a network of organisations contracted by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Disability Supported Employment services employ and support people with disabilities, often in specialist working environments.

This type of service approach is aimed at people with disabilities who want to work but choose to do so in a supported employment environment or who, because they have higher support needs, normally find it hard to find and keep a job.

Wherever possible, employees in supported employment will be provided with the additional skills and support needed to make the transition into open employment.

[ return to top ]

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Vocational Rehabilitation Services are offered through providers that are contracted by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services is tailored to the individual needs of the job seeker and can include, but are not limited to:

• assessment of the impact a job seeker’s injury, disability or health condition is having on the job seeker’s ability to gain sustainable employment
• identifying and delivering vocational rehabilitation interventions and strategies to manage their injury, disability or health condition, in order to achieve a safe return to work, including interventions designed to improve endurance
• vocational counselling and planning to identify a safe, suitable and sustainable job goal
• counselling on disability issues
• training and work trials
• job search and job placement assistance
• assistance with job design, workplace assessments and modifications

[ return to top ]