EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM A VIETNAMESE CASE

School of Social Work

International Master Programme in Social Work Master’s Thesis

Spring Term 2011 Degree Project Paper

E M P L O Y M E N T O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R A D O L E S C E N T S W I T H A U T I S M

A V I E T N A M E S E C A S E

Author: Thi Minh Thu Tran

ABSTRACT

Background: Even though the number of people with autism is increasing in Vietnam, autism is a new concept to Vietnamese people. Accordingly, it has not been paid sufficient attention.

Vietnamese adolescents with autism are in need of special schools, vocational training centers and employment so that they can have a more meaningful life.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to investigate the problems in terms of social integration for adolescents with autism to have a suitable occupation.

Methods: This is an empirical - qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with (mainly) parents of autistic adolescents as the primary data and scientific knowledge from books and articles as the secondary source to discover the problem. The research is an explorative study also.

Results: At this stage, there are many difficulties lying ahead for the adolescents and their parents whose role is the one of a trainer and an advocator for the adolescents. The obstructions are having autism itself, lacking support from laws/policies and employers and limitation in employment models. The parents’ ambitions to find a meaningful and suitable job for their adolescents are circumscribed because there are very few places for the adolescents to be trained and practiced. Contrarily, factors like family and social networks, supportive laws/policies, applicable employment models and available vocational training centers are advantages. The parents are now on the way of exploring the adolescents’ abilities as well as internal and external resource to make employment opportunities for the adolescents more visible and appropriate.

Conclusions: Handicraft work is the most applicable job for the adolescents but it is extremely fundamental and essential to connect three parties: family – society and social policy to make employment opportunities for autistic adolescents work out by providing substantial communication, social and interpersonal skills and vocational training to the adolescents.

Key words: adolescents, autism, employment opportunities, social integration, Vietnam.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In my life, I have met a number of kind and helpful people. This work can come true, it is not only my efforts alone but also a support from others.

First of all, I would like to thank Linnaeus University (formally Växjö University) for offering me a place in International Master Programme in Social Work. In this respect, I am thankful to Admission Office, Infocenter and Student Union for their warm welcome and support during the time. Among all nice lecturers, Björn Albin, Pär Gustafsson and Barbro Blomberg have a special place in my heart. You have given me freshness, encouraging spirit and good study methods so that I could overcome the initial difficulties of doing higher education overseas and engage myself to this topic of disabilities. Kerstin Gynnerstedt, Roddy Nilsson, my fellow students and opponents also play an essential role in improving my thesis with critical and constructive comments and suggestions at the pre- and final thesis seminars!

Carolina Camacho, Emily Musoke, I will never forget how you care about me as a classmate as well as a sister.

Agneta Hedblom - my supervisor, I am in debt to you. Without you and your serious care and attention, my work would not be better and better over time and get ready finally. I have been always provided careful language editing and thorough valuable suggestions by you since the paper was just a project plan. You are very caring even in replying your student’s email to confirm that you are in touch with her and helping her. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I heartily thank all my teachers and lecturers from primary school to university in Vietnam who have had great influence on my education. My special thanks goes to Thang Long University, Prof. Pham Huy Dung, PhD. Dang Kim Nhung, MA. Tran Thi Thanh Huong and MA. Tran Thu Trang for the best Social Work Programme in Hanoi and your kindness to me.

Do Quy Duong, my classmate in Social Work Programme at Thang Long University who first brought me to the notion of “Autism” in 2007 and helped me out with contact to his friends in Sweden – Vu Manh Cuong and Jonatan Forsberg before my departure to Växjö in 2009 is among my dear ones.

The Bondemark and the Wik with their Vietnamese Swedish children and the Ren are always

in my heart. Had not I known you I would not have had such homey feelings. In this regard, I

friend, Thomas Jonasson. You pump bicycle for me, you remind me to drink enough water, you take me with you to experience Sweden. You are my beloved Swedish parents! Eva Nilsson – Friend Family Coordinator at the University and her wonderful match me and Lange and the Bondemark have given me families in Sweden. Thanks, Eva!

Regarding this thesis, I have gained much fresh knowledge and experiences on Autism from interesting intensive conversations with nice brilliant women: Dao Diep Linh, Marie Nyblom, Gunnel Winlund, Marielle Wästermark and Lulu Andersen. It is also my pleasure to acknowledge the participants of my study. I was sensitised and provided many precious insights and the importance of the issue. Thank you all!

My family and friendship have been my strong energy. Firstly, it is Le Thanh Forsberg who has helped me a lot from the very beginning of my study in Sweden. Secondly, my grandmother and extended families and Harun Turan – my godfather who always love me and welcome me back with my study fruitfulness. Thirdly, our family’s friends, neighbours and relatives who pay more care to my Parents when I am away from Hanoi. Thanks Thuong and Diep, my best friends for being me, my Parents’ daughter in Tet and on my Mother’s birthday! And the Gulam, I remember you and miss you always. To the memory of my paternal grandmother, this thesis is dedicated to you as a present from abroad that you longed for when you were alive and I was a little girl. Father, Mother and Lang – my younger brother, my big friend and great advisor, no one loves me and cares for me more than you do.

Dear, you mean life to me!

My Hanoi, thank you for being a sweet one of mine and letting me go even if you were left! I am soon coming back to see you again.

Trần Thị Minh Thư May 2011

tranthiminhthu.vn@gmail.com

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION... 1

2. BACKGROUND...2

2.1 Social integration for adolescents with autism...3

2.2 Documentation of people with autism in Vietnam...4

2.3 Knowledge of disability in Vietnam...4

3. THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERENCE AND EARLIER RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT...7

3.1 Definitions of adolescents, autism and employment...7

3.2 Theory of mind...8

3.3 Study on adolescents...8

3.4 Research on employment for adolescents with autism...9

3.5 Research on family whose children have autism...11

4. DEFINITION OF RESEARCH PROBLEM AND QUESTIONS...12

5. AIM...13

6. METHODS...13

6.1 Data collection...13

6.1.1 Sampling procedure...14

6.1.1.1 Empirical study...15

6.1.2 Informants...15

6.1.3 Interviews...16

6.1.4 Studying documents...16

6.2 Analysis...17

6.3 Ethical considerations...17

7. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS...17

7.1 Social and cultural context of adolescents with autism in Vietnam...17

7.2 Policy, laws and social welfare for people with disabilities and autistic persons with emphasis on education, vocational training and employment...19

7.3 The role of the parents in supporting the adolescents into the labour market...21

7.4 The role of social workers, voluntary organisations and employers in promoting job opportunities for adolescents with autism...23

7.5 The role of schools/vocational training centers and social policy in promoting

social skills and job opportunities for autistic adolescents...26

7.6 The challenges and the applicable solutions for employment opportunities...27

7.6.1 The challenges of employment opportunities...27

7.6.2 The applicable solutions for employment opportunities...30

8. DISCUSSION...32

8.1 Discussion of methods...32

8.2 Discussion of results...33

8.3 Conclusions...36

8.4 Implications of the study...37

8.5 Limitations of the study...38

REFERENCES...39

APPENDICES...44

1. INTRODUCTION

It is said that people with disabilities are a great societal concern and an important issue in every country. They are considered a disadvantaged group in terms of marriage, childbearing, education, employment and so on.

Disability is defined in different ways over time and across countries. However, it basically can be defined as an individual physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual or mental impairment (Duong et al. 2008). Among many conceptual models to explain disability, the social model is worth mentioning. This model of disability shows how society defines a disabled ¹ and a non- disabled purposely or unintentionally by barriers, prejudice and exclusion towards people.

Additionally, the social model of disability highlights an interaction between the disabled and the social environment, the labeling, attitudes and accessibility of the “normal” majority to people with disabilities (ibid). Furthermore, in the model, the economic situation is also stressed in terms of lacking resources for people with disabilities to meet their needs. This is to say that society has underestimated the potential capacity of the disabled that can fully be put into use in society if they are given equal opportunities, equal access and equal rights (ibid).

Autism is also considered a disability but a more severe case in the sense that “autism has lifetime consequences, with potentially a range of impacts on the health, wellbeing, social integration and the quality of life of individuals and families. Many of those impacts are economic” (Knapp et al. 2009, p.317). Autism “exists along a continuum severity… and is characterised by deficits in social interaction, communication and imagination” (Siaperas and Beadle-Brown 2006, p.330) at the same time, autism presents “difficulties not found in other groups” leading to “very different needs” (Macleod 1999, p.178). Therefore, persons with autism are in extreme hardship when it comes to making and having friends, forming relationships or finding and maintaining a job.

Regarding employment for people with autism in general and for autistic adolescents in particular, it is often very costly, problematic and challenging but it needs paying attention to.

Challenges are various such as providing support services, effective job finding, specialist input, supported employment, job-match, government funding and financial provision

1 In this paper, to avoid repetition, the words “disabled people” and “autistic adolescents” are equally used to

(Mawhood and Howlin 1999). However, sufficient employment attention and support can make a difference to help persons with autism become socially integrated and give them a more meaningful life, thus, improving their quality of life.

The question on employment opportunities for Vietnamese autistic adolescents that would lead to social integration is the main concern and interest of this study.

2. BACKGROUND

Approximately, there are 160,000 people with autism in a total of 83 million Vietnamese citizens (Feinstein 2010). The situation of autism in Vietnam is interesting in terms of its happening, detection, intervention and services. According to Feinstein (2010), special education opportunities and services for people with autism in the country are negligible; it has instead become the parents desperate plight. The Vietnamese circumstances are comparable to those in Australia in the 1960s when autism was first diagnosed and the first services were built up. At the same time, the Vietnamese parents are very confused and embarrassed when it comes to facing their child’s problem and letting people know about their child’s developmental problem. Additionally, there is no special educational model for pediatricians, psychologists or educators, in part, due to lack of access to books, journals and up-to-date research and information resulting in an insufficient intervention process.

“As a profound, lifelong condition, autism has generated important challenges to the systems that relate to individuals with disabilities, including educational, vocational, medical, and psychiatric systems, as well as to social policy, legislation, and the legal system” (Cohen and Volkmar 1997, p.xv). In association with this, Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) are concerned about employment for adolescents and adults with autism after their school life. In the scholars’ opinion, many people with autism, especially young persons, meet serious confusion in terms of “misinformation, limited opportunities, insufficient resources and inappropriate or time-limited services” (ibid, p.650).

However, internationally there are few examples of research on employment for adolescents

in general or for those with autism, researchers seem to mainly focus on adults. On the one

hand, there is even less research on autism alone in Vietnam. What has emerged so far is

research on cognitive delays or childhood disability. On the other hand, in the practical sense,

not many Vietnamese people know about autism. And at the moment, parents struggle on

their own alone with autism. Their adolescent children have no special school suitable for their age. Hence, this study could provide the public in Vietnam with knowledge on autism in relation to social life. It could also contribute to research on adolescents with autism by expressing the parents’ wish and concerns for finding a suitable job for their children to improve the adolescents’ current situation. In other words, this study aims to contribute to scientific research on autism in Vietnam in general and research on occupation for adolescents with autism in particular by focusing on the challenges and possibilities of finding a meaningful job or occupation for adolescents with autism.

Before going further, “social integration for adolescents with autism” needs to be explained so that the problem can be understood in more detail.

2.1 Social integration for adolescents with autism

The term “social integration” is used in different contexts and understood in different ways and by many scholars like Spencer, Durkheim, Lockwood, Gidden, Luhmann and so on.

Nonetheless, Habermas’s definition of this notion is considered the most precise and suitable for the case. Habermas defines “social integration” “the basis of identity, … a matter of the unhindered working of the communicative reproduction of the world, … the reproduction of the life world’s ability to secure culture meanings, solidaristic social norms and personal identities” (Rik et al. 2002, p.17). This definition of social integration is understood in the sense that everyone identifies themselves as a part of the community and mutual understanding is possible. A lack of positive social interaction and acceptance has negative consequences from an individual, family, community and therefore, is a matter related to social integration. To deal with that, the positive impact of interaction on isolated groups of society, and actively engaging in social roles helps people build self-esteem, physical wellness and a sense of commitment to the community around them.

Regarding adolescent with autism, Schopler and Mesibov (1983) point out some of the main

themes related to social integration such as needs of family, legal, medical, education,

language and communication, recreation and leisure, vocational training, and social and

interpersonal matter. The mentioned social needs would be useful factors to help autistic

people gain basic identity as a part of society and join the life world with mutual

understanding.

Social integration used in this paper is understood and focused on the perspective and the role of family, legal, social networks, and education and vocational training that benefit employment opportunities for autistic adolescent, especially emphasised on the current situation for this group in Vietnam in terms of the impacts of social relations on finding

“good” jobs for people with autism.

Every country has its own cultural values, norms and so on that contribute to the unique characteristics of that society. Regarding this topic, knowledge on the situation of people with autism and disabilities in Vietnam will be described.

2.2 Documentation of people with autism in Vietnam

According to Autism Conference (2008), in 2001, the Psychology Unit in the Outpatient Department of Children’s Hospital No.1 - Ho Chi Minh City was set up and cooperated with the Paris University of Practical Psychology (Thanh ² , p.2). Accordingly, Vietnamese pediatrists initially had knowledge and understanding about Autism from the cooperation. So far, autism has not been educated and trained for Vietnamese medical students as well as doctors in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate pediatric programmes in Vietnam (ibid). In 2003, the first case of autism was diagnosed at the Psychology Unit in the Outpatient Department of Children’s Hospital No.1.

The number of autistic diagnosed children increased from 2 in 2003 to 170 in 2007 (ibid). Also, in the same year 2007, 212 children were confirmed autism at the Psychology Department of Children’s Hospital No.2 – Ho Chi Minh City (Diep ³ , p.42). The main reason leading the parents to acquire their children diagnosed at hospitals was that the children showed language delay and social (interaction) problem.

2.3 Knowledge of disability in Vietnam

Vietnam signed the Convention of Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities on 22

October 2007.

Figures show that among 81,377,000 people in Vietnam in 2003 (Encyclopedia of the Nations), over 5 million people live with disabilities ⁴ (Duong et al. 2005, p.190). There are

2 In “Autism Conference, HCMC April 2008”, “Autistic children approach – community-based”.

3 In “Autism Conference, HCMC April 2008”, “Activities of autism detection and intervention at Psychology Department in Children’s Hospital No.2”.

4 People with disabilities - PWDs

7.5 percent male PWDs and 5 percent female PWDs among the whole population. PWDs are present in about 8 percent of Vietnamese households, most of them and their families are poor ⁵ . Among them, more than 87 percent live in rural areas and 13 percent in urban areas. Of the PWDs under the age of 16, about 16 percent are working, the age group of PWDs 16-55 years old accounts for 61 percent and 23 percent of the PWDs are 55 years old or older. There are some general categories of disabilities, namely congenital diseases (35.87 percent), illness (32.34 percent), war ⁶ (25.56 percent), occupational accidents (3.49 percent), traffic accidents (1.16 percent) and others (1.57 percent) (ibid).

PWDs’ socioeconomic status is complicated, 36 percent of them are illiterate, 12 percent can read and write, 24 percent hold primary education, 20.7 percent attend secondary school and about 6 percent go to high school. Vocational training is not provided for 97.7 percent of PWDs even if 58.2 percent of them have a job while 30.4 percent wish to work but are unemployed. Therefore, 70-80 percent of PWDs in the urban areas and 65-70 percent of PWDs in the rural areas depend on the support of their families or social assistance. This short summary shows the need for social protection to reduce PWDs’ material difficulties (Duong et al. 2005, p.191).

The Vietnamese Government and society at large have an understanding that “the overall low level socio-economic development of the country, low quality of health care and limited medical treatment and orthopedic rehabilitation capacity, incoherent and ineffective assistance policies and weak implementation” at the macro level create risks to PWDs (ibid). At the same time, there has not been much contribution or show of support from the community;

PWDs themselves are in need of complex and long treatment but they are mostly poor and at low educational levels. Aware of this, the Government prioritises the issue in social policy (ibid). To address this important social issue, the Government stresses the importance of care and support for PWDs in the 1998 Ordinance on Disabled Persons. Nevertheless, the scope and depth of the support are limited due to the budget shortages, poor management and a mobilising community (Duong et al. 2008).

5 Standard of Poor in Vietnam defined as one’s income is less than USD 15 per month (http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngh%C3%A8o_%E1%BB%9F_Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam).

6 The Vietnam War with the United States (the U.S.) in the 20

century was extremely severe with land mines,

bombs and Agent Orange. Agent Orange was one of the herbicides and defoliants sprayed by the U.S. military

during 1961-1971 over Vietnam, especially in the Southern part. Vietnam has been bearing the consequences of

Furthermore, some groups of the population have very little awareness on the subject of the rights and needs of PWDs, or even present stigma and discrimination. This means that the community and a small scale of family members have negative and dismissive social manners towards PWDs or treat them even worse than to others. In schools, children with disabilities (CWDs) may be unwanted and treated unkindly by the school and often the non-disabled students. At work, employers do not want to employ PWDs because it would be a risk accepting them into the workplace as they are believed to be an unproductive workforce (ibid).

How do people attach traditional beliefs and cultural values to PWDs?

Traditionally, in Vietnam, disability is believed “to be the result of bad deeds or sins committed by one’s ancestors” (Duong et al. 2003, p.24). The bad deeds or sins result in punishments such as being reincarnated or their descendants may face consequences like a disability. As a result, both pitiful sympathy, social isolation and ridicule towards PWDs exist among Vietnamese people. Besides, some negative Vietnamese words addressing PWDs like

“thằng mù” (blind person), “thằng què” (limping person), “con điên” (lunatic person), “đồ dở hơi” (crack-brained person), the official term of disability - “tàn tật” also bear a stigma or discrimination – because “tàn” means “finish” (ibid).

Buddhism and Animism influence people’s mind about disability. Disability often goes hand in hand with pity (from non-disabled people) and shame (from PWDs and their family).

Consequently, the family keeps PWDs out of the public to avoid stigma (ibid).

According to Duong et al. (2008), it is the fact that PWDs have more difficulties comparing to other people in their daily activities, health care, marriage and having children especially in social participation, education and employment. In education, the difficulties come from learning, communication, travel (to/from school), participation in school activities, schools’

PWD-unfriendly infrastructure, other classmates’ stigma and discrimination, or sometimes

teachers’ skills, teachers’ discrimination and family’s discouragement. In employment,

parallel with stigma and discrimination from others, self-stigma has a negative affect on

PWDs’ thinking that whether or not they should and could work. The problem is rooted from

a “negative pre-conception of what the PWDs cannot do, not what they can do” (p.106). In

addition, PWDs are seen as “abnormal”, “difference”, unproductive, passive (p.105) and a

burden for others. In doing so, PWDs cannot access to full rights, societal support and human development, instead, they are treated unequal.

3. THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERENCE AND EARLIER RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT

The importance of social integration in relation to employment opportunities for adolescents with autism is noticeable. The relationship between social integration and employment opportunities for autistic adolescents is discussed with supportive issues such as autism, adolescents, family and employment. Therefore, relevant theory and earlier research are essential.

The paper is underpinned by theory of mind (Uta Frith), study on adolescents (Stubbe), research on employment for adolescents with autism (Gerhardt and Holmes) and research on family of autistic children discussed by Schopler and Mesibov and Gerhardt and Holmes.

Before the theory and earlier research being presented, major definitions of adolescents, autism and employment are drawn.

3.1 Definitions of adolescents, autism and employment

For basic understanding of the field studied, it is necessary to define three notions: adolescent, autism and employment.

Adolescents who are between 10 and 19 years old are young people and thought of as a healthy group (WHO 2010). According to Stubbe (2007), adolescents face increased risk during their time of adolescence because of the transition biologically and socially from childhood to early adulthood. Therefore, personality disposition, a supportive family as well as an external support system, physical healthiness, normal or high IQ and economic advantage play an essential role in limiting or eliminating adolescent’s delinquency and social adjustment problems (ibid).

Autism is severe and pervasive impairments of human development in reciprocal social

interaction, communication, behaviour and imagination. Stubbe (2007) considers pervasive

developmental disorders (PDDs) the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) that consists of:

autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).

Employment, according to Gallie (2007), refers to workforce and labour market in relation to policies from the major social actor, regulations at work, rights of employees and work security or protection to workers.

3.2 Theory of mind

First and foremost, the theory of mind is very important and fundamental when talking about Autism. Frith (2003, p.77) calls the theory of mind “a powerful mental tool” to our understanding that is scientific and “much more practical” providing the ability “mentalising”

to guess how “external states of affairs and internal states of mind” go together. Unlike ordinary people, the ones with autism are not processed automatically to mentalise, to imagine, to focus attention on the other ones and their inner states. This is seen as mind-blind or mind blindness which should not be viewed negative purely (Frith, 2003). Furthermore, Frith (2003, p.80) refers to the term “mechanisms “engines” of development” of every one even a newborn that is believed to accumulate knowledge about objects, people and other important things in life and respond differently to all these. The mentioned mechanisms (or known as the mind-blindness hypothesis) was tested and illustrated since 1980s that children with autistic disorder process and refer things to reality abnormally by experiments called the Sally-Anne, the pencil in the candy box, comic strips, false photographs and sabotage and deception. In other words, there remains false belief with learning and experience in the children, meaning that the children cannot read others’ minds and react in the actual context normally. The theory of mind comes to the conclusion that autistic children have mentalising failure and brain abnormalities. Consequently, they have daily social impairments and social communication difficulties. At the same time, the mind-blindness hypothesis is tremendously helpful to diagnosis and treat autism as well as provide deeper understanding of the impairments in communication and social interaction in autistic disorder (Frith 2003, pp.95- 97).

3.3 Study on adolescents

When it comes to adolescent perception, Stubbe (2007) argues that adolescence is the transition from comparatively full, childlike dependence upon parents to nearly complete self- dependence to manage life on oneself. This developmental phase (adolescence) begins with puberty, sexual maturation is the kick-off with the physical changes. Additionally, Stubbe refers to knowledge on adolescent from Freud, Erikson and Piaget whose exploration about adolescence make up to each other and bring people to a full picture of the field. Based on Freud’s capture, Erikson expands and focuses on Identity vs. Role Confusion of this stage proving that young people’s identification in a peer group replaces that of the family. Lastly, Piaget calls adolescence “Formal Operation stage” with cognitive growth in terms of metacognitive capacity or “the ability to think about thinking” (ibib). With this skill, adolescent can reason hypothetic and deductive abstract, elaborate information processing emerge or even think more intensively of religion, philosophy and purpose. On the other hand, Stubbe finds out that this turbulent period is with relatively high level of anxiety and depression, risk-taking behaviour and experimentation with drinking and illicit drugs and grave psychiatric disorder. However, personality disposition, a supportive family as well as an external support system, physical healthiness, normal or high IQ and economic advantage may be good factors to limit or eliminate adolescent’s delinquency and social adjustment problems (ibib).

3.4 Research on employment for adolescents with autism

Internationally, study of Allan (2004a) shows that PWDs are under-employed meaning that they can earn less money per working hour for the same job as other ordinary people do. They also have less employment chance because of “significant attitude barriers in employment contexts” (ibid, p.19). Add to this, job for PWDs is limited due to “direct discrimination and lack of suitable educational and training opportunities”, and “job-shaped jobs” or job design for average workers (Paul 2002, p.130). The question of enabling job to PWDs is concerned about “the importance of acceptance of difference, managerial openness, flexible working practices, awareness of legislation and available service support” (Allan 2004b, p.199).

General speaking, even though disabled-people are facing lots of employment difficulties,

they at least can join labour market with part-time work (Barnes 2000). Nationally, Duong et

al. (2008) also find that PWDs participate at the low rate in labour market with low-paid jobs

and face many difficulties when they are in workforce and workplace.

Research on employment for autistic persons, unfortunately, have mainly focused on adults with autism (see Howlin et al. 2005, Mawhood and Howlin 1999, Renty and Roeyers 2006).

It seems to be no study conducted in this field for autistic adolescents. Job opportunities for people with autism become evident much less because of the expensive cost for vocational rehabilitation for example (Cimera and Cowan 2009) adding with some other reasons discussed by Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) as follows.

Argument of Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) on this matter is that the employment-related services for adolescents with autism has faced critical challenges in the 21

century. Although there has been the development of “recognition of the appropriateness and subsequent benefits of employment for many individuals with disabilities” (Gerhardt and Holmes 1997, p.651), and the employment-related needs and abilities of adolescents, the available opportunities for those with mild or moderate disabilities are much less than what can be done. The problem comes from legislation, the school-to-work transition, and services and employment. Looking at services and employment, there are many things that have to be considered such as sheltered workshops, secure employment, supported employment, models of supported employment, research on supported employment, current issues in supported employment, employment-readiness, job-match, social competence and behaviour management. All the mentioned factors are equally important. However, it should be centered more on models of supported employment, and social competence to benefit the framework of reference. Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) refer to four applicable models of supported employment for people with autism: (1) an individual placement model, (2) a clustered/enclave model, (3) a mobile crew and (4) an entrepreneurial model. In an individual placement model, it has to do with a private firm whose job coach develops a job and provides intensive on-side training and support with one setting. When the job competences of autistic person increase, the job coaching should be subsequently faded and freed up “job- develop” for another autistic people (p.657). This model offers high social integration because of the individuality degree. However, for the most able persons with autism, the support needs reducing gradually and finally eliminating. In the clustered/enclave model, the job coach works with two to six people in a group. Workplace is also a private business. The support depends on the length of job. Intensive supervision may be lightened slowly. In this model, the persons highly develop social integration but low normalised interactions due to limitations of the physical setup of an enclave placement. Therefore, the model is like a

“private-sector sheltered workshop” and less ideal than the first one. The mobile crew model

refers to a small number of providers of contracted services like office cleaning in a specific geographic region. This one limits social integration due to the nature of the services and the fact of job accomplishment that few other employees may be working when the autistic person works. The last model is about a small, specialised enterprise with their detailed needs and about providing wage or salary to disabled people. This model creates lowest social integration as, in fact, a “reverse integration” of the community into the company is involved.

“The most severe disabilities who require intensive, continuous supervision” (ibid, p.658) are most suitable in this model. However, it should be addressed that the portrayal depends on the developed firm’s nature and needs.

Turning to social competence, a critical factor to employment maintenance or job success is that “social employment skills simply cannot be separated from the performance of job tasks”

(p.660). This social competence is a difficulty for people with autism because of their social deficits. To improve the problem, social coaching would play the key role in identifying problematic social situations, developing situation-strategies, promoting reinforcement and making errorless navigation of the situation. At the same time, a specific social competencies and strategies for skill development of autistic persons are taken into account by fading coaching and providing knowledge/training on autism (especially social deficits) to the employer and coworker (ibid).

3.5 Study on family whose children have autism

Argued by Schopler and Mesibov (1984) the systems approach consists of two different but related systems in which the child is functioning: their family and a treatment center or a school or an institute. The second system operates following its own modes. And the first system (family environment) where the child is a member of is the essential one. Both the child and the family have rights and needs as well as functioning. Additionally, both have impacts on one another.

In Schopler and Mesibov (1983, p.264), “The successful families of autistic adolescents

described themselves as “close-knit”, “able to roll with the punches,” and able to adjust as the

child’s needs changed”. The family that can laugh, can maintain their sense of humour and

their larger perspective on life or in other words can be always optimistic, is the family

holding the most important internal resources of support and crisis prevention. As a result,

this is to say that all of the family’s financial and emotional resources are used effectively not only for the person with autism but also for the whole family.

In addition, Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) emphasis the important role of the family towards the adolescent in the process of the transition-to-work. It is needed to address the parents’

active involvement or “fully on board” (p.655) to safety, security and entitlement benefits on the job site for their adolescent. This is also the query of choice or limited access of the family. However, the most helpful role that the parents and family members can play in the transition-to-work process is the role of advocates. The advocacy process allows an insistent parent to speak more loudly and often to be heard more effectively than 10 professionals do.

Although the transition years of adolescents with autism create new stressors like the stress related to life cycle transitions, parents’ forceful role as advocates mostly do not diminish with age. The need for parental advocacy is challenging systemically and critical “from ensuring the provision of job sampling services to the development, to the extent possible, of interagency cooperative planning, parents’ support, input, and advocacy” (ibid).

4. DEFINITION OF RESEARCH PROBLEM AND QUESTIONS

This paper pays attention to the problem of a meaningful occupation for adolescents with autism in Vietnam from the perspective of social integration. Hence, inclusion into labour market is one of the arguments because inclusion into workforce is among the most important paths for autistic adolescents to move forward to social integration.

Inclusion into workforce for people with disabilities is fundamental. It avoids stigmatisation;

discrimination in laws, policies, programmes and services; lack of awareness, mistaken assumptions and access to transportation and buildings; and barriers of information and communication. In addition, it helps to reach the Millennium Development Goals of poverty reduction (ITC 2010).

To have a suitable job for adolescents with autism, an attempt to connect all the available

resources from the families, their social networks and voluntary organisations and employers

is required. This, in turn, has to be facilitated by the laws and social policy. The research

questions, thus, highlight on social integration for job opportunities for adolescents with

autism in Vietnam related to three dimensions, first family and social networks, second

voluntary organisations and employers and third the laws and social policy.

The serious problem of autism in Vietnam in general and the urgently essential need of creating job for Vietnamese adolescents with autism in particular urge the study to find out the answers for the questions below:

(1) What legal framework is existing concerning autistic adolescents related to employment or education in Vietnam?

(2) What available policy regarding adolescents with autism related to employment or education is existing in Vietnam?

(3) Which role do the parents and social networks have in order to help the autistic adolescents to obtain a job?

(4) What is the role of social workers and voluntary organisations in supporting the parents and the adolescents?

(5) What is the role of employers in providing employments for autistic adolescents?

(6) What are the challenges and problems lying ahead and what are the applicable solutions?

5. AIM

The aim of this paper is to investigate the problem in terms of social integration for adolescents with autism to have a suitable meaningful occupation.

6. METHODS

This is an empirical-qualitative research and also an explorative study basically using earlier research as a base for the new investigation of employment opportunities for autistic adolescents in Vietnam. Explorative study is defined a research conducted for an unclearly defined problem (Robert et al. 2003), lied on earlier research of the similar/related field and used qualitative method with semi-structure interviews to examine the problem. Qualitative research carried out is described in the following subsections.

6.1 Data collection

The study uses secondary source of statistical and other data from webpages and leaflets of

Hanoi Disabled People Association – DP Hanoi, Center for the Early Detection Care and

Parental Counseling for those with Intellectual Disabilities (Morning Star Center), Center of

Support for Families and Children with mental Disabilities (SFCmD), Center for Care, Education, Careers Adviser and Vocational Training for Intellectually Disabled Children (Phuc Tue Center) and Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism.

Official figures, laws and social policy regarding employment for people with disabilities and autism were collected from Vietnamese publications in English versions such as “Social protection for the most needy in Vietnam” (or Duong et al. 2005). Also one unpublished document (in Vietnamese) that gathers speeches of experts and practitioners of autism in Autism Conference held in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2008 is used to make up to the limited scientific data in Vietnam on autism. A lot of information and figures used in this study also were taken from “Nang xuan” - Internal news of DP Hanoi (in Vietnamese).

Primary data gathered from interviews with the parents of adolescents with autism and two representatives of relevant organisations in Hanoi is mainly used to analyse and discuss the problem. At the same time, information from a meeting on vocational orientation for adolescents with autism between the parents and the director of Morning Star Center is useful for the thesis. This is the way the study had insights into the problem as well as fresh applicable solutions for the research questions.

6.1.1 Sampling procedure

As the subject of job opportunities for autistic adolescents has not been clearly defined in studies or research yet, this study tries to provide major approach into the given topic by making the best of use of scientific articles on employment for people with autism.

The sampling procedure is done by a questionnaire of semi-structured interviews. This choice and design are believed to give deep exploration of the respondents’ points of view, feelings and perspectives. According to Flick (2009), the study does case sampling of employment opportunities for adolescents with autism in Vietnam. Robson (2002) defines case study “the situation, individual, group, organisation or whatever it is that we are interested in” (p.177).

This paper examines employment opportunities for autistic adolescents in line with social

integration by using different sorts of data and methods to look into the case. Thereby, this is

a case study on a group of young disabled persons and their situation.

6.1.1.1 Empirical study

The sampling of data material was collected from a questionnaire (with the parents), an interview guide (with the two representatives of centers for disabled people in Hanoi) and observation with note-taking (during the meeting between the parents and the director of Morning Star Center) used for empirical analysis and discussion in the paper. On the one hand, autism is new and has not been paid proper attention to in Vietnam, on the other hand, it is a very initial stage for parents to find ways to help their adolescents a suitable job.

Therefore, I only approached people who are concerned about the problem for necessary information for my thesis. This means that I did not try to ask people in charge at higher levels of authorities (like Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs).

6.1.2 Informants

I have known one mother whose son has autism for years. She wrote an email to introduce me to some parents of Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism. I started contact with the parents via telephone and made appointments for the interviews. At least one day before conducting interviews, I sent the questionnaire and consent form to the parents by email. These parents and one representative of a related center helped me be in touch with some another parents (who are not members of the club) for providing me information on the questionnaire.

The informants of this study were mainly parents of adolescents with autism (adolescents aged 14- 20) who lived in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, the center of culture, education, economics and politics where resources for autism detection and intervention are most available and advantageous.

The reason of choosing the participants was because they are the ones who take all responsibility caring for their adolescents and desirously wish them to have a normal life with a suitable job. I did not ask the adolescents as most adolescents with autism in Vietnam have difficulties in communication (language and speaking) and interaction that would affect the quality of the interview. In my visits for interviewing the parents at their homes, I met in person six out of eight adolescents who showed much deficits in social communication and interaction.

Additionally, representatives of relevant organisations (vocational training centers) in Hanoi

also participated in the research.

6.1.3 Interviews

The study encompass 8 interviews with one father, six mothers and one grandfather (who was more close to the adolescent, spent more time with him and took more care of him than his parents did). The interviews were conducted in their homes in Hanoi without any disturbance or interruption. Open-ended questions were used to ask them. Furthermore, 2 interviews with two representatives of vocational training centers were taken with interview guide.

The study information, questionnaire or interview guide and informed consent were sent to the interviewees beforehand so that they had time to learn about this research. In some cases, the parents did not need to receive those documents by email. However, before making interviews, I provided them time to read carefully and understand thoroughly the documents.

All the participants were informed properly about the study, the rights to withdrawal, confidentiality and so on. They asked me questions and were convinced with my answers.

Tape recording as well as note taking were adopted during the interviews. After completing the interviews, informed consents were signed by me and the informants and we kept one for each. (The questionnaire and interview guide were designed based on Gerhardt and Holmes (1997) for the main themes. See the appendix of questionnaire).

Apart from interviews, there was an observation in the meeting between the parents and the director of Morning Star Center on employment orientation for autistic adolescents. In which, my study and I was introduced to all the participants. I played a role of an observer and took notes on what they were discussing. In this participant observation (Robson 2002) of a small group of 7 people totally, I could generally know all the participants’ basic information like their names, their adolescents’ sex. My prime motivation was to find out what is going on with the preparation of the parents and I was given supporting evidence from the meeting.

Therefore, my study was benefited and enriched by the observation.

6.1.4 Studying documents

Scientific literature on autism, adolescents and adults with autism, employment, supported

employment for autistic adolescent/adult from books and journal articles are used as source of

scientific material to ensure trustworthy quality.

In addition, Vietnamese publications (such as Duong et al. 2005 and Duong et al. 2008) and information on internet about facts and figures of disability, autism, employment, vocational training, and so on were also taken into consideration to provide a more vivid picture of the case.

6.2 Analysis

First and foremost, the study done in Hanoi was in Vietnamese, therefore, I made summaries of the interviews and the observation, after that I translated them into English as a base for analysis. I listened carefully and attentively to the interview records and wrote down all the key words and main ideas of the respondents, or their full answers for quotations to support the analysis and illustrate the argument and discussion.

At the same time, relevant secondary data source was also used to make up to the findings.

The empirical data and knowledge from scientific sources were both helpful for the analysis and discussion in the sense that they contributed to each other and reflected one another. By this way, theoretical concepts are closely related to empirical results in the parts of analysis and discussion.

6.3 Ethical considerations

Following Glesne (1999), the study was conducted by giving informants sufficient information so that they make decision on their own to answer the questionnaire and have rights to take part in the study and withdraw freely at any point of the research. The persons participating in the study were also informed that no risk is given to them, they are protected by confidentiality, the material is used only for this study and safely kept. Informed consent was sent to the informants, signed by me and the interviewees and distributed to both parties and enclosed to the final thesis as an appendix.

7. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

7.1 Social and cultural context of adolescents with autism in Vietnam

The adolescents in this study were born in 1991–1997. There were two girls born in 1996, and

six boys born in between 1991 and 1997. Of those, three boys whose fathers were soldier(s)

or war veteran(s). The adolescents have siblings who are without autism or other disabilities

school, most of them are illiterate, one girl has completed primary school, one boy can read but cannot write and one boy can write but cannot read. At the moment, only one boy (born in 1991) stays at home because he does not want to go to school any more for the reason that the school no longer fits him; the rest is still at school for care, treatment or learning social skills.

The parents did not remember exactly or did not pay attention to their adolescent’s current IQ scores but they confirmed that the IQ is very low, much less than 70 (IQ scores at about 20- 56, measured for the first time visiting doctors for diagnosis). Only one boy born in 1997 was diagnosed autism by foreign experts at the age of 5 and a half as his parents had a contact overseas. The adolescents were diagnosed moderate or severe (most of them) autism.

The parents and grandparent of adolescents who took part in the study are educated with bachelor degree or above and have good jobs such as teacher or architect, one couples of parents graduated from high school but they are successful doing business, only one mother and her husband with diploma of secondary school are workers. The fact shows that they are very much attentive to information and knowledge on autism as well as caring well about and for their autistic adolescents. The most common thing among the parents is that most of them have tried many ways to help their adolescents to be cured before they were diagnosed autism. The parents tried to approach the best doctors, and bring the adolescents to many hospitals for check-up and treatment. Religious treatment like ceremonial offerings was not an exception.

As until 2003, the first officially diagnosed-autism case was known at the Psychology Unit in the Outpatient Department of Children’s Hospital No.1, a lot of the adolescents in Vietnam were diagnosed with the disease of epilepsy or behavioural disorder or intellectual disability or cerebral palsy. Accordingly, it was too late for the adolescents of this study to be detected and intervened. At the same time, nowadays, in Vietnamese society, autism is still only known among families whose children are autistic and people who have an interest in it.

Otherwise, autism is not well-known and somehow often misunderstood as other sorts of mental problem.

Fortunately, the families, especially the parents have been giving their adolescent the best care

and support and making an effort to educate society about autism. In addition, Vietnamese

family culture and tradition is a sort of tight relationship among family members, in which,

everyone often cares (much) about each other, especially extra attention and protection are placed on the (more) disadvantaged member(s). Thus, all the parents have been saving money for their adolescents’ future in case or after the parents pass away.

Though, many parents have still thought that their adolescent is a child due to their severe (brain) development disorder. The adolescents were 15-16 years of age but their behaviour was like of those aged 3, most of them could not do self-help activities like washing themselves, the family (had to) help(ed) them partly or fully daily life activities. And the parents keep thinking and taking care of their adolescent as they do with a child.

Obviously, the general situation of the autistic adolescents is problematic. Low IQ, moderate or severe autism make them depend completely on their families materially and spiritually.

7.2 Policy, laws and social welfare for people with disabilities and autistic persons with emphasis on education, vocational training and employment

One term necessarily to refer here is social protection in Vietnam. According to Duong et al.

(2005), the term has not yet been defined formally because of the transition “from a centrally- planned, bureaucratic and command economy to a market economy” of the country (p.166).

Nevertheless, this kind of social welfare is “(i) direct assistance to poor and vulnerable households, (ii) social insurance and (iii) other activities aimed at reducing the vulnerability caused by such risks as unemployment, ageing and disabilities” (ibid).

The Vietnam Law on Disabilities in terms of education, training and employment that came into force in 1

January 2011 focuses on and gives advantages to PWDs such as providing suitable education and training in relation to their needs and abilities, encouraging employers to hire PWDs and so on (Duong et al. 2005, p.197).

Regarding policy and social welfare that can be called legal provisions in Vietnam, in which

social assistance is one factor. The Decree No.55/ND-CP was issued by the Government on

10

July 1999 to guide the implementation for some Articles of the Ordinance for Disabled

Persons (promulgated on 30

July 1998). The guidelines regulate regular minimum

subsidisation to PWDs. Commune’s or ward’s authorities take responsibility to provide

stipulates of 45,000 VND ⁷ to 115,000 VND per month to PWDs depending on their level of disability and household situation (Duong et al. 2008, p.136).

Education for PWDs, particularly for children with disabilities (CWDs) is also paid attention.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) took this responsibility from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) on April 17

1995. MOET has guided and assigned different institutes to make plan of education for CWDs. Chapter III of the Ordinance, the Decree No.55/ND-CP, the Education Law, the Law of Protection, Care, Education for Children, the Law of Universalisation of Primary Education and the Decision No.121/1997/QĐ-TTg respectively address the support for students with disability by providing favourable conditions, free tuition, scholarship, subsidises or special allowances for teachers of specialised schools/classes, and encouragement for individuals/organisations to operate special classes/schools for PWDs (ibid, pp.136-137).

Vocational training and employment were also stressed in the Article 13 and 125, 127, 128 of the 1994 Labour Code confirming the rights to vocational training and work of PWDs as well as working conditions and special subsidy. Additionally, PWDs are given low interest-rate loans and tax reductions or exemptions when they run their own business. Chapter IV and Article 21 of the Ordinance, the Decree No.81/CP, the Circular No.23/TCT of the Ministry of Finance, and the Decree No.55/ND-CP create regulations on vocational training and employment for PWDs with exemption of tuition or social subsidy, and give tax exemption to enterprises that employ PWDs (ibid, pp.137-138).

According to Duong et al. (2005, pp.271-272), by 2000, 90 specialised schools and training centers were established for 7,000 students, accounting for 1 percent of the total Vietnamese CWDs. 50,000-60,000 CWDs joined integrated schools. Trainings and refresh trainings were offered to thousands of teachers of integrated classes but this only satisfied 10 percent of CWDs’ education needs. The situation can be explained that “policy dissemination is weak”, many government officials and local government officials have poor awareness of education needs for CWDs/PWDs as well as the Ordinance, somehow they ignore this. Add to that, trained teachers and suitable teaching aids, limited and ineffective resource and poor financial condition of PWDs put in overall obstacles for vocational training for PWDs. Furthermore,

7 Approximately 1,600-2,000 VND equals to USD 1.

the main problem is that it is very hard to have a job even if the PWDs are skill-trained because they are PWDs.

On the one hand, it becomes evident about the Government’s efforts. On the other hand, there are many inadequacies. The legal instruments and policies are not harmonised. Guidelines are still unclear and not provided and implemented in time. Budget resources are increased but limited. Not many children can join schooling. Models of special education and integration education are ineffective and the amount of specialised teachers is small. Along with, management and monitoring to improve coordination, effectiveness and transparency are needed (Duong et al. 2005, p.197).

Besides such weaknesses of policy and social welfare, the law only forms and categorises levels of disabilities addressing physical disability, hearing and speaking disability, visual disability, mental disability, intellectual disability and other disabilities. Autism is categorised as other disabilities. Accordingly, autism is taking into account, but not defined.

7.3 The role of the parents and the social networks in supporting the adolescents into the labour market

Social networks that can help the adolescents into labour market is very limited or even none to the parents. Only two of the parents may take advantage from their personal relationship considering employment for their adolescents.

“Everything comes/starts from the parents and is done by the parents also. Such a thing like writing up a project of employment for autistic adolescents, connecting resources and so on we have to do all. No one is there to help us.”

(Mother of the boy born in 1997)

And the parents of autistic adolescents must be helpful to each other:

“Connecting the parents is very important. We all have been finding information and experience related to the matter. Then we share to each other by email, telephone or in meetings.”

(Father of the boy born in 1994)

The actual hardship places the parents in two roles: a trainer and an advocator.

“Mother is the best trainer in this situation because mother is the closest person to the adolescent. Mother always loves and understands the adolescent’s condition most. At the same time, mother has equipped herself knowledge on autism and methods to raise, guide and train her autistic adolescent.”

(Mother of the boy born in 1991)

“I am trying to make our voice heard by society and community so that our adolescents are given more attention and support.”

(Mother of the girl born in 1996)

The statements are to express that no one but the parents can help their adolescents’ situation to be understood and supported with regard of autism and employment. Also there is no available professional trainer with understanding about autism. Therefore, family members, often mothers are occupying many roles at the same time: close ones, direct supporters and trainers. Clearly, professionals in terms of vocational trainers endowed with autism knowledge should be there to help the parents out.

The employment preparation of the parents for their adolescents takes four directions. One is that the parents have had simple materials and self-equipment for their adolescents to do simple suitable jobs. The second group of the parents have asked for support from a vocational training center for PWDs. The third one is seeking a suitable job and the fourth is doing nothing due to their adolescents’ severe autistic level.

“We see that there is no suitable job for our son at the moment and he needs to join school for intervention and improving his social skills. However, we are seeking for the fitting work and trying our best to get it for him.”

(Father of the boy born in 1994)

In the parents’ opinion, since most of the adolescents are severely autistic, they have to be equipped living skills first and then working skills. The process of vocational training can be foreseen as what they can work with, or in other words, job that is the best suit their ability and capacity.

On this journey, the parents play a key role in planning and coordination so that their role of an

advocator can be performed well to help their adolescents to favours from the Government and

society and social networks.

7.4 The role of social workers, voluntary organisations and employers in promoting job opportunities for adolescents with autism

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with disability in general and autism in particular in Vietnam

Among many NGOs working with disability, Hanoi Disabled People Association ⁸ (or DP Hanoi) is a social organisation of PWDs and believed the most effective and supportive towards PWDs.

Under the DP Hanoi, Hold the Future is a vocational training center in Hanoi for young PWDs aged 18-30. The products of its members are mainly handicraft. Hold the Future offers necessary life skills and support to the members so that they can live independently as much as possible (Hold the Future).

To the best of the parents’ knowledge and belief, “Hanoi Disabled People Association” or

“Hanoi Relief Association for the Disabled Children” or “Vietnam Association for Protection Children’s Rights” and the mentioned non governmental organisations are believed to be most supportive in creating job opportunities for autistic adolescents.

As demand of special schools for autistic children is rising dramatically, numerous private schools have been established in Vietnam generally and in Hanoi particularly. Of those, the first two independent and non profit centers, Morning Star Center ⁹ , and Phuc Tue Center ¹⁰ have been contributing successfully to care, early detection and intervention, pre-educating and pre-training to children/adolescents with autism. They are both aware of the importance of providing early detection, early intervention and special education for autistic children/adolescents to handle the intellectually disabled and to reduce the burden for society and the families. The centers aim at

8 This organisation is operating in cooperation with Vietnam Association of Business and Enterprises of persons with disabilities – VABED and with the support of Vietnam Relief Association for Handicapped Children, Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin – VAVA, Vietnam Assistance for the handicapped, Handicap International, Vietnam Asia and Pacific Disability Forum, Rehabilitation International and some other organisations (DP Hanoi).

9 The center established in December 1995 has been supported by international volunteers and organisations such as Atlantic Philantropies organisation, Medical-scientific Aids for Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia, Maryknoll organisation, International Women’s Club, New Zealand and Luxembourg Embassy, LEV-Denmark (Morning Star Center).

10

training language, self-help and communication skills in order to help autistic persons socially integrate in the future and discovering their abilities to develop those abilities that can serve up the person in life or join the mainstream kindergarten and primary school. Pre-vocational and vocational training courses are offered to autistic persons at the age of 13 and above. This activity includes making floating candle, making plaster statue, and practical experience in the Charity Café Bar so that the adolescents can communicate with everybody confidently (Morning Star Center).

Also activities like making handicraft products and so on are provided at Phuc Tue Center. The fruitfulness of the centers is multiple but can be named as distinct change of the number of the children who can attend school or work and get integrated into the community (Phuc Tue Center).

In accordance with the above organisations, Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism established in October 2002 and Center for Support for Families and Children with mental Disabilities (SFCmD) ¹¹ founded in January 2010 are also very supportive and energetic organisations of families whose children have autism themselves. They link and share information, as well as support the parents techniques to care for their autistic children. Moreover, they focus on living skills, integrated education and vocational training. The Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism is implementing a project of building up a vocational training center, trade village and mini community model for people with autism.

The fact shows that a few organisations working with autism could provide initial vocational training for autistic adolescents. This is a mismatch between the demand and supply in the autistic society in Vietnam.

Employers, certainly, they are essential but the problem to hire people with autism seems to be invisible to them because of many reasons like PWDs are believed to be passive and unproductive.

“Businesses would rather pay some more tax for the State than employ PWDs.”

(Representative of the vocational training A)

Furthermore, it could be extra cost for companies to create effectiveness in work for PWDs such as PWD-friendly facility. Therefore, it seems to be impossible for enterprises to build up

11 SFCmD is supported by LEV – Danish Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities Association have been

played an important role in helping SFCmD financially and technically.