People with a work goal may follow one of two pathways: same employer or new employer.
- Same employer early intervention pathway for people with the opportunity to return to their pre-injury employer.
- New employer employment pathway for people seeking training, re-training or job-seeking assistance to obtain new work.
Same employer
Returning to the same workplace after brain injury is the preferred pathway and most likely to succeed.
Once a client identifies returning to work as a rehabilitation goal, refer the client to a vocational provider to support their return work journey.
Key elements
- Identify and explore the barriers and enablers to the client's return to work.
- Complete a workplace assessment to gather details of the cognitive and physical demands of the client’s pre-injury work duties.
- If the client’s previous position is not suitable or not available, consider all familiar roles with their pre-injury employer before new or unfamiliar roles.
- Recommend workplace adjustments to support the client in performing their work duties.
- Develop a suitable duties plan with the client and employer that includes work hours, workplace adjustments and a schedule of hours.
- Return to work programs typically involve gradually increasing hours, reviewing the client’s progress and providing feedback until the client’s return to work goal has been achieved.
- Provide education to vocational providers and employers about brain injury.
Funding for workplace adjustments can be accessed through the Australian Government’s Employment Assistance Fund.
Case study videos
Watch these examples of clients returning to their previous employers.
New employer
The new employer pathway is for clients who are seeking employment with a different employer. The focus is preparing for work, job seeking, workplace training. This pathway often requires longer support.
Some clients will identify their own employment goals and secure their own employment. However, most clients will require support to identify a vocational goal and undertake job seeking and or retraining.
A stepping-stone approach is used to support the client to gain skills and work capacity to achieve their employment goal. This may involve voluntary work, a work experience placement or a training course.
Key elements
- Early referral to a vocational provider once the client has identified gaining employment as a rehabilitation goal.
- A vocational assessment to identify suitable employment options based on the client’s strengths, work history and experiences, and functional abilities.
- Vocational counselling to help the client understand their post-accident capacity and explore realistic work opportunities.
- Provide education to vocational providers and potential employers about brain injury.
Case study videos
Watch these examples of clients obtaining new employment.