Transition, employment and accommodation research group

This research group will focus on transition of young people with disabilities from school to employment and further education, and further education to work, employment for adults with disabilities, supported accommodation for people with disabilities and the full range of significant disabilities including people with mental health issues.

In the context of the Group's focus:

• Promote applied research, & its dissemination & application.
• Promote local, national, & international linkages, partnerships, and collaborations between the Group & key stakeholders including people with disabilities, carers, NGOs, advocates, & government.
• Promote the social inclusion of people with disabilities including access to the opportunities provided by mainstream policies & practices.
• Develop a critical mass of researchers and higher degree by research (HDR) students in the Group's focus.
• Promote effective innovation in policies & practice.
• Secure support for the Group's research and development activity.

Research Group Convenor:

Other researchers in the group:

Current Research Projects

Personalised Residential Supports Research Project

Identifying the nature, purposes and outcomes of personalised residential supports for people with developmental disabilities in WA
Project partners: Developmental Disability Council of WA; National Disability Services (WA)
Funder: Lotterywest
Personnel: Professor Errol Cocks, Project Director; Ross Boaden, Project Officer

A review of best practice in individual needs planning for adults with a disability in accommodation services
Project partners: Nulsen Haven Association; NDS (WA)
Funder: WA Disability Services Commission
Personnel: Professor Errol Cocks, Project Director, Leanne Parsons, Project Officer

Employment/Day Options Interface Research Project
A review of policies and practices in employment and day options for people with a disability in all Australian jurisdictions
Funder: Disability Policy and Research Working Group, Community and Disability Services Ministerial Advisory Committee
Personnel: Professor Errol Cocks, Project Director, Taryn Harvey (NDS, WA), Project OFficer

Current Research Student projects

PhD Candidates:

• Deirdre Croft - Accommodation support for Western Australians with intellectual disability: An ecological analysis of supply and demand since the 1950s
• Shahriar Parvaneh - Evidence-based evaluation of program interventions to achieve positive community integration outcomes for adults with acquired brain injury
• Julie Netto - Vocational journeys of people with mental illness

Honours Students

• Judith Talbot - Exploring the relationship between self efficacy and the outcomes of work experience for Year 11 students with special educational needs
• Caris Baldock - Development and field testing of a logic model to describe and evaluate a WRAP-based program for people with mental illness
• Lauren McKernon - Perspectives on quality in personalised residential support for adults with developmental disabilities
• Aleasha De Zilwa - The efficacy of the Life Needs Model of Service Delivery for services for adults with cerebral palsy who are living in the community
• Nicky Stevens - A case study of accommodation support services provided by a community living association for adults with a disability in a rural area of Western Australia

Recent Publications

Cocks, E. (2000). Vision, values and strategies for the future. International Rehabilitation Review, 50 (1)

Cocks, E. (2001). Normalization and Social Role Valorisation: Guidance for Human Service Development. Hong Kong Journal of Psychiatry, 11 (1), 12-16

Cocks, E. (2002). The evaluation of quality in services for people with learning disabilities. In D. Race (Ed.), Learning disabilities: A social approach (pp. 118-136). Basingstoke, UK : Routledge

Cocks, E. (2004, Sept.). Issues and strategies to address transition from school to work for people with disabilities. In Proceedings of the 3 rd International Conference on Rehabilitation: Recent Conditions and Trends of Rehabilitation Practice and Policy Issues for Persons with Disabilities (pp. 6-20). Korea : Daegu University

Cocks, E. (2005). Vulnerable people in care: person-centred values and clinical governance. In A. James, A. Worrall, & T. Kendall (Eds.), Clinical governance in mental health and learning disability services: A practical guide. (pp. 321-333). UK: Gaskell Press (Royal College of Psychiatrists)

Cocks, E. (2005). Vulnerable people in care: person-centred values and clinical governance. In A. James, A. Worrall, & T, Kendall (Eds), Clinical governance in mental health and learning disability services (pp. 321-333), London: Gaskell

Cocks, E. (2006). Human qualities necessary for the well-being of people with disabilities and their families in Australia. Interaction, 20(2), 5-10

Cocks, E. (2007) Intellectual disability: A social movement in need of revitalisation? Interaction, 20(4), 21-27

Cocks, E. (2007) Can the concept of social capital contribute to disability policies and practices? Interaction, 20(4), 28-35

Drenen, E. A, York, D. J., & Lewis, G. M. (2001). Mentoring co-workers with disabilities. Perth: ProEm Publications

Goddard, T. (2005 in press). Do social objectives integrate with corporate core objectives? The future for social auditing. In S. Schaltegger & W. Wagner (Eds.), Sustainability, Performance and Competitiveness. Greenleaf Publishing

Goddard, T. (2003). Community health through holistic corporate citizenship. The Corporate Citizen, 3 (2), 14-18

Lewis, G. M. (2002). Key success factors in placing and supporting new apprentices with disabilities through group training.  Brisbane: Australian National Training Authority

Lewis, G. M., Robertson, S. K., & Drenen, L. E. (2001).  Finding a job, keeping a job.  Perth: ProEm Publications

Lewis, G. M. (2002). Key success factors in placing and supporting new apprentices with disabilities through group training: Findings of a national study. Brisbane: Australian National Training Authority

Lewis, G., & Goff, P. (2002). Supporting people with disabilities in apprenticeships: an Australian initiative. The Advance , 12 (2-3)

Lockwood, R., Lockwood, A, Lewis, G., & Drenen, E. (2003). Work and study: Support for athletes with disabilities-a successful model in Western Australia . Palaestra, 19 (2), 33-57

Robertson, S., Lewis, G., & Hiila, H. (2004). Supported employment in the public sector for people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 21 (1), 9-18

Recent Presentations

Cocks, E. (2001, March). The Firm Foundations Project: Enhancing research and development capacity in allied health and support staff in a UK specialist disability NHS Trust. Paper presented at the 4th National Allied Health Conference, Perth, Western Australia

Cocks, E. (2001, June). An action learning strategy to develop research capacity: Addressing issues of culture. Keynote address at the conference Developing partnerships in health, social care and education: Challenges and opportunities in the 21st Century, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Cocks, E. (2001, Oct.). Valuing people - the UK White Paper for intellectual disability. The social model of disability. Half-day public seminar, Melbourne, Victoria

Cocks, E. (2002, Feb.). Getting down to business. Promoting self-determination for people with developmental disabilities. Public seminar, Melbourne, Victoria

Cocks, E. (2002, Sept.). Intellectual disability: A social movement in need of revitalization? Paper presented at the 13th World Congress of Inclusion International, Melbourne, Victoria

Cocks, E. (2002, Sept.). Can the concept of social capital contribute to disability policies and practices? Paper presented at the 13th World Congress of Inclusion International, Melbourne, Victoria

Cocks, E. (2004, Jan.). Creating a knowledge base for the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities. Keynote address presented at the Scientific Congress of the Dubai International Rehabilitation Forum 2004, Dubai, UAE

Cocks, E. (2004, Sept.). The UAE perspective: The future of individuals with disabilities. Invited paper presented at the seminar Developing a National Service Framework for learning difficulties, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce Training Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Cocks, E. (2004, Sept.). Issues and strategies to address transition from school to work for people with disabilities. Invited paper presented at The 3rd International Conference on Rehabilitation: Recent conditions and trends of rehabilitation practice and policy issues for persons with disabilities, Daegu University, Daegu City, Korea

Cocks, E. (2004, Sept.). Global trends and issues in the employment of people with disabilities. Invited workshop presented to the Korea Employment Promotion Agency for the Disabled, Seoul, Korea

Cocks, E. (2005, Nov.). Human qualities necessary for the wellbeing of people with disabilities and their families in Australia. Keynote address presented at the “Living in the West 2005. Leading the Way” Conference, Australian Council for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (ACROD) WA Division, Perth, WA

Cocks, E. (2005, Nov.). Transforming disability: International issues and trends in disability services. Keynote address presented at the ACROD “CEO Meeting 2005”, Canberra, ACT

Cocks, E. (2006, Feb.). The social semiotics of disability and ageing: The role of media imagery in social valuation.  Paper presented at “Media and Identity in Asia: Media-Asia Research Group 2006 Conference”, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia

Cocks, E. (2006, March). Responding to the employment and accommodation needs of young adults with significant developmental disabilities. Invited paper at the Dubai (UAE) International Rehabilitation Forum 2006

Cocks, E. (2006, March). Values and leadership in improving the lives of people with disabilities. Invited workshop at the Dubai (UAE) International Rehabilitation Forum 2006

Cocks, E. (2006, March). What is the best way to plan for a workforce that is able to address effectively and efficiently the needs of children with special needs and disabilities, and their families? Invited paper at the Arab Children Health Congress, Dubai (UAE)

Cocks, E. & Huston, J. (2006, July). Building stronger communities through corporate partnerships and social marketing: Relevant skills for occupational therapists. Workshop provided at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Conference, Sydney, Australia

Cocks, E. (2006, Dec.). Expanding educational and vocational opportunities. Paper presented at the 9th International Congress on Community Services for Children, Youth and Families with Special Health Care Needs, Washington, DC

Cocks, E. (2007, Feb.). Analysing pathways and their outcomes: Opportunities, challenges, and methodological aspects. Invited paper presented at the OECD Workshop on Pathways for Students with Disabilities to Tertiary Education and Employment, Athens, Greece

Goddard, T (2005). Australian Gas Light Corporate Citizenship case study: 'Improving the lives of those touched by our business'. UN/Qld Gov International Conference on Engaging Communities, Brisbane, Queensland

Goddard, T., Higgins, C., & Lee, L. (2004). Community capacity and corporate citizenship: Creating social capital through corporate volunteering? 10th Volunteering Australia National Conference on Volunteering, Melbourne, Victoria

Goddard, T (2003). Sustainable community health: building social capital through the corporate sector. 5th National Allied Health Conference, Adelaide, South Australia

Lewis, G. M., & Goff, P. (2000). Securing and supporting apprenticeships for people with disabilities: Report on a Western Australian Project. Paper presented at Australian National Training Authority Equity Conference, Melbourne, Victoria

Lewis, G. M. (2002). 20 Steps to improve outcomes for new apprentices with disabilities though group training arrangements. Invited address to the ANTA Equity Conference, Melbourne, Victoria

Lewis, G. M. (2002). Placing and supporting new apprentices with disabilities in partnership with group training organisations: Three research projects. Invited address to the National Conference of the Association for Competitive Employment, Sydney, New South Wales

Lewis, G. M. (2002). Key success factors in placing and supporting new apprentices with disabilities through group training. Keynote address to the National Conference of Group Training Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory

Lewis, G. M. (2003). Supported employment in Australia. Keynote address to the 6 the European Union Conference on Supported Employment, Helsinki, Finland

Lewis, G. M. (2003). Social revolution, legislative reform and the rise of competitive employment in Australia. Keynote address to the National Conference of the Association for Competitive Employment, Hobart, Tasmania

Lewis, G. M. (2004). Establishing open employment services for people with disabilities. Keynote address to REHAB 2004 International Rehabilitation Conference, Dubai, UAE

Lewis, G. M. (2004). Two decades of competitive employment in Australia. Keynote address to the South Australian State Conference of the Association for Competitive Employment, Adelaide, South Australia