Evaluation of a Singaporean vocational rehabilitation program: Service providers insights

Abstract Background Evaluation of vocational rehabilitation program requires understanding the perspectives of clients and vocational rehabilitation providers (VRP). These providers can offer critical insights into service operations and identify barriers to care. This study aimed to understand the perspectives of VRP in a local vocational rehabilitation program towards feedback they received from clients, with a goal to understand how the program can be improved further. Methods This was a qualitative study. We conducted focus group discussions with VRP. We analyzed the qualitative data using inductive thematic analysis. Findings We recruited 14 VRP (median age = 33 years). Each VRP participated in two focus group sessions. We identified seven major themes from the sessions: (i) commitment to client-centered care, (ii) benefits of multi-disciplinary team, (iii) inclusion of long-term care planning, (iv) need for inter-agency collaboration, (v) emphasis on education, training and awareness, (vi) opportunities for expansion, and (vi) constraints. These represent the potential areas to improve the vocational rehabilitation program as well as challenges to the return-to-work process of people with disabilities. Conclusions The VRP identified program- and system-level areas for improvement. Program-level improvements include long-term care planning, inter-agency collaboration, and education and training for all stakeholders involved in the return-to-work process. Beyond the program, the service providers acknowledged that the changing job market globally, technological advancements, and adoption of technology could influence the return-to-work process of people with disabilities (PWD). At the system-level, the service providers highlighted that social attitudes or policies could also impact on the employment of PWD. These factors may require whole-of-system efforts to create a more inclusive society that supports PWD to gain employment. Key messages • Vocational rehabilitation providers should be aware of the factors that contribute to PWD returning to work. • Policies may also need to be streamlined to encourage the return-to-work process of PWD.