Type of Project: Funded project In-house project Scientific Work
Basic concept for needs assessment in vocational rehabilitation (b3)

The equal and self-determined participation in life in society of people with disabilities - connected with the paradigm of inclusion - is an important goal of society as a whole. The SGB IX and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) set the goal of enabling, promoting and ensuring comprehensive participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life. As a means of achieving this goal, "comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programs" (Art. 26 (1) UN CRPD) are important, which in Germany find their concretization in social law in particular in the form of services for participation (§ 4 SGB IX) for people with disabilities. Based on the individual with his or her existing or threatening participation impairments, it must be considered individually in each case which services in which form and design are necessary and purposeful for participation in life in society, as well as in particular participation in working life. For this purpose, the respective participation needs of the person with disabilities must be identified and determined, and decisions must be made about suitable participation services and/or their design to cover these needs. The processes of needs assessment are decisive for the individual participation opportunities of people with disabilities. These require uniform and comprehensively applied principles in the structured system. The Joint Recommendation on the "Rehab Process" (2014) has already set an important course at the level of the SFA across all institutions. The Feasibility study "Examination of current status and potential of needs assessment of services for participation in working life taking into account the ICF" (2012/2013) has identified significant potential for further development in the area of needs assessment of services for participation in working life. Based on these results, the BAR, in cooperation with the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences and the Federal Association of Vocational Training Centers (BAG BBW), will develop over the next three years cross-agency and cross-provider principles for needs assessment using the bio-psycho-social model of the World Health Organization (WHO) on which the ICF is based. This is done in the form of a basic concept for needs assessment in vocational rehabilitation, together with representatives of service providers and service providers as well as associations of people with disabilities and other agents. The basic concept is intended to provide a common basis for the multitude of instruments and procedures used in the context of needs assessment and to provide an overarching frame of reference for the agents involved in needs assessment, which has been lacking up to now. The aim is to formulate reference points for practical action, to describe common requirements for the needs assessment of the agents and to offer practical support for the implementation of needs assessment processes. Essential cornerstones of the concept are: - the definition and agreement of principles for the needs assessment. - the development of basic principles for needs assessment processes using the bio-psycho-social model. - analysis and structuring of instruments and procedures used for needs assessment in a toolbox. The toolbox includes questions of needs assessment and determination at service providers as well as the processes of service providers for needs assessment in the context of the implementation of services for participation in working life. The common basic concept, which places people and their needs at the center of all needs assessment activities, is intended in particular to enable - more efficient use of the wide range of instruments and procedures, - better connectivity of the results of needs assessment processes, - easier needs assessment and communication processes for the agents, and - improved opportunities for the participation of beneficiaries. The new concept is to be based in particular on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the right of wish and choice (§ 9 SGB IX) as well as the individual competencies and the participation goals of the person with disabilities. In addition to positive effects for people with disabilities, e.g. transparency of the process and accuracy of fit of the assistance, it is also intended to contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of services for participation in working life. In view of the diversity of procedures and instruments for determining needs and the differentiated nature of services for participation in working life, the project is placed on a broad basis. In addition to the project team, the systematic involvement of experts and a project advisory board are important tools for achieving results that can be used in practice.