Vocational rehabilitation via social firms: a qualitative investigation of the views and experiences of employees with mental health problems, social firm managers and clinicians

Nicola Morant; Alyssa Milton; Eleanor Gilbert; Sonia Johnson; Nicholas Parsons; Swaran Singh; Steven Marwaha

doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03577-5

Vocational rehabilitation via social firms: a qualitative investigation of the views and experiences of employees with mental health problems, social firm managers and clinicians

BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 12;21(1):566. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03577-5.

Authors

Nicola Morant¹, Alyssa Milton^{2

3}, Eleanor Gilbert⁴, Sonia Johnson^{2

5}, Nicholas Parsons⁶, Swaran Singh⁴, Steven Marwaha^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7NF, London, UK. n.morant@ucl.ac.uk.
² Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7NF, London, UK.
³ Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
⁵ Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁶ Statistics and Epidemiology Unit, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
⁷ Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
⁸ Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust, Birmingham, UK.

Abstract

Background: Employment within social firms in the UK is under-developed and under-researched, but a potentially beneficial route to vocational rehabilitation for people with mental health problems. This study explores the views and experiences of employees with mental ill-health, managers of social firms and mental health clinicians, in order to understand the potential value of social firms for the vocational rehabilitation, employment and well-being of people with mental health problems.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 employees with mental health problems in 11 social firms in England. A focus group and individual interviews were conducted with 12 managers of social firms. Two focus groups were held with 16 mental health clinicians. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Most employees expressed very positive views about working in a social firm. In responses from both employees and social firm managers, an overarching theme regarding the supportive ethos of social firms encompassed several related features: openness about mental health issues; peer, team and management support; flexibility; and support to progress and develop skills over time. Managers identified benefits of employing people with mental health problems who were sufficiently recovered. Knowledge of social firms within clinician focus groups was very limited, although clinicians thought they could be a welcome additional vocational resource.

Conclusions: High levels of job satisfaction among social firm employees may be explained by the supportive ethos of these working environments. Social firms have potential to be a helpful addition to the range of vocational pathways available for people with mental ill-health. Further mixed methods investigations of experiences and outcomes in order to understand who engages with and benefits from this form of vocational rehabilitation would be valuable in informing decisions about scaling up the model.

Keywords: Mental illness; Qualitative research; Social enterprise; Social firms; Supported employment; UK; Vocational rehabilitation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Employment
Humans
Mental Disorders*
Mental Health*
Rehabilitation, Vocational
Social Problems