Disability and employment in China: a Guangzhou case study

This study explored perceptions of disability and attitudes towards employment within the context of the ableist construction of disability in China. Interviews were conducted with thirteen young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and thirteen of their parents in Guangzhou, China. Thematic analysis of the interviews reveals that while most young participants either deny their disability identity or struggle with it, some have developed a positive understanding of disability. Parents create a protective family shelter in their children's work lives, leading to their children's lack of employment awareness. These parents also expect their children to achieve recognised social status through employment. This study highlights the need for disability studies to appreciate the importance of understanding a localised construction of disability. It also recommends that service providers in China address the limited support in raising employment awareness of families with young persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This case study explores what a small group of young Chinese people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their parents think about disability and employment.Some young disabled participants see themselves as having different characteristics to their non-disabled peers. Some of the parents of the young participants think their children are disabled by people not understanding disability and a lack of support.Most of the young disabled participants find it hard to accept their disability as part of their identity and face challenges in understanding what it means to find jobs and work.Many of the parents describe their disabled children as 'abnormal' compared to 'normal' non-disabled peers and hope employment will help their children be seen as capable as their non-disabled peers.The study recommends professionals and disability organisations provide families of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities adequate support to understand disability and employment-related information and opportunities.