The main aim of the workshop was to examine the rise in the number of young people with disabilities. In many EU Member States, there is increasing policy concern about the growing numbers of young people who are entering long-term disability schemes. It appears that the nature of the illnesses...

Chronic diseases are health problems requiring ongoing treatment for a period of years or decades, implying that these diseases are recurrent, long-lasting, persistent and cannot be cured. Though they may or may not be caused (or made worse) by work, chronic diseases can have a serious impact on...

In Poland policy relating to people with disabilities does not differentiate between different groups – all groups are treated equally. There are no policies or programmes that particularly promote the participation of young people with disabilities in the open labour market. As in many other...

In Spain disability is officially recognised when the competent evaluation services assess a person as having a minimum 33% disability level. This evaluation is carried out by regional governments and there are differences among regions, which can result in a person obtaining a disability...

Denmark is a welfare society. The current aspiration of Danish disability policy is equal treatment for all, regardless of physical or mental capacity. This objective is the result of an evolutionary process, the effect of which is that people with disabilities are increasingly integrated into...

As in many other countries in Europe, the number of young people not in employment, education or training in the UK has risen in recent years. Information collected by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) provides a picture of increasing reliance on benefits by these young people. The...

In recent years, Portugal has aimed to reform some of its main policies in order to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. There has been a strong investment in enabling people with disabilities to gain qualifications and in promoting their integration into the labour market....

In France, there has been a continuous focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities since 1987, even though the achievements have been modest. The employment difficulties of young people with health problems or disabilities persist despite the existence of the quota scheme that places an...