Barriers to employment for visually impaired women

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore barriers to employment for visually impaired (VI) women and potential solutions to those barriers. Design/methodology/approach – Mixed methods, comprising three phases; first, exploratory interviews with VI women (n=6) and employers (n=3); second, a survey to assess the barriers to employment experienced by this group (n=96); and third, in-depth interviews with VI women (n=15). This paper reports phases 2 and 3. Findings – The most commonly reported barriers to work were: negative employer attitudes; the provision of adjustments in the workplace; restricted mobility; and having an additional disability/health condition. Significantly more barriers were reported by women: who reported that their confidence had been affected by the barriers they had experienced; with dependents under 16; and women who wanted to work. Research limitations/implications – Key solutions to these barriers included: training for employers; adaptive equipment; flexibility; better support; training and work experience opportunities; and more widely available part-time employment opportunities. Originality/value – This paper adds to the literature in respect of the key barriers to employment for VI women, together with providing key solutions to these barriers.