Objective of the support stage The objective of the support stage is to provide training in work related skills and abilities and to look for a suitable work experience place to match these abilities. The Client Competency Profile (CCP) describes the client’s work identity and provides indications for a suitable workplace in line with his/her possibilities. The Suitable Workplace Profile (SWP) is completed and initial steps are taken to set up a job coaching plan and application for personal support.
	Client profile / need for support The assessment information has illustrated the work abilities. The Client Competency Profile (CCP) describes the client’s work identity and provides indications for a suitable workplace in line with existing possibilities. The CCP is kept up to date as and when new information is obtained. Coaching is focused on those issues where the CCP does not fit in with the necessary work profile. The intensity of support is defined by the client’s need for support and the available financial means. Alternative financial means will have to be found if they do not match.

	The support stage aims to make the client aware of his/her abilities and prospects of finding a suitable workplace. Motivation, desires and actual prospects The client gains an insight into what would be suitable activities, tasks or professions/environments for him/her and why he/she considers work to be important. He/she will have formed a realistic idea of his/her future prospects and will, to a large extent, have accepted this. Skills The client will enhance his/her skills by practising them in an actual work situation, focused on the direction and/or work environment that he/she aims to enter into. This also covers his/her attitude to work and social skills, such as interaction with colleagues. The client may also participate in a training course linked to a specific choice of profession. He/she will receive job application training at a reintegration company or from a job coach. He/she will participate in coaching sessions and, depending on his/her abilities, will write a report on these sessions. Together with the job coach, he/she will look for suitable workplaces and will know where, and how, to find them (e.g. the Internet). He/she will know how to keep a diary. The project plan will provide a summary of the various activities involved. Learning method The client’s learning method and learning ability will continually be updated with new information. The client must retain his/her learning method in new situations. The job coach will play an active part in the skills training, in particular with clients who find it difficult to generalise. With clients, who are fearful of new situations, the job coach will also be responsible for creating a secure setting in which the client can demonstrate his/her learning abilities in new work situations. Environment and personality The client will try to explain in which (work) environment he/she feels at home. He/she will practise his/her attitude to, and interaction with, colleagues. He/she is aware of any requirements associated with the workplace that would affect his/her productivity, e.g. not too many people or being able to switch off from specific noises. During this stage the client finds out how colleagues have to deal with his/her behaviour and how the physical work environment has to be adjusted. The client gets an idea of what he can/cannot do (ability to cope) and how many days he/she can work. During the support stage the personal network will become aware of, and realise the feasibility, of possible alternatives and prospects. Motivation, desires and actual prospects The personal network will support the client during the process of acceptance. Members of the network will provide feedback on alternatives and prospects to the client and the job coach. Skills The personal network will encourage the client by aiming to achieve a successful rapport between home and work (who, what, where and how). It has a conditional role in the process and has a realistic outlook. Members of the network will create conditions to assist the client in developing the right attitude to work. They will ensure that the client gets to work on time and will help the client to look for vacancies in the newspaper. The personal network does not have an input in the content of the support process. This will prevent the client from receiving contradictory information, which could have an adverse effect on his/her work performance. Learning method The client’s skills need to be honed. The personal network will take extra time to practise with the client, e.g. answering the phone, ensuring that he/she looks smart and arrives for work on time. Environment and personality The personal network helps to look for a suitable work placement or workplace. Members will inform the job coach in the event of problems at home. The objective of the support stage for the professional network is to promote (pre-conditional) integration. During this stage the network includes employers, colleagues, work placement counsellors and job finders. Motivation, desires and actual prospects The professional network will be open an honest about the client’s abilities. The employer will try to promote a realistic image and will not agree willy-nilly to any unexpected desires and ideas put forward by the client. Skills The professional network, which includes the employer, should welcome tips and information on autism related behaviour from the job coach. Understanding contributes to the enhancement of the client’s skills and attitude to work. If necessary, UWV employment experts will evaluate a workplace and arrange the payment of subsidies to employers. Learning method The professional network, which includes the employer, provides feedback to the client and job coach, where necessary. This will alert the client and job coach to situations that require additional learning, or that are failing. Environment and personality The professional network is aware of the need for acceptance for the client’s environment and personality by colleagues at work. Members understand that people with autism can only adjust to their environment to a limited degree. The employer is prepared to adapt the environment and will take the candidate employee’s behaviour into account where necessary.