For many people, employment represents far more than just a source of income. Work provides structure, purpose, social connection, identity, and a sense of achievement, all of which contribute significantly to health and wellbeing.

For people with criminal records, access to employment can be a significant challenge. Within Cygnet, we support a range of individuals with diagnoses including learning disabilities (LD) and/or mental illness across inpatient and social care settings. When a criminal record is combined with these diagnoses, individuals often face a ‘double stigma’, creating additional barriers to securing and maintaining work. Occupational Therapy plays a key role in helping individuals to overcome these challenges by supporting them to pursue employment goals that align with their strengths, interests and aspirations.

A recent success story from Cygnet Bostall House highlights the value of this approach. A service user with a learning disability and a criminal record, who had spent more than 11 years in a locked rehabilitation setting, was supported to secure and sustain a voluntary role with Age UK. Despite the considerable barriers associated with both his diagnosis and offending history, he remained motivated to pursue employment and meaningful community participation. Working alongside the Occupational Therapy Assistant and multidisciplinary team, a person-centred approach was used to identify his strengths, interests, aspirations and barriers to participation. Support focused on developing pre-vocational skills including building confidence, communication skills, daily routines and engagement in meaningful occupations. He also attended college courses designed to improve independence, employability and promote social interaction.

During a college open day, an opportunity for voluntary work with Age UK was identified. The role matched his strengths, including his friendly nature, reliability, and ability to build positive relationships. He now volunteers regularly at Age UK, assisting with activities such as bingo sessions and serving refreshments. Feedback from staff and attendees has been overwhelmingly positive. Since attending college and volunteering, he has demonstrated increased confidence, improved communication skills, developed greater independence and enhanced community participation. This achievement is particularly significant given that only around 6% of adults with a learning disability known to local authorities in England are in paid employment (Public Health England, 2025).

Within Cygnet’s Secure Services, Occupational Therapists are leading the Pathways to Purpose project, which aims to increase employment opportunities for service users through improved understanding of the disclosure process and stronger partnerships with employers and external agencies. A good understanding of disclosure enables Occupational Therapists to provide realistic vocational guidance, advocate effectively with employers, and support service users to highlight their strengths, skills, and readiness for work, rather than being defined by past offences.

Reference:

Public Health England (2025). Learning disabilities: applying All Our Health. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-disability-applying-all-our-health/learning-disabilities-applying-all-our-health [Accessed 22 Sept. 2026].