Educational Pathways and Work Outcomes of Disabled Young People in England Qualitative Longitudinal Study, 2021-2022

Educational Pathways and Work Outcomes of Disabled Young People in England (RPG-2020-202) is a 36-month research project funded by the Leverhulme Trust (November 2020-November 2023).

The project aims to provide novel evidence surrounding educational transitions and labour market outcomes of disabled young people in England, and to investigate the whole range of mechanisms through which adolescent disability is translated into social disadvantage.

The ‘Educational Pathways and Work Outcomes of Disabled Young People in England Qualitative Longitudinal Study' is a part of this broader project, which began during March 2021 and involved the collection of qualitative interview-based data from disabled young people and their parents/guardians. The project focused specifically on the experiences of dyslexic, autistic and/or physically disabled young people.

Data were collected in waves in order to capture the experiences of young people through their post-16 education transitions into work and further education. Wave 1 interviews were conducted with the young people at age 15-16 (prior/during GCSE examinations) and wave 2 interviews a year later when the young people had entered further education and were aged 16-17 years old.