Families as system actors in discovery embedding co-production within the Equilibrium Systems Model of Employment
Overview
This paper examines the currently informal and inconsistent role of families within the Discovery process used in Customised Employment. Discovery is a core practice within Customised Employment, used to identify the strengths, interests, and conditions for success of people with disability through qualitative, person-centred exploration rather than standardised assessment.
Although families significantly influence employment outcomes for people with disability, their contributions are not systematically integrated into practice. The author proposes the Family Discovery Model, which positions families as active system partners who support narrative development, network mapping and collaborative reflection. These structured roles enhance employment planning, strengthen alignment between participant goals and service delivery and improve overall system coherence.
Practice examples illustrate how the model can support transitions from school to work, movement out of segregated employment and pathway development for individuals with complex needs. The paper concludes that embedding families as co-producers within Discovery can strengthen rehabilitation practice, improve employment outcomes and better align services with contemporary disability policy.