Education: inequalities and attainment gaps
Educational attainment gaps are widening for disadvantaged children and translating into unequal employment outcomes. How can policymakers address this?
Disability occurs in many different forms. An invisible disability, or non-visible disability, is an impairment or health condition that is not immediately obvious. This POSTnote provides an overview of invisible disability in the UK. It outlines types of invisible disabilities and relevant legislation and policy. It also discusses the experiences of adults with invisible disabilities, and strategies aimed at increasing access and inclusion for adults with invisible disabilities, focusing on employment, and higher and further education.
Invisible Disabilities in Education and Employment (684 KB , PDF)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN689
It is estimated that 70-80% of disabilities are invisible. There are a wide range of impairments or conditions not necessarily visible to others, which are not limited to, but include: mental health conditions; autism and other neurodivergences, cognitive impairments; hearing, vision and speech impairments; and energy-limiting conditions (such as fibromyalgia). Because an invisible disability is not outwardly observable, they may face disregard or disbelief of their disability. They may experience difficulties participating in work and education and in accessing the services and support they need. Disabled people can have both non-visible and visible impairments, or impairments that are only visible in certain circumstances or settings.
POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer-reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
Members of the POST Board*
Akudo Amadiegwu, University of Essex*
Dr Kusha Anand, University College London*
Professor Andrew Bateman, University of Essex*
Burcu Borysik, Crohn’s & Colitis UK
Professor Kim Burton, University of Huddersfield
Getting Things Changed, University of Bristol*
Dr Daniel Crepaz-Keay, The Mental Health Foundation*
Dr Daniel Derbyshire, The Inclusivity Project, University of Exeter*
The Nuffield Foundation*
Robert Gill, Scope
Dr Christine Grant, Coventry University*
Catherine Hale, Astriid*
Dr Paula Holland, Lancaster University*
Professor Kim Hoque, King’s Business School*
Professor Divya Jindal-Snape, University of Dundee
Norbert Liekfeldt, East London NHS Trust
Professor Neil Lunt, University of York
Dr Keren MacLennan, Durham University*
Angela Matthews, Business Disability Forum
Dr Cara Molyneux, University of Leeds*
Dr Amanda Moore, University College London*
Dr Vaughan Parsons, Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Trust
Department for Work and Pensions*
Gill Porter
Professor Carol Rivas, University College London*
David Ruttenberg, University College London
Professor Roger Slee, University of Leeds
Tumi Sotire
Fran Springfield, Chronic Illness Inclusion UK*
Heather Taylor, The Work Foundation*
Disability Rights UK*
Cabinet Office Disability Unit*
Dr Matthew Wells, University of Essex*
Kirsten Whiting, The Inclusivity Project, University of Exeter*
*denotes individuals and organisations that acted as external reviews for this briefing.
Invisible Disabilities in Education and Employment (684 KB , PDF)
Educational attainment gaps are widening for disadvantaged children and translating into unequal employment outcomes. How can policymakers address this?
With ongoing challenges to recruitment and retention, how can the government ensure schools have the teaching workforce they need?
Evidence suggests that the decline of psychological wellbeing in schools has accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic. How can we best support students individually and equitably?