Re- conceptualising vocational rehabilitation services towards an inter-sectoral model

Abstract

This paper reports on a process that was undertaken by a group of occupational therapists, to re-conceptualise vocational rehabilitation in the Western Cape Province.   A critical action research inquiry method was used to review the role and positioning of the vocational rehabilitation services. The traditional vocational services, situated within the Department of Health, were found to be limited in a number of ways. The positioning of vocational rehabilitation as predominantly a health concern created a barrier that limited the scope of service delivery, thus hindering the outcome of employment. An alternate inter-sectoral approach was conceptualised; such an approach could have significant implications for the application of vocational rehabilitation. The implementation of the model that is proposed in this article will depend on the identified key stakeholders’ acceptance thereof and their efforts to collaborate.

KEY WORDS: Vocational rehabilitation, Inter-sectoral model, Domains of practice