My name is Claire I have Asperger’s syndrome and epilepsy. My disabilities are invisible. Everyday is a struggle for me sensory wise and socially too. I also suffer with chronic pain. I want to work and I want to contribute to society and pay my taxes like everyone else. When employers hear aspergers they suddenly think that you won’t be able to do the job but in fact Aspergers is an advantage to employers because of attention to detail and good focus and loyalty and different positive aspects that aspergers has. When they hear epilepsy some think it’s uncontrollable and judge straight away. I always know at the back of my mind that I could take a seizure anytime but my epilepsy is more or less controlled it is my autism/aspergers that has me not working. And I would love for society to understand autism better and understand aspergers better I would like for legislation to come in that employers can’t discriminate and to show that they have a quota of people with disabilities working in their companies which is an incentive for people with disabilities to get to work and get out of the benefit trap. I am studying and volunteering at the minute but I would like to be working too. I would like for people with disabilities to not be discriminated against and for more programmes for people with all types of disabilities to get to work and education.
