Concept of Occupational Deprivation

Awareness of the limitations of certain pathways can occur when students watch others progress through school and change schools. Options may be blocked off by waiting lists or small class sizes or no options that suit. Awareness of how challenges in mental health can impact on options available is important to note when entering high school and progressing through each grade level. Students may be capable of completing the regular curriculum but due to attendance, illness and mental health issues may not be able to cope in a regular classroom. Understanding the long term limitations of career options for further study is important to pre-empt and plan for as the student progresses through high school. A Life Skills program may not provide the student with access to the job / career pathway that they are actively interested in and this may exacerbate mental health problems significantly. Advanced knowledge of what are the options post school for types of jobs and types of support is essential to assist with minimising distress for individuals and their families and in allowing the therapist enough time to help the student develop other alternatives of sufficient depth to support employment and career options that can provide access to enough income, active engagement and enjoyment versus repetitive options that may be

available otherwise.