Disability and employment in China: a Guangzhou case study

This study explored perceptions of disability and attitudes towards employment within the context of the ableist construction of disability in China. Interviews were conducted with thirteen young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and thirteen of their parents in Guangzhou, China. Thematic analysis of the interviews reveals that while most young participants either deny their disability identity or struggle with it, some have developed a positive understanding of disability. Parents create a protective family shelter in their children’s work lives, leading to their children’s lack of employment awareness. These parents also expect their children to achieve recognised social status through employment. This study highlights the need for disability studies to appreciate the importance of understanding a localised construction of disability. It also recommends that service providers in China address the limited support in raising employment awareness of families with young persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.