Rehabilitation, in the health context, involves facilitating optimal participation for disadvantaged individuals in society.  Furthermore vocational rehabilitation (VR) maximises participation in the workforce. Vocational rehabilitation practitioners (VRPs) are mostly health/rehabilitation professionals. However, they specialise in understanding the world of work.  But a few other VRPs are employment experts with specialist knowledge of health and/or disability issues.

VRPs assist:

• those who have difficulties in entering the workforce;
• those having difficulties with their current jobs; and
• those who are out of work but seeking help to re-enter employment.

The VRA represents all those involved in delivering VR services. Consequently a number of groups are involved from both health (NHS and private) and other government agencies e.g. the Department for Work and Pensions.

We are aware of the deficient VR services in the UK and strive to develop greater provision with an appropriately skilled workforce. We help and encourage employers (through both HR and occupational health) to be more aware of, and better understand, the value of providing VR. In turn this assists employers retain employees despite of ill health. It also helps reduce sickness absence and aids the economy through reducing the costs of ill-health benefits.

The Association exists to:

• help people working in the field of disability and employment;
• to promote and develop their personal, professional and practical skills; and also
• to maintain their awareness of a broad range of rehabilitation issues.

The Association is committed to:

• fulfilling aims that will ensure the recognition of the skills and knowledge of practitioners;
• setting and furthering standards for future practitioners; and also
• providing a competence framework for users of vocational rehabilitation services.