• Summary: This paper uses research from American, Australasian and UK-based perspectives to examine supported employment as an enabling strategy to support disabled people with complex needs to access mainstream employment. Supported employment is analysed in the context of models of disability and employment policy. Factors underlying and hindering successful provision are identified from research.
• Findings: Supported employment is successfully supporting some people with complex needs into mainstream employment. However, aspects of employment policy, the benefits system, a lack of funding, and geographical variation in provision act as barriers to success.
• Applications: The implications of supported employment for people with complex needs are identified for social services and social work departments.
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