About Us
Rehabilitation Network is a niche company with a big heart 
. We’ve been working in the vocational rehabilitation industry for around 25 years both in Australia and UK. During that time we’ve been involved in a diverse range of programmes and projects in UK and Europe and worked with customers and partners in Australia, Canada and USA. Assessment and case management of people who have suffered sickness, accident, injury or disability and want to return to work has been at the core of our work throughout.
We hold dear some core values based on our experience and work to date:
- Vocational rehabilitation for all
- Proactive case management
- Cascading best practice
- Services that match customer needs
- Consultation and needs analysis
- Working with different people, organisations and cultures
* * *
We value a vocational rehabilitation service for everyone
Vocational rehabilitation is well established in Australia and our assessment and case management methods and techniques are built on what many people consider as their ‘golden period’. Each community had a government funded rehabilitation unit ranging in size from a single staff member to a multi-disciplinary team. Everybody was entitled to a service including Job Centre and Workers Compensation referrals, motor accident victims, insurance and solicitor clients. People could refer themselves off the street.
'At first it's a slippery and painful slope; you think you'll never make it up the first step...you do...you go on...things seem ok for a while...then yet another of life's banana skins, and you despair...you're back at the beginning, but this time you see life differently, because RNL is there for you all the way, come rain, shine or life's banana skins!' ~ Judith O'Carroll, Income Protection Policy holder and recipient of vocational assistance to help her identify an alternative career path, from University Researcher, after a diagnosis of epilepsy.
More information on our vocational rehabilitation services
* * *
We value excellent, proactive case management
The Australian casework model encouraged attention on the case management process and client outcomes through its benchmarking and quality assurance frameworks. It was easy to see why some client programmes and interventions were more successful and what the key elements of a return to work programme should include. We have made every effort to incorporate essential process and quality checking elements into our work so that we can deliver an excellent case management service.
Case studies – return to work own employer
Case studies – return to work different employer
More information on our vocational rehabilitation services
* * *
We value cascading best practice
In the Australian model exceptional client vocational rehabilitation services sat alongside a full suite of guidance manuals and training courses for all the staff. Everything was covered from staff recruitment to collecting aged debt and worksite assessments to rehabilitation counselling techniques. All staff were encouraged to get involved in in-house training, projects, professionally relevant continuing professional development (CPD) and to work in relevant management and supervisory roles to broaden their approach and improve their ways of working.
In 2006 we started talking to the University of Derby's 'Learning through Work' department about accrediting our Active Case Management Course. This course was originally designed as an induction suite for our Network of Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants to help them develop some of the skills and practices used in the Australian model. Many of the core materials have since formed the basis of our current European work.
'I worked for many years as a community based OT before starting work as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor some 6 years ago. At the time Rehabilitation Network (RNL) helped me to become familiar with the techniques involved in a more vocational way of working via their user-friendly induction training pack. As an OT working as an independent practitioner I have welcomed their ongoing mentoring and support which has enabled me to keep up to speed with new ways of doing things and meet industry standards. I've found RNL's approach very professional...' ~ Jane Kimbell, Occupational Therapist
More information on our training and mentoring
* * *
We value flexibility and services that match customer needs
Until 2007 a large part of our work was helping a multinational insurance company establish their own internal rehabilitation team. Our initial job involved staff training and joint assessments but grew to include the recruitment and management of 25 Rehabilitation Network vocational rehabilitation consultants, across the UK.
Rehabilitation Network Flyer – return to work services
Rehabilitation Network Flyer – company compliance
More information on our vocational rehabilitation services
* * *
We value consultation and needs analysis with clients, students and partners
The Travors project started in 2008 to transfer Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) training design guidance within a vocational rehabilitation context. At the core of the training trials was an extensive learning needs analysis exercise to try to understand the learning needs of the different cultures and professional groups we were working with. This project involved partners in Austria, Estonia, Greece and Spain and was co-financed by the Leonardo Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission.
Since 2004 we have worked with an Australian company called Fianian to undertake Mental Health Service Reviews for people with severe and enduring mental health issues. All reviews were formulated as a result of extensive consultation with medical and community care professionals, service users and their carers.
Travors Evaluation Extract
More information on our international project work
* * *
We value working with different people, organisations and cultures
Rehabilitation Network (alongside Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants) has proposed and managed two European Commission funded transfer of innovation bids to date. We now have the infrastructure set up to work with International partners including working in foreign currencies. In the last few years we have successfully worked with European partners in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey and International partners and customers in Australia, Canada and USA.
We are currently involved in the development of a European Driving Licence equivalent Qualification for Personal Advisors, testing vocational rehabilitation course content for non-specialists and employers and looking at vocational rehabilitation competencies for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME’s). Learning needs analysis is being used extensively in all of these projects.
Travors Project Report
Our International Team
