Introduction. Of all people with disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities are the most numerous unemployed group who wait for a job the longest. In order to spend their day in a more productive way, these people spend time in centres and day-care centres within the system of social protection, but their motivation for work decreases over time. Objectives. The main goal of this research was to determine work readiness in adults with intellectual disabilities by assessing the specific dimension of work motivation, with special emphasis on determining differences in gender, level of formal education, type of family environment, and records in the National Employment Service. Methods. The convenience sample consisted of 78 respondents of both genders, users of services provided by associations for helping persons with intellectual disabilities in Belgrade. Work Readiness Scale (Rose et al., 2010) was used in this research. Results. Adults with intellectual disabilities were moderately interested in employment, but the obtained results differed from the estimated variables. Respondents who were professionally trained for work, as well as those who were registered in the records of the National Employment Service, showed proactive attitudes towards employment. Family support was insufficient and the lack of support was the most pronounced among the respondents living in foster families. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to gender. Conclusion. The obtained results indicate the need to provide professional support to adults with intellectual disabilities regarding the importance of working in integrated employment, with simultaneous cooperation with family members. Also, further research is needed in order to profile work readiness more clearly and adequately plan various services for the inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities in the world of work.

In spite of the legal framework intended for the promotion and protection of rights of the disabled, such persons are still facing significant difficulties in the labour market. Intellectually disabled persons are in a particularly difficult position, primarily due to the negative perceptions held by citizenry which stem from the lack of knowledge and information about their labour potentials. We conducted research in order to determine the most prevalent obstacles in the employment of intellectually disabled persons, as perceived by employed non-disabled persons. The research comprised a sample of 269 subjects of both sexes, of differing educational levels and employed in the private and public sector in the Republic of Serbia. The analysis of the attained results points to the need for certain kinds of educational interventions, whose programmes would improve the knowledge and awareness of employed persons regarding the right to work of intellectually disabled persons, promote diversity and create an inclusive working environment. The different modes of training, reinterpretation and transformation of previous experience, informing and establishing positive contacts with intellectually disabled persons, conducted by a multidisciplinary team of experts would establish a stable base for the removal of obstacles in the employment process.