Family Learning Funding: A Scoping Study
NIACE, working with Capacity (a research consultancy headed by Margaret
Lochrie) explored the funding environment for family learning. They considered
how it impacts on local deliver and how different policy initiatives interact at
local level and contribute to shaping family learning.
Research methodology:
 |
A number of approaches were used to
try to capture the funding environment and highlight the key issues. These
included desk research, focus groups, case studies and telephone and
face-to-face interviews. A wide range of policy, planning and guidance
documents were examined along with evaluations and research reviews relating
to the benefits of family learning. |
|
Three focus groups were convened,
one for key personnel at a national strategic level, the other for local
family learning managers from local authorities and the voluntary and
community sector. The representatives were chosen to reflect geographical
spread, shire, metropolitan and unitary local authorities, and level of family
learning capacity. All attendees were asked to supply information relating to
funding their own organisations on a pro-forma. The third meeting was with
family learning managers from six local education authorities combined for the
purposes of one Skills for Families project. |
|
Four authorities were profiled in
more detail. Telephone and face-to-face interviews were also conducted with
individuals having specialist or distinctive knowledge and/or information. |
The policy initiatives and funding sources underpinning family learning
activity are complex:
|
Family learning is relevant to a
number of policy initiatives; however, it is not always
described as such. It also forms an integral thread of other classifications
such as Adult and Community Learning, regeneration, or literacy, language and
numeracy. This creates a very diverse landscape of policy perspectives,
delivery models and funding sources. |
|
More than thirty funding sources
were identified, which could be used to support family learning or fund family
support. |
|
The main responsibility within the
post-16 learning and skills sector for funding family learning rests with the
Learning and Skills Council through its Family Programmes. |
|
The main types of funding come from
the Department for Education and Skills through the LSC Family Programmes –
Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy (FLLN) and Wider Family Learning (WFL),
Skills for Families and Step into Learning; Sure Start Unit; Parenting Fund;
and monies in strands from other departments, for example, the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) for Single Regeneration Budget (SRB), New Deal
for Communities (NDC) and European Social Fund (ESF); the Home Office, monies
from the National Lottery amongst others. |
There was a consensus amongst practitioners and key personnel that more
funding was needed, particularly to develop infrastructure. Family learning
frequently engages adults and children and is expensive to provide. Extensive
development work is required to successfully engage with groups in our
communities who have a negative perception of education and learning.
The question of what an adequate level of funding might be was difficult to
determine. It was felt that this would hinge on a consensus about a wider
strategic vision for family learning, clearer definition of its purpose and the
potential for family learning to be offered as a universal, mainstream service.
|
The DfES and the LSC should
consider the scope for simplifying the funding environment and reducing the
number of separate funding streams for family learning; |
|
Consideration given to the
feasibility of a single ‘pot’ for family learning; |
|
Development of an overall vision
and strategy for family learning; |
|
Consultation on the best means of
achieving the strategic co-ordination of family learning. |
| Haggart, J., Lochrie, M. and Spacey, R. (2005) Family Learning Funding:
A Scoping Study. A report for the DfES, NIACE: Leicester. Unpublished.
|
Funder: DfES
Duration: January-March 2005
Project Managers: Jeanne Haggart, Annie Merton
Email: rachel.spacey@niace.org.uk
Requests for ‘Key Findings’ in other formats, such as large print, are
welcome. We would be pleased to consider your request.