Through Inclusion to Excellence

A NIACE response to The Report of the Steering Group for the Strategic Review of the LSC’s Planning and Funding of Provision for Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities across the Post-16 Learning and Skills Sector.

Published: February 2006

Introduction

1. In March 2004, the Learning and Skills Council’s National Council endorsed the need for a strategic review of its funding and planning of provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. A Steering Group, chaired by Peter Little OBE, oversaw the Review between July 2004 and September 2005. The final report was published on the 8th November 2005.

2. The review was concerned with the provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities across the whole learning and skills sector. It highlights different entitlements for learners in the five funding streams:

3. NIACE welcomes the report, is glad to be associated with it, and is pleased that the LSC have fully endorsed the report, its 40 recommendations and is supportive of the “transformational vision” that underpins the report. We believe it is important that a good, strong implementation process is put in place to carry forward the recommendations made in the report.

About NIACE

4. NIACE works to encourage more and different adults to engage in learning of all kinds. Its functions include research, development, publishing and consultancy; advocacy to inform and influence public policy; information services, conferences and dissemination; campaigning for and celebrating the achievements of, adult learners. Established in 1921, NIACE is an independent non-governmental organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. Its corporate and individual members come from all sectors concerned with adult learning: colleges; local authorities; universities; voluntary and community organisations; churches and faith communities; broadcasters, employers and unions.

The NIACE response

5. The table of recommendations presented in Annex E of the report are grouped in the following themes:

The NIACE response follows the same themes.

Legislative

6. In the light of the current cuts to provision for this cohort of learners NIACE are pleased to see the recommendation that “the DfES in its Grant Letter to the LSC for 2006-07 and, the LSC in its Annual Statement of Priorities, should give greater prominence and clarity to provision for these learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities being a priority”, thus ensuring there is no room for confusion or ambiguity in the minds of funders, providers and learners. However we feel this needs to be taken one step further and would ask that funding allocations be monitored by each regional LSC team to ensure there is no significant diminution in provision. If it is found that providers are not treating these learners as a priority and funding is not being allocated fairly we would hope that the local LSC ask providers for their reasons and hold them accountable for their actions.

7. NIACE recognises the importance of getting the Section 140 assessments right. The results of these assessments go a long way in determining a young person’s future opportunities. We would urge that the assessments are carried out in a person centred manner with Connexions advisors listening without prejudice to learners and recognising that a balance may need to be established between competing voices in a learner’s life.

8. The repeated identification that collaborative working, starting at the highest level in government, is necessary for these learners to realise their full potential is warmly welcomed by NIACE. The recommendation that Government departments work together to agree appropriate funding responsibilities is a worthy one but may be difficult to achieve. We fully support the entitlement of all learners to lifelong learning regardless of their ability or disability. However, we believe that it is not the responsibility of the LSC to fund care costs. We note that of the 3,181 learners attending specialist colleges for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in 2004/05 only 229 of them had funding contributions from other agencies. The only way to get it right for these learners is for agencies to work together, supporting each other to support the learner. This includes agencies, other than educational providers, taking on some of the responsibility for funding the costs that are not directly educational. The LSC should fund learning and support for learning.

9. NIACE welcome the idea that consideration needs to be given to transport for learners over the age of 19 and are encouraged by the call for legislation on the same issue. Transport has been a “hot potato” for many years. NIACE would reiterate the assertion made in the report that entitlement to transport should be discussed. We believe however that more should be done to assess learners and to provide opportunities for some learners to travel more independently than they currently do. Transport is very much an access barrier for many learners, in terms of education and social inclusion. NIACE, with support from the LSC, have recently published guidance on transport to learning for adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (Nightingale, 2005). We are heartened at the commitment the LSC are showing to getting this knotty problem aired and would like to see the recommendations in the NIACE report implemented.

Planning

10. Having a common set of definitions across agencies is important for planning and resource allocation purposes only. It is not helpful or person-centred to describe learners in terms of their disability. There are learners who have been “labelled” as having a learning difficulty but would not identify themselves with the diagnostic description and would not tick the box on the enrolment form. This means that they may not be included in the data. NIACE feel strongly that the 579,000 learners who self identified in 2003/3004 are only the tip of the iceberg. We are pleased to see recognition of the current issues in learners self-declaring acknowledged in the Report.

11. We agree with the importance placed in the Report on local LSCs being able to track and plan for demographic changes. This is of particular importance in terms of being able to plan in advance for any change needed in available budgets.

12. NIACE wholeheartedly endorses the recommendation that there should be a designated individual at a senior level in each LSC region, who is able to provide the necessary operational oversight. We consider it essential that these people have sufficient status, a tried and tested background and a well-developed knowledge of the issues facing adult learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However, this should not detract from the fact that disability issues belong to everyone and not just this one individual at senior level. These people would need to take the lead for the LSC but not work in isolation.

Quality

13. The quality of provision for these learners is still not good enough

14. It is worrying to note that even now, years after provider self-assessment was introduced, providers are having to be reminded of their responsibility towards quality development, quality assurance and monitoring and quality improvement needs. The LSC in their guidance Planning for Success (LSC, 2005) once again reiterates the fact that they will end funding for provision that is of a consistently poor quality. We would urge the LSC to address the issue of poor quality provision in a supportive manner in the action plan that arises from the consultation.

15. The ALI report Greater Expectations (ALI, 2006) states how “a lack of clarity of purpose” is the one defining characteristic of provision for this cohort of learners. This leads to learners becoming “stuck” in the system. NIACE is pleased with the Report’s attempt to further the debate on learner progression, as signalled in the summary in the ALI’s Talisman newsletter, (Issue No 47, January 06, Provision for learners with disabilities and/or learning difficulties). Systematic progression for adults with learning difficulties is vitally important. Without such progression learners’ skills and knowledge remain untested and under developed; independence and successful personal growth remain limited. In short, learners fail to become all that they are capable of becoming – and that includes making a contribution to the economy and the community.

16. NIACE agrees strongly that there should be measures of success for this cohort of learners that can be used by providers and the LSC in agreeing, monitoring and reviewing provider plans. The measures need to be inclusive and sufficiently broad to allow for this very diverse cohort of learners.

17. Much work needs to be done to improve employment options for disabled people. The Green Paper on Welfare Reform (DWP, 2006) has been published since the Review was completed. There needs to be synergy between relevant departments and we would ask that the National Employer Training Programme (‘Train to Gain’) ensures it can properly meet the needs of disabled people in work.

18. NIACE welcomes the call that all teachers working with this cohort of learners are suitably qualified. NIACE believes that teachers working with these learners should hold a subject qualification and a teaching qualification that includes specialist training in working with learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

19. Quality is not just the concern of teaching staff but is a whole organisation issue. NIACE wants to see learning organisations that welcome and value all learners and therefore feel that disability awareness should be a much stronger part of equality and diversity training. Ideally it should be compulsory training for all staff.

20. NIACE fully supports the Report’s recommendation to ensure that there are fit for purpose and appropriate qualifications at pre entry level within the Foundation Learning Tier (FLT). Much is wrong with how current accreditation is used. Too often it is seen as a method of drawing down funding with little of it relating to learners’ needs. Historically, this harks back to the days of Schedule 2j of the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act. We would urge, even though it is still in development, that the Foundation Learning Tier carries with it clear, succinct and unambiguous advice to providers. Much thought and work is needed for the FLT to be successful. We are however heartened by the QCA’s commitment to ‘getting it right’.

Funding

21. At present, learners are funded through many different funding streams. NIACE embraces the notion of a carefully thought out common funding approach. For too long funding has been a divisive mechanism for these learners. We are hopeful that the recommendation to “identify a sum for Additional Learning Support to be used flexibly by all providers” will mean just that. That all providers get a slice of the cake, thus ensuring that no matter which funding stream a learner is supported by, they will have an equitable learning experience in terms of learning support. If the LSC applies its Additional Learning Support funding to offender education this must be done so through new monies and “robbing Peter to pay Paula” must not be allowed to happen.

22. NIACE agrees that there is clarification needed around the funding of a small number of learners where it seems that the LSC are funding packages of care needs in addition to their learning needs. In addressing this issue it is important that the learners currently being funded do not lose out.

23. Provision in the Voluntary and Community sector was not in the scope of this Review. However it should not be ignored, as it is a major provider for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. As a sector, ‘not for profit’ organisations are heavily dependent on ESF monies and as such may find themselves vulnerable in future funding allocations. The LSC needs to consider the impact the ending of ESF funding will have on the sector, and begin to model a response to it now.

Working with Partners

24. NIACE supports the notion that working with partners is a key tenet in ensuring that adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve and progress. This includes working together to make best use of finite funds. However we are disappointed that partnership working which was also a key recommendation in Inclusive Learning (FEFC, 1996), is still not happening. NIACE believe it is time for the rhetoric to stop and the action to start and urges that the Action Plan that arises as a result of the Review and this consultation should be owned and developed by the agencies concerned. This is particularly important in relation to any employment initiative. For example, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and their agencies have a major role to play in recognising the importance of learning and skills for adults with long term health issues or with disability that requires interventionist support and resources.

25. NIACE has piloted and supported ‘Prescriptions for Learning’ projects for several years. These projects support participation in learning by basing a Learning Adviser in GP surgeries. This has proved to be an effective way of engaging adults with long term disabling health conditions, including mental health difficulties. Participation in learning has also been shown to promote wellbeing and in delaying the onset or progress of some disabling conditions. Currently NIACE is looking at the role learning can play in getting people in receipt of Incapacity Benefit back to work, in partnership with the DWP. Furthermore, our work in ‘Making the Jump’ (NIACE, 2002) has stressed the importance of partnership working in supporting the transition to employment for people with learning difficulties.

26. It is important that any Action Plan and subsequent work take account of the learners’ voice, as set out in the Foster Report (DfES, 2005), and the role of advocacy agencies should be positively encouraged.

27. NIACE welcomes the recognition in Through Inclusion to Excellence of the importance of the work of Valuing People and person-centred planning which considers on a multi agency the holistic needs of the individual. NIACE agrees that more work needs to be done to embed the work of Valuing People on a national and local level. NIACE urges the national LSC to lead by example in the development of its joint programme of work with the Valuing People support team. At a local level multi agency planning is key as is the support of the development of person-centred approaches in provision.

28. NIACE are encouraged by the numerous references to those learners with the most severe learning difficulties. These learners, their learning and their achievements are as important as any other learners. The call for collaborative working between specialist providers and ‘mainstream’ providers is especially welcomed. This could only serve to benefit the learners, as staff working together does enable effective practice, constructive ideas and useful experience to be shared and disseminated.

Reservations

29. NIACE has some reservations about the Report which we would like to see incorporated in the Council’s response to it.

30. First, NIACE was disappointed that the report seemed to be dominated by reference to provision for learners with learning difficulties. NIACE feels inadequate attention was given to learners with mental health difficulties (mentioned 8 times) acquired disabilities (not mentioned at all), physical disabilities (mentioned once) and sensory impairments (mentioned once). This is particularly unfortunate given the major programme funded by the Council in relation to adults with mental health difficulties, in response to the request from the Secretary of State and the Social Inclusion Unit report (Office of the Deputy Prime minister, 2004)

31. Second, the report pays too little attention to adult learners. The vast majority of people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in the learning and skills sector are adults. Provision for some of these adult learners is at risk because their main purpose in learning is not necessarily to progress to Level 2 or Skills for Life qualifications. NIACE urges the LSC to make clear its intentions with regard to adult learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, in the light of the Council’s legal obligations.

32. Third, NIACE feels that as the majority of the recommendations were for the LSC there is the possibility that providers will not see the report as being of relevance to them. NIACE are concerned that the broad sweep of recommendations for the LSC will be jeopardised by the current proposed cuts to the LSC’s workforce.

What next?

33. This report is timely in its publication. There is clearly a push at national level (LSC, QCA, LLUK, DfES, DoH, OFSTED) to ensure that practice is inclusive for this cohort of learners. They represent a sizeable chunk of learners in the Post 16 sector. The economic and social inclusion arguments are compelling. These learners will not go away; not now or in the future. In fact, the trends indicate the numbers of these learners are increasing. We must ensure they have access to the best person-centred provision, delivered by appropriately qualified staff. Their rights are firmly ensconced in law. With this report, the LSC have been offered a wonderful opportunity to move through inclusion to excellence. We are hopeful they will take the challenge head on and as an organisation are ready to support them in any way we can.

Contact

34. For discussion on any of the above please contact NIACE.

Peter Lavender
Director of Research, Development and Information
Tel: 0116 2044 206
e-mail: peter.lavender@niace.org.uk 

or Viv Berkeley
Development Officer, Learning Difficulties
Tel: 0116 2046 983
e-mail: viv.berkeley@niace.org.uk

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