SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS IN FURTHER EDUCATION COLLEGES
GUIDANCE ON PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS
Introduction
This consultation paper invites comments on draft guidance about the arrangements for supporting students with additional needs in further education colleges.
The guidance does not introduce any new policy. Instead it seeks to provide clarity, to everyone involved in making and managing support arrangements for students with additional needs, on the roles and responsibilities of the agencies involved.
Background
Further education colleges, health boards and local authorities all have responsibilities in making provision for and supporting people with disabilities, learning difficulties or other additional needs. Scottish Office circular FE 13/95 to Principals of further education colleges, Directors of Education, Directors of Social Work, General Managers of Health Boards and Chief Executives of NHS Trusts, set out guidance on these responsibilities.
The need for revised guidance arises from the many changes in legislation and policy as well as practices and attitudes in the eight years since circular FE 13/95 was issued. In addition, concerns have been expressed by practitioners that the boundaries of responsibility between further education college staff, local authorities, health boards and other agencies are unclear. This has, in some cases, led to confusion about who should make arrangements for personal and health care.
The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that everyone can access further education regardless of their background or current personal circumstances. For students who have additional support needs, this often means providing a package of support. Putting the appropriate support in place can best be done when the further education college, local authority, health services and other agencies have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and work in partnership to provide a seamless service.
In order to better understand the roles and responsibilities of colleges and other agencies, a short life working group was convened by the Further and Adult Education Division of the Scottish Executive. Membership of the group is detailed at Annex A. The remit of the group was to explore and define areas of responsibility of further education colleges, local authorities and health services in supporting students with learning difficulties and disabilities and to prepare new guidance to be issued to further education colleges, local authorities, health boards and others. The attached guidance is the product of the working group.
The Guidance
The guidance provides information on the statutory duties of further education colleges, local authorities and health boards as well as the roles of non-statutory organisations and the voluntary sector. The guidance also emphasises the importance of collaboration and partnerships between all agencies and it offers a number of examples of good practice.
Consultation Issues
We would welcome comment on any of the issues covered in the guidance. In particular, you are asked to consider:
- Are the roles and responsibilities of colleges, local authorities, health boards and other agencies clearly defined?
- If not, what needs to be made clearer?
- Are the examples of good practice helpful?
- What other examples would it be useful to include?
- Will the guidance be helpful to you in ensuring that appropriate support arrangements are put in place?
- If not, what needs to be done to make the guidance more helpful?
- Does the guidance provide the right level of detail or do we need to cover issues in more or less detail?
Arrangements for Consultation
The guidance is being issued to a wide range of organisations that have an interest in arrangements for supporting students in further education colleges. Anyone who has an interest is encouraged to respond. A full list of consultees is detailed in Annex B.
Comments and views are invited by Friday 27 February 2004 and should be sent to:
Claire Keggie
Scottish Executive Enterprise Transport and Lifelong Learning Department
Further and Adult Education Division
Europa Building
450 Argyle Street
Glasgow
G2 8LG
Claire.keggie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
The consultation paper can be found on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications
Additional copies can be obtained from Claire Keggie at the above address.
Alternative formats
The text of this consultation paper will be made available, on request, in alternative formats. Anyone who requires the document in an alternative format should contact Claire Keggie at the above address.
Publication of Responses
All responses will be made available in the Scottish Executive library. Respondents who do not wish their views or comments to be made available in the library should clearly state that their response is confidential.
Annex A Membership of Short Life Working Group
Stephen Sandham, Scottish Executive, Further and Adult Education Division
Claire Keggie, Scottish Executive, Further and Adult Education Division
Linda Hall, Scottish Executive, Further and Adult Education Division
Tom Leckie, Social Work Services Inspector
Pat Robertson, HMIE
Wendy Wilkinson, Scottish Executive, Education Department
Abbie Maxwell, Scottish Executive, Education Department
Christine Greig, Scottish Executive, Transitions to Work Division
Valerie Sneddon, Scottish Executive, Funding for Learners Division
John Waugh, Scottish Executive, Health Department, Community Care Division
Anne Hampson, Scottish Executive, Health Department, Community Care Division
Martin Fairbairn, Scottish Further Education Funding Council
Fiona Taylor, Scottish Further Education Funding Council
Gillian McKirdy, Scottish Further Education Funding Council
Sandy MacLean, Scottish Further Education Unit
Julie-Anne Jamieson, Careers Scotland
Elaine Noad, South Ayrshire Council and Cosla
Pam Duncan, National Union of Students
Mhairi Snowden, Skill Scotland
Rona Connolly, Lead Scotland
Annex B List of Consultees
The 46 further education colleges in Scotland
The 32 Scottish Local Authorities
Health Boards
HMIE
SWSI
Association of Scottish Colleges
National Union of Students
UNISON
Cosla
Association of Directors of Social Work
EIS
STUC
Scottish Further Education Unit
Scottish Further Education Funding Council
Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations
Disability Rights Commission
Commission for Racial Equality
Lead Scotland
Skill Scotland
Enable
The Dare Foundation
Advocacy Safeguard Agency
Minority Ethnic Learning Disability Initiative
Community Care Providers Scotland
Citizens Advice Bureau
BRITE Centre
ACCESS Centres
RNIB
RNID
Capability Scotland
Scottish Association for Mental Health
Inclusion Scotland
Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Equal Opportunities Commission
Equality Network
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Scottish Qualifications Agency
Learndirect Scotland
Scottish Enterprise
Careers Scotland
Scottish Executive Education Department
Scottish Executive Health Department
Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department
Copies have also been passed to the clerks of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and Equal Opportunities Committees of the Scottish Parliament.