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PARTNERSHIP MATTERS

A Guide to Local Authorities, NHS Boards and Voluntary Organisations on Supporting Students with Additional Needs in Further Education

3. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

3.1 GENERAL

3.1.1 Everyone should have the chance to learn regardless of their background or current personal circumstances. Our aim is to ensure that people can access learning opportunities that provide the best match to the needs and aspirations of the individual. For some people this may mean accessing provision in a further education college; for others it might mean attending educational provision delivered in a community or other setting.

PRINCIPLES

3.1.2 These are that:

• The learner must be fully involved in discussions about an appropriate education placement and the decision making process

• The needs and aspirations of the individual must be at the centre of any decision taken regarding an appropriate education placement

• Statutory agencies - FE colleges, local authorities and NHS boards - must work together to ensure the most effective and appropriate learning opportunities are offered to students

• Further education colleges are primarily responsible for the provision of education making adjustments where these are necessary to meet the learning needs of the individual

• Local authorities and health boards are responsible for the provision of personal and health care where an assessment has identified a need for such support

• Providers of post-16 education should demonstrate a commitment to inclusiveness recognising the diversity of the student placement

• Where colleges identify a need for support by other agencies, for example, social work and health, they will liaise with the appropriate agency to discuss how best support can be provided and will liaise with the student and the appropriate agency to discuss how best support can be provided

• The learner's needs will only be discussed between agencies with the learner's explicit consent

SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

3.1.3 Successful partnership working requires the commitment of all parties to deliver effective and efficient service. It also requires each of the agencies involved to have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all partners and to work closely together in assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and reviewing support arrangements.

3.1.4 Local partnership agreements between colleges, local authorities and NHS Boards should be established across all areas to ensure that there is:

• ongoing discussion about the provision of support

• commitment to the provision of that support

• understanding of roles and responsibilities

3.1.5 Local partnerships will also wish to explore opportunities for joint training sessions and job shadowing.

3.1.6 We expect all agencies to sign up to partnership principles and give a commitment to develop a local partnership agreement. Colleges, local authorities and NHS Boards have distinct roles to play in ensuring that students with additional needs are supported while studying in a further education college. Each has statutory duties which are outlined in earlier sections of this document. It is important that each of the agencies involved work together to ensure that appropriate support is put in place for the student and that its success is monitored regularly.

SETTING UP A PARTNERSHIP

3.1.7 Partnerships are about sharing responsibilities and ensuring that tasks or support services are carried out by those best suited to do so. If partnerships are established well, the productivity is higher than if each partner worked separately.

3.1.8 Partnerships must recognise the statutory obligations of each partner. Partnerships should also be clear about what is to be achieved. The local partnership agreement should include the following:

• A statement of the purpose of the partnership

• A Commitment by all partners to delivering quality services to meet needs of individuals

• Understanding and agreement of roles and responsibilities of key partners - may vary locally but must work towards same aims and principles

• General statements of obligations, covering attendance at meetings, communication, information sharing acceptance of shared values and joint decision making

• Developing a delivery plan that is clearly understood by all parties with clear milestones and monitoring mechanisms

• In developing these new partnerships it may be useful to:

• Undertake an audit of services - mapping resources, establishing current levels of and standards of service provision and identifying gaps in provision

• Establish local targets that are specific, measurable and time bound

• Consider opportunities for sharing training resources

• Publicise the partnership agreement

• Review annually and revise where needed

PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, PERSONAL CARE AND HEALTH CARE

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

3.1.10 Further education colleges offer comprehensive educational support to assist students to participate in and benefit fully from their further education. Examples of educational support may include the provision of a sign language interpreter, learning materials provided in alternative formats, a scribe, equipment and adaptations, or assistive technology.

PERSONAL AND HEALTH CARE

3.1.11 Local authorities arrange provision of personal care when they have assessed the individual as being in need of that service. Personal care may include assisting with personal hygiene, eating requirements, medical treatment or medication and also assistance with regard to the person's general well-being. Examples of this support include helping the person to go to the toilet, assistance with the preparation of food, assistance with taking medication at required times, the provision of memory and safety devices and behaviour management and psychological support. This support will be care managed by an appropriate person in light of the need assessed through the single shared assessment process. Where a student receives a Direct Payment, it may be used to secure the provision of that support from a support or care worker.

STUDENTS WITH HEALTHCARE NEEDS

3.1.12 In some cases, students will need to take, or be given, medication while attending further education provision. Needs for medication will vary but may include asthma, diabetes, mental health problems, epilepsy or severe allergic conditions (anaphylaxis). A student's need for medication will be outlined in their care plan.

3.1.13 Under the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, further education colleges must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that students with a disability are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. In the case of students with health care needs, this is likely to mean that a reasonable adjustment by the college will be required to allow medication to be administered.

3.1.14 Further education colleges will wish to ensure that they are clear at an early stage of the arrangements for a student's health care needs, in particular, the administration of medication. Colleges may wish the student to provide written confirmation of their medication requirements and details of the procedures to be followed in an emergency. A sample form for this purpose is included at Annex A of this document.

TRANSPORT

3.1.15 As part of the single shared assessment it is good practice for mobility and arrangements for a student to access further education facilities to be considered. Where this assessment identifies an individual as being in need of assistance with transport in order to access further education provision, they will be under a duty to provide specialist transport services to and from the further education provider. There is no duty on local authorities to provide transport simply because a student lives far from the college.

3.1.16 There is no specific duty on further education colleges to provide transport to and from the college. Where lack of transport is the barrier to a disabled student accessing college and the student has not been assessed by the local authority as having a need for assistance with transport, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended), colleges must consider whether a reasonable adjustment can be made to overcome that barrier.

3.1.17 In some cases there will be a clear responsibility on social work services to provide transport for a student. In many other cases, there will be no assessed need and therefore it will be for individual local partnerships, keeping in mind the principles outlined in section 3.1.2, to reach agreement on how transport for students can best be provided and funded.

3.2 REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

3.2.1 In order for a college to make a reasonable adjustment for a student, it must first be aware of the needs of an individual. When a student is making the transition from school, it is expected that the relevant local authority will have liaised with the college about support arrangements well in advance of the transition. However, the college's own literature should seek to obtain early information from all students about their support needs. This will allow the college to:

• Consider whether they can reasonably meet the needs of the individual before offering a place

• Consider what reasonable adjustments can be made to meet the learning needs of the individual and ensure it is in place prior to the beginning of the course

• Make contact with the local authority or health agency regarding the provision of personal or health care and transport to and from the college

• Where appropriate, ensure that a room is available for the student to receive personal or health care from a local authority, health agency, carer, support worker or parent

• Discuss support arrangements with the student or parent at an
  early stage

3.2.2 Colleges will therefore wish to consider developing pre-enrolment questionnaires seeking relevant information.

3.2.3 As a result of this information, colleges will want to ensure that there is a co-ordinated response by relevant agencies to ensure support is put in place. It is important that the learner is at the centre of these discussions and that all partners get together to discuss how the support for the student will be put in place. In some cases, this will lead to care or support workers attending college with a student.

3.2.4 It is recognised that these staff may not be employed by the college and may therefore be unfamiliar with the college environment and its procedures. Every effort should be taken by the further education college to ensure that support staff are provided with clear information about how the college operates and advice on how they can respect the college's procedures whilst they are working there. This may be done through an induction day prior to the college course beginning and through provision of documentation for example, a Code of Conduct. Colleges will wish to ensure, for example, that the care worker can be identified at all times, that there is clarity on their role regarding the support of a student and that the health and safety of staff and other students is considered at all times. Aberdeen College have developed a standard agreement with the local authority on information that needs to be provided by them in advance of the care worker attending the college and a Code of Conduct. This is attached at Annex B for your information. Your new local partnership will wish to consider developing similar documentation.

3.3 TRANSITIONS

3.3.1 The transition from school to further education is an important point in a young person's life. For many young people with additional support needs, extra help will need to be available to ensure a smooth and successful transition.

3.3.2 One of the major barriers to be experienced by young people and their parents in the transition from school to further education is the lack of effective communications between agencies. Access to high quality guidance and support is essential for young people, and their parents, to enable them to make the transition from school.

3.3.3 The Additional Support for Learning Act aims to improve planning and preparing for the transition from school to college. It will be an ongoing process of collaborative working between schools and colleges and other support agencies rather than consisting of a single meeting or assessment. The process will be responsive to the particular needs of the individual, with a view to helping the individual towards their aspirations for their future.

3.3.4 Further education colleges are one of a number of agencies with which local authorities will need to work to identify future needs for support - whether these are learning related or not - and to help prepare the young person for the transition. Further details will be provided in the Code of Practice which will be published in summer 2005 (a draft code will be circulated before end 2004 for consultation). Further education colleges will have to have due regard to the Code.

3.3.5 The current arrangements for assessing the future needs of a young person and preparing for the transition will remain in force until the Additional Support for Learning Act takes effect in autumn 2005. This means that a Future Needs Assessment (FNA) will take place for those pupils with a Record of Needs. A member of school staff is given responsibility for co-ordinating the school's duties as part of the FNA. It is either this person or an educational psychologist who sets up FNA meetings and invites relevant professionals to attend. This can include, a medical officer, psychologist, social worker, therapists, a careers adviser and a representative from a further education college where the young person has indicated that this is the route they wish to take on leaving school.

3.3.6 If a young person has indicated they wish to attend a further education college it is important that they and their parents/carer are made aware of what educational opportunities are available and how their support needs will be met. It is recommended that further education colleges continue to support the FNA process until the new system is introduced.

3.3.7 To ensure an effective transition, school staff, social work, further education colleges, Careers Scotland, voluntary organisations and other relevant agencies should work together within an agreed partnership framework in which roles and responsibilities for transitional arrangements are clearly defined.

3.3.8 The Moving On: From School to College report by HM Inspectorate of Education (2002) will be particularly useful to colleges and others helping young people with the transition to college. It establishes the guiding principles and 10 characteristics of good practice (see below). Real examples of good practice are described and there is an excellent section on how colleges can evaluate their transition arrangements and practices. Copies of the report can be obtained from the Stationery Office Bookshop, telephone 0870 606 5566. The report is available on CD-Rom and can be accessed on line at www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/more.htm

3.3.9 Transitions from college to higher education, training or employment are equally important as the transition from school. Further education providers will therefore wish to ensure that they have in place procedures for ensuring that the transition from college is managed successfully. This can be done by producing documents which explain qualifications and progression routes for each curriculum area, and ensuring that all students have the information and support they require.

3.3.10 Where a student has additional support needs, it is good practice for the further education provider to conduct a review mid way through the session and also at the end. College tutors, the student, Careers Scotland advisors, parents and representatives of social work should attend the review meetings to discuss progress on the college course and progression routes post-college

3.3.11 Careers Scotland advisors also have a responsibility to students at college at pre-exit and post college stages. Colleges should seek to ensure therefore that Careers Scotland Advisors are fully involved in all student reviews so that they are aware of the student's needs abilities and aspirations throughout their attendance at college and beyond.

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