Implementing Inclusiveness Realising
Potential
| "Initial assessment does not highlight
trainees' needs i.e. motivation,
behavioural, anti-authority, time-keeping,
violence, drug-related problems etc. A
young person can have the practical skills
but (be) lacking the personal skills
required to enter the "world of work".
[A Training Provider]"Young people with disabilities
experience a range of assessments. These
are usually based on a deficit model. There
is little co-ordination between the various
assessment procedures.... Some assessments
seem to be based on what provision is
available rather than the individual's
wants or needs."
[SKILL]"Information is vital."
[ACSIS]"Assessment should be recognised as a
cyclical process; once the cycle is gone
round once, the next cycle begins. Nor is
assessment an end in itself; but should be
regarded as an aid to decision-making."
[SENSE SCOTLAND] | |
7 Improving Transition: Assessment
The Issue
7.1 The principle of Inclusiveness requires that
education and training provision must match the needs,
abilities and aspirations of the individual. To achieve
this, there must be an effective process for identifying
the type and level of learning needs, the range of existing
skills and abilities and the goals of the young person.
This process must also take into account other factors in
the young person's life that may limit his/her access and
participation. These are all factors which will influence
the individual's ability to make a successful transition to
post-school education and training and achieve their
potential.
The issue is how to promote action across all
agencies to address the factors that contribute to an
effective assessment process; and how to ensure that the
assessment leads to matching provision.
The Committee's View
Assessment Practice and Procedure
7.2 To develop an Inclusiveness approach, there must be
an assessment process which identifies _ and helps us to
understand - the whole range of a young person's learning
and support needs. The needs may be tangible and
quantifiable, such as literacy or numeracy or the need for
a specific aid; or related to personal and social skills
such as motivation, positive attitude and ability to work
with others. These 2 types of learning need are now often
described as "hard" and "soft" skills. Some level of
competence and capability in both types of skills is
necessary to enable young people to gain maximum benefit
from learning. Indeed, for many young people, particularly
those who have become disengaged from conventional
education, it will only be through the development of the
"soft" skills that they will begin to make progress in
vocational and academic skills.
7.3 The Committee reviewed recent studies on assessment
practice. Two studies carried out on behalf of the Scottish
Enterprise (SE) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)
in 1995 and 1996 showed that assessment practice and
procedures in the national training programmes were
inconsistent and variable. Other work on assessment carried
out by The Scottish Office Education and Industry
Department (SOEID) and The Department for Employment and
Education in England (DfEE) also highlighted the problems
of transfer of information as a barrier to effective
assessment. Following on from these studies, Professor
George Thomson, of Edinburgh University, was commissioned
by SOEID, SE and HIE to examine assessment practice across
post-school provision. Professor Thomson examined the
experiences of a cohort of young people drawn from training
and the further education sector. He also interviewed
careers advisers, training providers and young people
themselves. From these studies we have identified the
following problems:
- Variations in practice between agencies, and even
within agencies;
- Assessments which do not seek to identify all the
potential barriers to learning e.g. social
- or financial problems, housing or health,
inadequate personal or life skills;
- Lack of information from school to post-school
providers i.e. careers service companies, further
education colleges, training providers; and lack of
formal arrangements for transmission of information
between agencies;
- Over-assessment i.e. young people are assessed and
are re-assessed (for the same skills) by a series of
agencies without sufficient recognition of
progress;
- All agencies who could contribute to assessment are
not involved (and vital information could be
omitted);
- Lack of regular review and monitoring.
7.4 The Committee believes that an effective assessment
process is essential for a smooth transition from school
into further education or training, or into employment. We
have identified a number of key principles for an effective
assessment process:
- It must be open;
- It must be fair and accurate;
- It must be focused on the young person, not
designed to accommodate the organisational structures
or administrative practices of an institution or
agency;
- It must respect confidentiality;
- It must encourage full participation and ownership
of the young person;
- It must aid progression.
It should also:
- be continuous but not repetitive;
- be given adequate time and care;
- be carried out by competent and well-trained
staff;
- be designed to allow the transfer of accurate,
relevant and up-to-date information.
Putting Principles into Practice
7.5 This is the ideal. But in real life practitioners
carrying out assessments will encounter situations where
assessment is being done in less than ideal circumstances.
Young people may be unwilling to participate, or to
participate fully; they may have difficulty in
communicating their views about difficult areas of their
lives; there may be little or no previous information
available; and their aspirations and expectations may be
unrealistic.
7.6 The Committee believes that
the key principles of assessment outlined above could be
developed into an assessment framework. Such a framework
could be developed by individual agencies. It is our strong
view, however, that all the agencies who carry out
assessments, or contribute to assessments, should
collaborate to agree a framework for their assessment
procedures. This would offer significant benefits both for
the young people and the agencies themselves. The mechanism
for developing such a framework within an area could be
through the proposed Area Strategy Groups for Implementing
Inclusiveness. Agencies already working in partnership on
other aspects of provision would be well placed to agree
standards and protocols for assessment. We, therefore,
recommend that the Area Strategy Groups should work
with the lead agencies to develop an assessment framework
setting out the key principles, roles and responsibilities
of the agencies and pathways into and between
assessment.
The Committee has developed a model framework (see
appendix to this chapter). The development of an
assessment framework could also promote a direct link to
key worker support. One outcome of assessment might be
referral to a key worker. The key worker might then become
the main channel for monitoring progress and transmitting
information.
Recent Developments in Assessment Procedures
and Practices
7.7 We have highlighted the importance of having an
assessment process which identifies the "soft" skills i.e.
the personal and social skills and attributes valued by
employers. A number of assessment tools are now being
developed specifically to help young people address their
learning needs in those areas. Two of these, the New
Futures Fund (NFF) Assessment and the Soft Measurement
system being piloted by the Bridges Project, Aberdeen
Cyrenians and the National Schizophrenia Society address
the learning and support needs of young people who have
chaotic and disordered lifestyles. There has also been a
national field trial, funded by The Scottish Office, the
enterprise networks and the Employment Service, of an
assessment matrix developed by Professor George Thomson as
part of his research into assessment practices (Duncan
1999). The matrix is a method of summarising the
information gathered by assessment and is designed to aid
the transfer of information between agencies. It also
specifically covers the "soft" skill areas. One of the
important elements of the new tools is that they are
designed to support the young person in setting realistic
goals, even if progress can only be measured in small
steps.
7.8 We have also looked at the new Progress File which
will replace the National Record of Achievement. It is
being introduced into schools in the 1999-2000 session, and
is already available to the post-school sector. The
Progress File offers young people tools for assessing their
own skills and attributes, goals and aspirations as well as
areas for improvement. There are tailored support materials
for the post-16 group (and S1-4), adults and those with
special educational needs. Importantly, the Progress File
depends on a process of discussion and agreement with
teachers, training providers, or college staff about the
content but it is based primarily on self-assessment. The
Committee sees great value in the new Progress File and
wishes to endorse its use by post-school education and
training providers. The Committee also wishes to endorse
the importance of staff training and development at all
levels to gain the maximum benefit from Progress File.
Perhaps the most important step will be to encourage and
support employers to value and use the Progress File. If
employers ask young people to produce it, this will offer a
significant boost to its currency.
7.9 We believe that the use of
new assessment tools, which give much greater weight to the
"soft skills" and attributes, will help both young people
and education and training providers to identify the most
appropriate learning opportunities and other support
arrangements. But we are not yet at that stage, and
certainly not in all parts of Scotland. There are a wide
range of assessment tools and variation in standards. It
has not been possible for us to carry out a systematic
review of these tools.
We, therefore, recommend that there should be a
review of assessment tools at national level to be
undertaken by the lead agencies in assessment, with
particular emphasis on the skills and attributes which
contribute to employability. The lead agencies would
include careers service companies, LECs, training
providers, FE colleges and the voluntary sector.
The review should recognise the emerging discussions on
employability of the advisory group to the National Centre:
Education for Work and Enterprise.
Length of Assessment Period
7.10 At the moment there are a number of procedures and
practices which are all described as "Assessment". For many
young people the first assessment will be through an
interview, or series of interviews, with a careers adviser.
As we have already discussed, lack of information may make
an effective assessment difficult. The careers adviser,
under current arrangements, will decide whether the young
person should be "endorsed" as having Special Training
Needs (STN). When the young person goes to a training
provider there may be another assessment, possibly over a
1_4 week period before a decision is made about the
appropriate course or qualification for the young person to
pursue. This is likely to be a pre-vocational qualification
such as Numberpower or Wordpower or an SVQ 1. For the most
disadvantaged and disaffected young people, there are, in
some areas, specially designed enhanced guidance and
assessment programmes of 13 weeks or 26 weeks. These
programmes, such as the Pathways Programme in Renfrewshire
and the Assessment course at Kilmarnock College offer a
range a provision including confidence building, personal
development skills (e.g. personal presentation, response to
authority), literacy and numeracy, job tasters, and work
preparations. We have noted with interest that Renfrewshire
Careers is now building on Pathways to develop an
assessment service offering guidance, assessment, planning
and review for young people entering supported training.
Such provision is not, however, readily available to all
who might need it. There will be a need for targeted
activity to encourage some young people to participate. An
important contribution can be made by community education
and youth work organisations, working more closely with the
providing agencies.
7.11 We believe that this kind
of enhanced guidance and assessment service would meet a
real need. Many young people may drop in and out of further
education or training because of their personal
difficulties and inability to sustain a commitment to a
regular learning environment. This kind of enhanced
provision offers an intensive level of support from staff
and, in many cases a one to one relationship between staff
and young people. Clearly, this is expensive. One of the
difficulties, however, is that it is difficult to see a
recognisable output, which in turn would trigger an
appropriate level of funding. We believe that within the
context of an assessment process which takes into account
the "soft" skills, and acknowledges that progress may be
measured in small steps, there is scope to allocate funding
more effectively towards this kind of provision.
We recommend, therefore, that the Area Strategy
Groups work with the relevant agencies - careers service
companies, LECs and training providers, colleges, the local
authority and appropriate youth work organisations - to
develop a wider range of enhanced guidance and assessment
programmes supported by appropriate funding
mechanisms.Key Areas to be Addressed
7.12 There are 3 main areas to be addressed in
developing an assessment framework and its practical
implementation. These are
ownership, information flow and
confidentiality.
Ownership
7.13 In our consultation, we have found 2 distinct views
on who should "own" the assessment; the young person or the
agency. This is a difficult and sensitive issue. The
solution may lie in developing an effective assessment
process with a clear understanding and agreement about how
the information would be used, including safeguards for
confidentiality.
7.14 The case for ownership by the young person is based
on the belief that young people must be allowed the right
to make their own decisions about what agencies should know
about them. It is also based on the assumption that young
people who have left school are willing, and able, to take
full responsibility for their future choices. They also
have rights of access to information held about them. The
case against sole ownership by the young person is that
young people who have a high level of learning and support
needs are more than likely to want to conceal some, if not
all, of their problems.
7.15 Effective assessment depends on up to date and
accurate information about the young person. Experience
with the National Record of Achievement has shown that some
young people may choose not to pass on information or may
"lose" it. There is also some evidence from the New Deal
Gateway that, in some areas, young people with particular
problems are not being identified early enough. In some
cases young people are not being open with personal
advisers about difficulties relating to poor numeracy,
literacy, team working skills, and other basic skills.
These are some of the difficulties that many of the young
people who are the subject of this report will also
encounter. If young people are not willing to allow
information on their learning and support needs to be
passed on to the next appropriate agency, they are unlikely
to receive the support required to allow them to fulfil
their potential. Ultimately, this is not in the best
interests of the young person.
7.16 It is our view that this tension between the rights
of the young person and the need for more accurate
information may be resolved by encouraging greater
participation and ownership by the young person. Openness
about the nature and purpose of the assessment will be
particularly important. The level of participation may be
constrained by circumstances, but a sensitive and open
approach by practitioners may, over time, encourage the
young person to collaborate more freely in the assessment
process. The young person should know who is involved at
every stage of the assessment, what issues are being
discussed and what assessment is being made about
particular aspects of learning and support needs. The young
person should also be able to participate at every stage if
they so wish. As a practical illustration of participation
and ownership, he/she should be able to sign the form which
sets out the outcome of the assessment process. If he/she
does not agree with the assessment, there should be an
opportunity to record disagreement. If the result of such
openness is a greater level of trust, the young person may
understand and accept the importance of passing on vital
information. This process would require time and care,
which is one of the key principles of assessment.
7.17 Where self-assessment is encouraged as part of the
overall assessment process, it is also more likely that the
young person will feel ownership of the outcome. We have
noted that some of the new assessment tools, such as the
NFF assessment and the Soft Measurement system, combine
self-assessment and a more objective professional
assessment. The self-assessment can be used to give an
initial indication of the needs and abilities of the
individual before a more objective assessment can be
carried out or to act as a check on how the professional
assessment is shaping up.
7.18 It is one of the most important principles of
assessment that it should be realistic. Where the young
person wishes to minimise or ignore a problem area, the
practitioner may have to step in and give a more realistic
assessment of the level of difficulty which the young
person is experiencing. Conversely, a sympathetic
practitioner may be tempted to gloss over some of the most
problematic areas so as not to paint too bleak a picture.
We believe that bland assessment reports are unhelpful and
potentially damaging because other agencies will not offer
the necessary level of support. In this context, we have
noted with great interest that the Bridges Project "Soft
Measurement" system is quite specific about identifying
problems or "deficits" while being specifically designed to
encourage progress.
7.19 There is another important aspect of realism. Some
young people will have aspirations and expectations of
their job prospects that are unrealistic in the light of
their existing skills and capabilities. There is no benefit
in encouraging young people to pursue a course of learning
for which they lack the skills. The outcome is liable to be
disappointment and disillusion at yet another 'failure'.
Assessments must be fair, accurate and realistic. The
important factor is that they should overall be positive in
tone and emphasise and encourage progression.
7.20 We also believe that it is important to acknowledge
that there may be instances where a young person may
legitimately wish to go on to the next stage of transition
with a "clean slate". The practitioners who have been
involved in assessing and supporting that individual may
agree that this is a legitimate and realistic decision.
This is an area where a key worker might have an important
role. If a key worker has been involved with a young person
over a period of time he/she should be well placed to make
a judgement about what information should, or should not,
be passed on. Even more importantly, if the key worker has
built up a trusting relationship, the young person may
accept advice more readily about the value of not
concealing important aspects of their life and
experience.
7.21 We have already recommended
that the proposed Area Strategy Groups should develop a
framework for assessment. One of the key principles which
should underpin that framework is participation and
ownership.
We recommend that the Area Strategy Groups work
with the relevant agencies to agree arrangements for
encouraging the participation and ownership of the young
person which take full account of the individual's rights
and wishes as far as possible. There should also be agreed
arrangements about the process of referral to a key worker
and the ongoing role of the key worker in the assessment
process.Information Flow
7.22 One of the major problems identified in Professor
Thomson's assessment research and throughout our
consultation exercise is the variable content and quality
of information from school to post school providers
(careers service companies, FE and training) about young
people. This lack of information can lead to inadequate
assessment and subsequent inappropriate provision. The
other problem, however, about the transfer of information,
as described above, is that it is often a serious anxiety
for the young person and an area of great difficulty for
practitioners.
7.23 The Committee has taken the view that all young
people leaving school should be entitled to fair and
accurate reporting of their abilities and achievements but
also of areas where they have a learning or support need.
The objective would be to aid transition to appropriate and
relevant post school provision by ensuring that providers
are better informed about the individual's learning and
support requirements. We have been supported in this view
by a number of responses to our consultation exercise. In
particular, the Association of Directors of Education in
Scotland proposed that:
- An agreed transfer document for all post school
providers would greatly improve the transfer of
information. The knowledge held by schools should be
more effectively accessed and utilised;
- A more focused information giving/requesting
process could potentially result in better and more
useful assessment and identification of individual
needs.
7.24 The Committee has built on work carried out by a
small Working Group led by HMI on how to improve
information flow from schools to post-school providers. The
Working Group took the view that there was an important
issue of equality to be addressed. They made a comparison
with the UCAS report which teachers complete for University
applicants. There is no comparable exercise for many pupils
who leave school after 11 or 12 years with no standardised
record or report of their strengths and weaknesses,
achievements or goals. The Working Group's objective was to
improve procedures for recording and reporting key
information about young people who are likely to need
additional support to participate in post-school provision.
Such a report would ensure better information for careers
service companies, training providers, FE colleges and
employers and enable them to offer the appropriate level of
support and make the most of the young person's skills and
abilities. The focus of the Working Group's considerations
included both young people who had a Record of Needs and
the wider group whose support needs were not 'recorded' but
had been identified within school. There was a specific
interest in improving information about young people who
had poor or irregular patterns of attendance. [The report
of the Working Group is in Annex F.]
7.25 The Committee has reviewed
and developed the proposals of the Working Group for a
common approach to recording and reporting
by schools, including the use of a standard form containing
a core minimum set of information. It is our view, however,
that an Inclusiveness approach would require this approach
to apply to all young people.
We, therefore, recommend that there should be a
Transition Form for all young people which contains
up-to-date and accurate information (as far as possible)
about achievements, goals and learning and support
needs. The key elements should be:
- A common approach across all schools to recording
and reporting of information and the use of a standard
form containing a core or minimum set of
information;
- The information gathering should be part of an
ongoing process, not a one-off exercise. It should link
to, and draw on, information available within the
Progress File;
- Strengths and achievements should be recorded as
well as learning and support needs;
- The guidelines accompanying the form should contain
guidance on confidentiality;
- There should be training for staff in the use of
the recording and reporting system.
7.26 The Committee's objective in recommending the
development of a Transition Form is to inform future
assessments and ensure that young people receive
post-school learning and support which matches their needs,
abilities and aspirations. We would expect that the process
of completing the Transition Form would actively involve
the young person, and their parents, over a period of time.
We would also expect that the Progress File would be a
valuable source of information. There is a distinction,
however, between the Progress File, which involves a
significant amount of self-assessment, and the more
objective stance of our proposed Transition Form. There may
be cases where, because the young person is not attending
school regularly, there is limited or no involvement by the
individual or a parent. In those cases, we believe that the
school should have a responsibility to offer the best
available information in the Transition Form, drawing on
previous records and professional judgement.
7.27 In making this recommendation for a recording and
reporting system designed to aid the transition from school
to post-school learning, or employment, we believe that
there is an excellent opportunity to build on the proposals
for Personal Learning Plans set out in the White Paper,
"Targeting Excellence". The White Paper identified the
importance of children having their needs, abilities and
achievements recognised. The aim is to develop an
individual plan for each child taking into account their
needs, experience and progress. The Personal Learning Plan
will involve the pupil and parents, agree targets and
monitor progress. As the young person progresses through
school, he/she will take more responsibility for their own
development and will be encouraged to use the Progress File
to assess and record achievements, goals and areas for
improvement.
7.28 Personal Learning Plans will be piloted through the
New Community Schools which we believe to be an exciting
development. New Community Schools will promote an
inclusive approach for school-age children by tackling the
barriers to learning caused by a history of low attainment,
social disadvantage and a cycle of poverty, unemployment
and overall underachievement. As we have said elsewhere,
the Committee has been made aware of serious concerns about
the 14-16 year-olds (and even younger children) who reject
school and are at risk of social exclusion. New Community
Schools will offer an integrated approach to education,
social work and health needs at school level. We believe
that our proposals for collaborative multi-agency working
to address the learning and support needs of 16-24
year-olds should be a parallel development.
7.29
We recommend that the Scottish Executive Education
Department, working together with COSLA and the teaching
bodies, should develop our proposal for a Transition Form
with appropriate reference to the development of the
Progress File and in conjunction with the work now going on
in the Education Department and local authorities on
Personal Learning Plans. The process of discussion
and involvement of the young people and their families from
an early stage in the Personal Learning Plans would offer
an ideal basis for completing the Transition Form. In
particular, if the teaching staff is able to build on
relationships already established with the young people,
they are more likely to want to make a positive
contribution to the Transition Form and may be more ready
to acknowledge areas where they are likely to require
support in the post-school period.
7.30 At a practical level, there is also an opportunity
to minimise the duplication of work for teaching staff by
drawing on the body of information built up for the
Personal Learning Plan and the Progress File. The Scottish
Executive Education Department is now engaged in
implementing a Data Interchange Agreement (DIA) as part of
the Schools National Management Information Systems Project
in every school in Scotland. The DIA will include all the
requirements of the Scottish Executive Education
Department, local authorities, SQA and the schools
themselves. The target is for all secondary schools to be
exchanging data by September 2000. The DIA will contain
information on individual pupils and work is now going on
to assess the information requirements of schools in
relation to Personal Learning Plans and the Progress File,
and how this can be integrated within the school's NMIS
system. These developments, in our view, offer considerable
scope for building on the Personal Learning Plan and
Progress File to produce more accurate and up-to-date
information for post-school providers to use in the
assessment process.
7.31 We understand that local
authorities will have flexibility to develop the Personal
Learning Plans according to the local needs of their
schools and pupils. The Committee's proposal is for a
common approach to the Transition Form, or more
specifically, to the core content of the Form in order to
promote a consistent standard of information available to
post-school providers e.g. careers service companies,
colleges, and training providers. While we understand the
view that there should be flexibility in the approach to
Personal Learning Plans,
we recommend that the Area Strategy Groups should
promote and encourage the development and use of a standard
Transition Form within their own area.Confidentiality
7.32 At the centre of our proposals on assessment and
transfer of information is the issue of confidentiality. We
have looked at ways to encourage greater participation and
ownership by the young person and, in particular, we
believe that
openness must be at the heart of any
assessment process. However, there is no doubt that
confidentiality will remain an issue of great concern to
young people and the agencies who come into contact with
them. Some agencies feel that it is not appropriate to
share information with another agency. Social Work
professionals, for example, are sometimes dealing with
extremely sensitive issues which young people will almost
certainly not want to be discussed. We have found, however,
that there is a greater willingness to pass on verbal
information than to produce written reports. While this is
understandable, it is an ad hoc and unreliable way of
transmitting information. The extent to which information
may be made available about a young person should not be
subject to such an uncertain procedure.
7.33 Although we respect the concerns of professionals
in the field, we believe that confidentiality has to be
considered in the wider context of the young person's long
term future. We are also aware of the view among a range of
individuals and agencies that confidentiality can be used
as a barrier to effective communication between agencies
and as a justification for not transferring information. We
firmly believe that there should be strict protocols
governing confidentiality which serve the best interests of
the young person and not the practices of individual
agencies.
7.34 The important point is that agencies which gather
information on young people should treat it in a
confidential manner. The young person should be able to
confide in someone and know that sensitive information will
not be passed onto another agency without his/her knowledge
and under strict safeguards. Permission should always be
sought before passing on information to another agency. It
should be acknowledged, however, that there are likely to
be limits to confidentiality in certain circumstances e.g.
to establish entitlement to benefits. There may be other
occasions where information on a young person's learning
and support needs should be passed on to another agency to
ensure that they are not offered inappropriate further
education, or training, or do not receive support that they
require to help them make the most of the opportunity.
There are other cases where there could be significant
health and safety implications e.g. if a young person has
epilepsy and a training provider is not aware of it.
7.35 The Committee is in no doubt that the issue of
confidentiality is in all respects challenging and
difficult to resolve. We believe that improved assessment
practice, and in particular an open process which closely
involves young people, will do much to build the confidence
of the young people in the overall process. If this is
allied to a system for transferring information which
assures young people that only relevant information will be
passed to another agency, so that they can receive the
support they require, they are more likely to take a
positive view. The support of a key worker or mentor would
also help young people to develop confidence in the
process.
7.36 We believe that, linked to
the arrangements for improving participation and ownership
of the assessment process, the key agencies should agree
protocols and standards for confidentiality.
We recommend, therefore, that the Area Strategy
Groups should work with the key agencies to develop agreed
protocols for the transfer of information which set out
specific arrangements for confidentiality.Staff Development and Training
7.37 In this Chapter we have
discussed the importance of an effective assessment process
in developing an Inclusive approach across all agencies. We
have made a number of proposals and recommendations on key
aspects of assessment. One of the most vital aspects is the
commitment and expertise of the staff who are engaged in
assessment. They require the skills to carry out interviews
and tests and the ability to understand the difficulties
and problems which may make the young people reluctant to
participate and respond. There is also an important issue
about achieving a consistent standard of assessment. The
studies carried out in the past 3 years demonstrated
variations in practice even within agencies. We believe
that both of these aspects must be addressed in developing
an improved assessment process.
We, therefore, recommend that the agencies -
careers service, the enterprise networks, training
providers, colleges and other agencies - who are involved
in assessment should ensure that staff receive training in
assessment practice. We also recommend that the Area
Strategy Groups work with the key agencies to promote joint
staff training to develop consistent standards and
practices in assessment across agencies.From Assessment to Provision
7.38 The assessment process is not an end in itself. Its
purpose is to identify the learning and support needs of
the individual and provide the basis for education and
training providers to offer appropriate, matching learning
opportunities and, where necessary, for colleges, training
providers or other agencies to make available additional
support. An Inclusiveness approach requires that this
should not mean simply allocating the young person to the
"best fit" which is available. In some cases suitable
provision may already be in place. In many other cases, it
will mean drawing together strands of provision and other
support into a "package" of provision. This is the
challenge of Inclusiveness.
7.39 For those young people who have multiple problems,
matching provision to their assessed needs may be a complex
exercise. It may also have to be recognised that progress
may be in small stages because of the range of their
support needs. One example is where young people have a
disordered and chaotic lifestyle and find it difficult to
sustain a programme of study or training. Progress in
personal, social or even emotional development may not be
recognised within existing systems, and in particular, may
not attract funding. The most obvious example is the
funding for training which is targeted primarily towards
the attainment of qualifications. In further education
there is provision for special programmes and extended
learning support to assist young people who need tailored
learning or additional support. While the funding
arrangements in FE are different, there is evidence from
the FE Survey that there is scope for change. The specific
funding issues and our proposals are discussed in Chapter
10. We highlight them here as part of the context for our
proposals to provide a systematic follow-up to
assessment.
Individual Profile and Action Plans
7.40 We have developed proposals for an individual
profile and action plan to take forward the outcome of the
assessment process in a systematic way designed to
recognise the needs, abilities and aspirations of the young
person. The aim is to encourage and assist the individual
in making progress at a pace and towards agreed goals which
are suitable for him/her; and to encourage and assist the
provider agencies to design and deliver the appropriate
"package" for learning and support. The personal profile
would also support the development of a funding regime
which recognised the time needed to build up basic skills
and improve personal skills; and reward progression in the
"soft" areas.
7.41 The underpinning of a personal profile should be an
assessment procedure which clearly identifies both
hard/tangible areas of need eg literacy, numeracy, specific
aids; and "soft/intangible" areas such as attitude,
motivation, punctuality and willingness to learn. The
challenge for the practitioners is to develop measurable
indicators of progress in the "soft" areas (often referred
to as attributes) which could then be used as the basis of
funding. A key objective would be to help the young person
reach a level of competence and confidence where they could
benefit from more vocationally based training. We have
identified the following key elements of drawing up a
personal profile:
Assessment:
An effective assessment process which identifies the
individual's learning and support needs, abilities and
aspirations
Personal or Individual Profile:
The profile should include:
- The type and level of learning and personal skills
support needs (from assessment) ; and the type and
level of skills and abilities;
- Particular circumstances
(social/emotional/behavioural) likely to create
barriers to learning and/or employment;
- Aspirations of the individual e.g. job, training,
further education, a house, drug rehabilitation,
money;
Action Plan:
The profile should be the basis of an individual(ised)
action plan which is discussed and agreed with the young
person. The action plan should specify:
- the areas/aspects to be addressed;
- the activities which will form part of the training
programme;
- other actions to address other problems e.g.
housing, drugs, and the agency responsible;
- what will constitute progress and how it will be
measured;
- dates for reviewing progress and who will be
involved;
- the main contact for the young person.
7.42 The objective is to design
a programme for each young person which meet his/her needs
i.e. an individualised profile and action plan. Regular
reviews and ongoing assessment will be crucial to the
programme's effectiveness. It may be more accurate,
therefore, to describe it as an
action planning and review system. We
attach the greatest importance to ensuring that there is a
'next step' following the assessment which is focused on
the individual and designed to match the provision to
his/her learning support needs.
We, therefore, recommend that the assessment
framework should include a profile and action planning
system agreed by all the relevant agencies.Role of Agencies
7.43 Where a young person has multiple needs, it is
vital that all agencies who do have a contribution to make
to assessment, whether funding, information, or other forms
of support, are brought into the process. For such young
people, a key worker may be assigned who can then act as
the 'broker' and liaison point between the other agencies.
As described in Chapter 5, we are proposing that the key
worker should have the power to co-ordinate the activities
of all the relevant agencies. We have also suggested that
there could be local multi-agency practitioner teams to
oversee the progress of the young people. This team may
decide the appropriate key worker.
7.44 In the light of our
recommendations that different approaches to multi-agency
working and the organisation of a key worker should be
tested out, we will not make specific proposals about how
agencies should collaborate in the assessment process.
However, there are a number of ways in which key worker
support and a multi-agency team could operate to ensure
that the individual profile and action planning system is
working for the maximum benefit of the young person. How it
works in practice will depend on how, and when, the young
person comes into contact with the careers service company,
the further education sector, the training provider or a
LEC.
We are proposing, however, that arrangements for
referral to a key worker or appointing a multi-agency team
should be the responsibility of the Area Strategy
Groups.Staff Development and Training
7.45 The introduction of an individual profile and
action plan is another area which would require staff
development and training for all the relevant agencies.
There would also be a need for joint training to ensure
that staff in the various agencies had a mutual
understanding of the purpose of the action plan and were
fully committed to monitoring and reviewing
implementation.
Future Needs Assessment: Post-School
Implementation
7.46 In Chapter 6, we noted the concerns raised by
parents about the operation of the Future Needs Assessment
process; for example, the lack of communication between
agencies and the difficulty for young people and
parents/carers in putting across their views. The Social
Work Services Inspectorate also raised these and other
concerns about the FNA process, including problems with the
follow-up arrangements, in the 'Sensing Progress' report.
The issue of post-school implementation is of particular
concern to this Committee and in "Sensing Progress", the
SWSI asked us to consider how it might be improved.
7.47 The main problem seems to
be that, where the follow-up arrangements break down, no
one professional or agency has responsibility for
re-negotiating the package of learning and support. This
has clear parallels with the experiences of other
vulnerable young people. While only a small percentage of
young people are involved in the FNA process, it is
important that they have the same access to post-school
arrangements for education and training as other young
people who have additional support needs.
We recommend that our proposals for co-ordination
of services by Area Strategy Groups should encompass
post-school provision for young people who have been
involved in the FNA process. It could be part of the FNA
process for a referral to be made to a key worker
while the young person is still at school so that the key
worker would be familiar with the learning and support
needs of the young person if, at a later stage, the post
school provision does not go according to plan. If no
referral is thought to be necessary when the young person
is still at school, it should be possible for the young
person (or the parents/carers,) as well other agencies who
are involved with the young person, to seek a referral
after the young person has left school.
7.48 Some of the evidence that
we have received also suggests that the education and
training needs of some young people are not adequately
addressed in the FNA process.
There may be an initial destination i.e. a college or
training provider, but no long-term plan or arrangements to
address the need for subsequent transitions. It is our view
that young people who come into post-school provision
through the FNA process should have access to the
individual profile and action planning system which we are
recommending for their peers.
The links to the profile and action planning system
should be explicit while the young person is still at
school.
We, therefore, recommend that the Area Strategy
Groups should work with the relevant agencies, and
specifically with the local authority Education Department,
to ensure that the FNA process has clear links to the key
worker support arrangements; and that the needs of the
young people are addressed in the profile and action
planning system.
Summary of Recommendations
The Committee recommends that:
The Area Strategy Groups should work with the
lead agencies to develop an assessment framework
setting out the key principles, roles and
responsibilities and pathways into and between
assessment. (Paragraph 7.6)
There should be a review of assessment tools at
national level to be undertaken by the lead agencies in
assessment, with particular emphasis on the skills and
attributes which contribute to employability. The lead
agencies would include the careers service companies,
LECs, training providers, FE colleges and the voluntary
sector. (Paragraph 7.9)
The Area Strategy Groups should work with the
relevant agencies - careers service companies, LECs and
training providers, colleges and the local authority to
develop a wider range of enhanced guidance and
assessment programmes supported by appropriate funding
mechanisms. (Paragraph 7.11)
The Area Strategy Groups work with the relevant
agencies to agree arrangements for encouraging the
participation and ownership of the young person which
take full account of the individual's rights and wishes
as far as possible. There should also be agreed
arrangements about the process of referral to a key
worker and the ongoing role of the key worker in the
assessment process. (Paragraph 7.21)
There should be a Transition Form for all young
people which contains up-to-date and accurate
information (as far as possible) about achievements,
goals and learning and support needs. (Paragraph
7.25)
The Scottish Executive Education Department,
working together with COSLA and the teaching bodies,
should develop our proposal for a Transition Form with
appropriate reference to the development of the
Progress File in conjunction with the work now going on
in the Education Department and local authorities on
Personal Learning Plans. (Paragraph 7.29)
The Area Strategy Groups should promote and
encourage the development and use of a standard
Transition Form within their own area. (Paragraph
7.31)
The Area Strategy Group should work with the
relevant agencies to develop agreed protocols for the
transfer of information which set out specific
arrangements for confidentiality. (Paragraph
7.36)
The agencies - careers service companies, the
enterprise networks, training providers, colleges and
other agencies who are involved in assessment - should
ensure that staff receive training in assessment
practice. (Paragraph 7.37)
The Area Strategy Groups should work with the
relevant agencies to promote joint staff training to
develop consistent standards and practices in
assessment across agencies. We also recommend that the
Area Strategy Groups work with the key agencies to
promote joint staff training to develop consistent
standards and practices in assessment across agencies.
(Paragraph 7.37)
The assessment framework should include a
profile and action planning system agreed by all the
relevant agencies. (Paragraph 7.42).
The arrangements for referral to a key worker
or appointing a multi-agency team should be the
responsibility of the Area Strategy Group. (Paragraph
7.44).
The co-ordination of services by Area Strategy
Groups should encompass post-school provision for young
people who have been involved in the FNA process.
(Paragraph 7.47)
The Area Strategy Groups should work with the
relevant agencies, and specifically with the local
authority education department, to ensure that the FNA
process has clear links to the key worker support
arrangements; and that the needs of the young people
are addressed in the profile and action planning
system. (Paragraph 7.48)
Appendix 1
Outline Framework
The Committee has drawn up an outline assessment
framework. It includes the key principles agreed by the
Committee and suggests pathways in, through and out of the
various stages of assessment.
Pathways
We know that many young people will come in and out of
post-school education and training. We also believe that
each of the agencies that come into contact with young
people e.g. community education workers, should be able to
make referrals in to the assessment process. The structure
and the framework should be flexible enough to support
multiple entries but in such a way that young people are
not always going back to the starting point. The same
process as above would come into play where young people
experience a number of transitions.
Principles of Assessment
It must be open
It must be fair and accurate
It must be focused on the young person and not designed
to accommodate the organisational structures or
administrative practices of an institution or agency
It must respect confidentiality
It must encourage full participation and ownership by
the young person
It must aid progression.
It should also:
- be continuous but not repetitive;
- be given adequate time and care;
- be carried out by competent and well trained
staff;
- be designed to allow the transfer of accurate,
relevant and up-to-date information.
The Purpose of Assessment
To identify the type and level of learning and support
needs, the abilities and the aspirations of the young
person;
To communicate assessment to the appropriate
provider(s); and
To draw up an action plan and set goals.
Roles and Responsibilities
School:
Identification of problem areas/learning and support
needs which might prevent participation in post school
education, training, and employment.
Recording and reporting: transfer of information
(Transition Form) to post school providers (careers service
companies, colleges and training provider).
Referral (if appropriate) to key worker.
Career Service Companies:
Guidance on career choice, entry routes and employment,
education and training programmes in school and
post-school.
Initial assessment of learning and support needs.
Contribute to FNA process.
Contribute to multi-agency working.
Referral to key worker.
Referral to training provider for enhanced assessment or
pre-vocational or skills based training funded by LEC.
Referral to employers for job vacancies after school, FE
or training.
Training providers:
Assessment (probably not initial assessment)
Enhanced Assessment
Ongoing Assessment and review
Contribute to multi agency team
Referral to key worker (if appropriate).
Community Education
Contact and support for hard to reach young people
Referrals
Contribute to assessment
Contribute to multi-agency team
FE Colleges:
Initial assessment
Follow-up with more in-depth assessment
Referral to key worker (if appropriate)
Ongoing assessment and review
Participate in multi-agency team
Social Work:
Referral to careers service companies, LEC, college
Referral to key worker service (if appropriate)
Contribute to assessments
Participate in multi-agency teams
Employment Service:
Initial contact and assessment (for 18-24 year olds
under the New Deal)
Referral to key worker (if appropriate)
When (should it be done)?
- Regularly - but not too often: and not the same
assessment repeated on several occasions.
- Pre-leaving school (Future Needs Assessment, other
types of recording and reporting and assessment).
- On leaving school - careers service companies
training providers, college.
- At prescribed intervals when the young person is on
a training programme or FE course.
- At every transition (whether through progression or
as a result of "scheme-hopping").
What it Should Cover?
- Qualifications
- Core skills
- Attributes (personal/life skills)
- Employment ideas or independent living goals
- Other circumstances (social, financial,
behavioural) which might affect participation and
progression
What it Should Measure?
- Level of competence and capability in each
area
- Type and level of learning needs
- Type and level of support need
Outcome
An individual profile and action plan with agreed
goals.
Protocols on
Ownership
Confidentiality
Transfer of Information
Roles and Responsibilities
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