Learning and Skills Council Lincolnshire and Rutland

Maggie Freeman Diversity Manager

The Vision

‘To create a learning society in which everyone has the opportunity to go as far as their talents and efforts will take them’

The National Remit

 The Learning and Skills Act 2000 requires the LSC to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between:  People from different racial groups  Men and women  People with a disability and people without

The National Remit

 The LSC must also report nationally to the secretary of state on:  What equality arrangements it has made during the preceding year  How effective the equality arrangements were  Equality plans for the following year

Disability

 Disabled people are seven times more likely to be out of work and on benefits compared to non disabled people  The long term unemployment rate for disabled people is double that of people without a disability  Disabled people are twice as likely to have no qualifications than non-disabled people  18% of total UK population of working age have a long-term health problem or disability (LFS 1999)

Access to Good Quality Provision

 FEFC data shows that in 1998/9 nearly 175,00 students out of a total of 3.5million indicated a learning difficulty or disability  Provision has improved significantly since the introduction of Further and Higher Education Act 1992 However  Inspection grades show provision for students with LDD is of lower quality than that for other learners  Provision varies significantly between colleges

 Local LSC designated senior member of staff with responsibility for LLDD  Regular audit of provision and support for learners with LDD  Audit proportion of learners in post 16 learning with a disability and/or learning difficulty  Work with Learning Partnerships to improve access to post 16 provision  Ensure and advise on compliance with disability legislation

 Ensure that all providers address the needs of learners with LDD in line with CIF  Promote ‘Inclusive Learning’ in line with quality standards in the Tomlinson Report  Encourage collaboration and share and promote good practice  Ensure the provider base is capable of providing quality provision for LLDD  Utilise the outcomes of assessments under section 140 of the LSA to plan provision

Provision for under represented groups

 Those with profound and complex learning difficulties  Young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties  Adults with mental health difficulties

Work Experience Arrangements

 Monitoring arrangements to assess the extent to which learners with LDD are able to benefit from work experience placements  Work with partners (schools, DfES, LSDA and AoC) to develop good practice guidance to providers  Local LSCs work with providers to develop and share best practice

Transition

 Work with other agencies to ensure progression routes post FE  Distinguish between learners genuinely requiring extended FE and working towards defined learning goals, and those whose placement is merely extended because there is no future placement

Boarding Accommodation

 Secure and fund specialist residential provision for those young people who need it  Ensure there is adequate specialist residential provision available to meet the requirements of those young people who need it

Levers

 Power to attach conditions to funding:  Provider Disability statements  DDA Act  Special Educational Needs and Disability Act  Common Inspection Framework  Provider review process

Local Priorities

 Availability and quality of local provision  High proportion of learners enter residential specialist provision  Lower proportion of funding used for additional support in FE  Appropriate flexible provision for learners with mental health problems  Opportunities for employment for people with disabilities  Provision for learners with EBD

Recommendations 2000/2001 60 50 40 57 30 Number of students 20 10 33 18 0 Derbys Leics Lincs Local Lsc Area

* FIGURES TAKEN FROM THE LLDD DATABASE OCT 2001

23 Northants 21 Notts

Additional Support 2000/2001 Approximate % of additional support units: Local LSC area Approx percentage Funding * Derbyshire Nottinghamshire 8% 9% 45 M 85 M Lincolnshire/Rutland 5% 24 M Leicestershire Northamptonshire 6% 7% 49 M 25 M *does not include higher education institutions

Implementing the strategy

       Mainstream Equality throughout our policies, programmes and actions Local strategy for Equality and Diversity (published April 2002) Multi agency equality advisory group LDD liaison group (not yet convened) Internal cross function Diversity Action Team Provider review Partnership working

Partners

            Connexions Lincolnshire and Rutland Providers Learning Disabilities Partnership Boards Best Value for Children with Disabilities steering group Social Services Health Welfare to Work Local Education Authorities Business Link Employers and employer organisations Voluntary and statutory organisations Etc.

Publications

        Equality in practice – a guide to mainstreaming (LSC July 2001) Guidance on meeting the needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (DfEE March 2001) National Equality and Diversity Strategy (LSC March 2002) Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2002 (LSC March 2002) Finding Out About People’s Disabilities – a guide for FE&HE (DfES 2002) Providing Work Placements for Disabled Students – a good practice guide for FE&HE (DfES 2002) Local LSC strategies www.lsc.gov.uk