Skill:  National Bureau for Students with Disabilities promotes opportunities to empower young people and adults with any kind of disability to realise their potential in further, continuing and higher education, training and employment throughout the United Kingdom. Skill works by providing information and advice to individuals, promoting good practice and influencing policy in partnership with disabled people, service providers and policy makers.

  Access to education and learning opportunities is just as important for adults with learning disabilities as for other learners. The benefits to personal well being and mental health from learning, and further benefits from the personal and economic well being of entering employment as a result of learning opportunities are well established. Skill is concerned that the emphasis on skills and Level 2 targets is reducing the opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to continue their education in a variety of settings.

PROVISION AND PROGRESSION OF LEARNING

  Skill welcomes the commitment to provide learning opportunities for young people with a learning difficulty, through new legislation strengthening funding entitlement for adults to free training in basic literacy and numeracy skills, and to achieve their first full Level 2 qualification[175]. Skill also believes that there needs to be effective transition arrangements to enable young disabled people to move smoothly into adult services, as currently there can be difficulties with this transition.

  It is important to acknowledge the problem of the "revolving door", where people with learning disabilities are continually on a revolving cycle of courses without progression and without consideration of what would be best for their education and development. This should not be the case, as a young person's transition plan should look at curriculum needs and be person-centred and therefore enable them to progress. Person-centred planning should continue for adults with learning disabilities so that they continue to get the most out of learning.

  Progression for disabled people also needs to be a reality in terms of non-accredited provision. Not all learners, especially those with learning difficulties, will gain a Level 2 qualification, for example, but this does not mean that they have not succeeded in their learning goals. Education, at all levels, needs to monitor progression and participation as well as attainment, and must look at how achievement and attainment can be recognised without accreditation. Indeed, non-accredited courses should not be considered as a lesser product, as they can be of equal high quality as accredited courses. There are a number of quality approved (by QCA) non-accredited courses, but post-16 providers, particularly smaller providers such as those in work-based learning, are often unaware of the content or availability.

In order to support the learning of young people with learning difficulties and disabilities, it is essential to have recognition that achievement and attainment can be lateral across a breadth of experiences, and does not have to always be upward progression. Adults with learning disabilities should have an entitlement to Information, Advice and Guidance, and guidance workers need training on progression and working in partnership with providers.

  The Foundation Learning Tier (FLT) provides a qualification at a range of levels of learning entitlement of learners with learning disabilities. In Skill's response to the QCA on the FLT welcomed the principle that prior achievement, the interests, needs and aspirations of learners should be taken in to account and that disabled learners should be involved in the design and structure of their personal curriculum to enrich their learning experiences and facilitate progression. Skill agrees with the Skills for Life[176] publication on person-centred approaches to adults with learning difficulties that for some learners it may be inefficient and ineffective for them to spend time acquiring literacy and numeracy skills when there are more appropriate ways for them to develop their skills in a particular area.

TRANSITION FROM LEARNING TO EMPLOYMENT

  Skill remains concerned about the substantial minority of learners who may never achieve a Level 2 qualification yet for whom work is still a reality. It is therefore important that appropriate vocational training should be available for them without always having to have the proviso that it must lead to a Level 2 programme.

  Skill is particularly concerned about the high number of disabled people, particularly those with learning disabilities, who attend a sequence of learning programmes, often entitled preparation for work, yet who never actually achieve employment.

Skill recommends that the Government look to the development of clear and effective strategies which support the full range of disabled people into full or part time employment rather than providing them solely with work preparation programmes.

  One of the recommendations of Through Inclusion to Excellence[177] was that the Learning and Skills Council "ensure that employment-related provision is accessible, and actively encourages participation of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities." The LSC accepted all of the recommendations in their response; Learning for Living and Work[178] and Skill recommends that the Committee also encourages opportunities for supported employment that can really benefit adults with learning disabilities.

  The participation by learners with learning disabilities in employment related provision is patchy. To improve access to quality employment related provision, awareness and understanding of learners needs and achievement needs to be raised. The benefits of support employment programmes for this group of learners are currently receiving neither the recognition nor the funding they deserve. Supported Employment has always been a fringe rather than a mainstream activity often existing only n short-term pilot project resources. Yet many practitioners, particularly those working with people with learning disabilities, say it is one of the most effective ways of supporting young people and adults in to work. Skill is aware of the Shaw Trust project "Young People with Learning Disabilities—What Works?" which will culminate in a blueprint Good Practice Guide for parents and education authorities when research is completed later this year.

Skill recommends that there is a real commitment to building up and sustaining this kind of employment where it is appropriate for people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

TRANSPORT

  Skill has found that funding for transport is particularly problematic in the further education sector, especially post-19. Students of 19 and under often struggle to have their transport needs met as well. Concern about transport was by far the most common response to Skill learner feedback survey last year for those in further education.

  The root of the problem seems to lie in statutory wording that describes transport provision by specifying "powers" rather than "duties". Social services, local education authorities and (under the Disability Discrimination Act part 4) even colleges have the power to arrange appropriate transport, but not a duty to do so. This leads to all three agencies on occasion avoiding making provision, and turning requests for transport down, sometimes without an appropriate exercise of their discretion. Without transport funding, some people with learning disabilities simply cannot take up educational opportunities. Added to this, there is erratic regional variation, which does nothing to increase clarity and confidence for disabled learners trying to plan their education. For all young people with learning disabilities, this climate of uncertainty is destructive to their life chances and planning, and disruptive to their confidence when considering the continuation of their educational career.

  Skill suggests that the Committee ask the joint department teams for "Progression through Partnership" to make clear their timetable for sustainable transport arrangements for those that need them.

INTEGRATED SERVICES

  People with learning disabilities can have a complex set of needs, and these needs are often best met by contributions from different organisations. A multi-agency approach can be beneficial for the disabled person, as each organisation can bring their own expertise to meet the persons individual requirements. This has been particularly shown through the Valuing People (2001) white paper and the Learning Disability Partnership Boards which were set up following the white paper, bringing together representatives from Social Services and health services, people with learning disabilities, family carers, people from housing, education and other organisations.

  Coordinated action can assist disabled people to pass successfully and smoothly between the different stages of their life. Unfortunately, a study for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)[179] suggested that there was insufficient joint working and an overall lack of planning for disabled people.

  Therefore, one of the major barriers for people with learning disabilities is that service provision is very often disjointed rather than truly joined up. Different people tend to be eligible in different ways for different services and therefore disabled people find themselves having to fulfil different criteria for services that they access. Eligibility for services is often based on specific disability categories and therefore many individuals with complex or multiple disabilities and impairments are not having their needs fully met because of the service structures. In addition, another major contributory factor is the confusion regarding the responsibilities of different organisations, as well as lack of general communication between different agencies. It can also be difficult for people with learning disabilities to understand which organisation provides a particular support or provision.

  Morris (2002)[180] states that, "There are still significant differences between the intention of inter-agency working expressed at Government and policy level and the experiences of disabled young people and their families. Strategic commitments to joint working are rarely translated into effective co-operation in practice." More specifically, this study found that there was poor co-ordination between children and adult social services and between education institutions and social services departments.

Skill welcomes Progression Through Partnership the joint strategy between the Department for Education and Skills, Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions and recommends the Committee consider asking them how this will be implemented for people with learning disabilities.

CULTURAL BARRIERS

  Research carried out by Skill[181] (Aasha, a copy of which is with the Clerk) has shown that people with a learning difficulty from a minority ethnic group can face particular difficulty in accessing services, including education. There are many reasons for this, such as segregation of race and disability issues which pervades peoples' ways of thinking, providers' lack of understanding of particular cultural attitudes to disability, and the difficulty these groups can often have accessing information.

Skill recommends that the Committee seek assurance from the Commission for Equality and Human Rights that specific attention be paid to those people who cross over boundaries of equalities legislation, eg race, disability, age.

Skill recommends that the Committee respond to the consultation on the Proposals for a Single Equality Bill[182] to ensure that existing law and human rights legislation are seen as the minimum standard for a single public sector duty.

LISTENING TO PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

  The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities carried out an evaluation of Connexions: "Developing Connexions for young people with disabilities, mental health needs or autistic spectrum disorders".[183] The report found that the Personal Adviser is a key role as a supporter and advocate, and that their independence was essential: enabling them the freedom to support the young person and perhaps challenge the status quo.

  People with learning disabilities can continue to need a supporter or advocate after the age of 25 and as such an appropriate agency needs to be established for adults with learning disabilities to provide this role and independent and professional Information, Advice and Guidance.

  Disabled people are often not adequately consulted about what they want for their future or about what service provision in general suits them best. This was also identified in the Developing Connexions report. Service providers should ensure that any initiatives relating to disabled people should incorporate the views of disabled people to ensure their needs are being met and to ensure that provision is appropriate. All of the learners that Skill interviewed for the Skills for Life Review conducted in 2006 commented on how important they felt it was for panners to hear their views. The Disability Equality Duty on public bodies to actively involve disabled people has bought about much good practice and positive developments in this area. Skill is particularly concerned about the potential erosion of this duty in the current Proposals for a Single Equality Bill Green Paper[184].

Skill recommends that the Committee respond to the consultation on the Proposals for a Single Equality Bill[185] to ensure that existing law and human rights legislation are seen as the minimum standard for a single public sector duty.

20 July 2007

176   Skills for Life: The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills. Person-centred approaches and adults with learning difficulties NIACE and DfES 2006 Back

177   http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/2005/research/commissioned/through-inclusion-to-excellence.pdf Back

178   http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/Learning_for_Living_and_Work_Complete_2.pdf Back

179   DWP research report no. 204 (2004)-Making the transition: addressing barriers in services for disabled people Back

180   Morris, J (2002), Moving into Adulthood: Young Disabled People moving into adulthood, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Back

181   Skill (2003) Aasha: working with young people with a learning difficulty from a South Asian background Back

182   http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1511245 Back

183   http://www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/connexions/intro.htm Back

184   http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1511245 Back

185   http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1511245 Back