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Jo Moriarty Jill Manthorpe Shereen Hussein

Earning and learning: the influence of secondment on retention rates in part-time social work qualifying education. Jo Moriarty Jill Manthorpe Shereen Hussein. Outline. Background Aims and methods Looking at DipSW students Findings Seems like a social work success story!

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Jo Moriarty Jill Manthorpe Shereen Hussein

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  1. Earning and learning:the influence of secondment on retention rates in part-time social work qualifying education Jo Moriarty Jill Manthorpe Shereen Hussein

  2. Outline • Background • Aims and methods • Looking at DipSW students • Findings • Seems like a social work success story! • Implications for the future • Changes since new degree

  3. Background - HE • Part time students make up 40 per cent of all students in higher education (Ramsden, 2006) • Concerns that part time students are less likely to achieve their intended qualification (National Audit Office, 2001, 2007)

  4. Background – social work • Early interest in part time education • From educationalists (Everett, 1989, 1990) • From employers (Balloch et al, 1999) • All three DipSW routes offered opportunities to study part time • Mainly on non-graduate programmes

  5. Aims • GSCC asked Social Care Workforce Research Unit to look at progression among DipSW students in 2005 • Start of ongoing programme of work • Aim to look at demographic and HEI factors influencing progression (Hussein et al, 2007)

  6. Methods (1) • Methodological challenges in deciding what constitutes progression on part time programmes • Purpose is to offer more flexible timing • Danger of comparisons with full time students when option to study full time not necessarily to them (Callender et al, 2006)

  7. Methods (2) • GSCC provided details on all students registering for a DipSW 1995-1998 • Advantage is that need a longer period to measure progression for part time students • 1209 on part time non-graduate DipSW programmes

  8. Demographics • Similar to full time students in terms of their demographics • 73 per cent women • 48 per cent aged 30-39 • 20 per cent from a black and minority ethnic group • 10 per cent had a disability

  9. Funding • Differences in funding between full time and part time students • 36 per cent seconded • 16 per cent sponsored • 26 per cent self funding

  10. Progression • Overall progression rates were high • 81 per cent awarded a DipSW • 1 per cent failed • 14 per cent withdrew • (<5 per cent no information) • 87 per cent of full time non graduate students awarded a DipSW

  11. Analysis • Logistic regression • Distinguishes between effects of each factor after controlling for all the other risk factors • No assumptions about independent variables (e.g. distribution)

  12. Likelihood of withdrawal (1) • No differences by type of HEI • NAO suggests that it does differ by HEI across all part time students • No differences by previous educational attainment • Extensive literature suggests that generally students with higher educational qualifications do better in HE

  13. Likelihood of withdrawal (2) • No differences by gender or disability • Hussein et al found men/students with disabilities had poorer progression on full time programmes • Small differences by ethnicity • Hussein et al found BME students had poorer progression on full time programmes

  14. Likelihood of withdrawal (3) • Seconded and sponsored students less likely to withdraw • (‘blindingly obvious’ school of research) • Referred/deferred students as likely to continue • Suggests that they received appropriate institutional support

  15. Who gets seconded? • Slightly older • ?’Reward’ for service • Less likely to have a disability • ?Reluctance to disclose to employer (McLean, 2003) • Strong regional differences • ?Effective way of solving local shortages

  16. Social work success story? • Results seem better than for part time students as a whole • NAO (2007) suggested that 45 per cent left early • Fits into widening participation agenda • Many students from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds

  17. Since new degree (1) • Evaluation of social work degree qualification in England • http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_086079 • Small declines in proportions of part time students and in students supported by an employer

  18. Since new degree (2) • ?Some evidence that employers now more interested in traineeships than sponsorships • May disadvantage ‘older’ students where salary is an essential part of the household income • Would some full time students find part time study easier?

  19. Issues • How should HEIs and employers work in partnership to develop flexible routes into higher education? • Should there be more flexible study options? • Opportunities to switch between full and part time? • Are mature students neglected in widening participation strategies?

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