Learning and Skills Council Lincolnshire and Rutland

1. Learning and Skills CouncilLincolnshire and Rutland Maggie Freeman Diversity Manager

2. 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’

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Provision for under-represented groups • Those with profound and complex learning difficulties • Young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties • Adults with mental health difficulties

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. Recommendations 2000/2001 57 33 Number of students 23 21 18 Local Lsc Area * FIGURES TAKEN FROM THE LLDD DATABASE OCT 2001

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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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