|
|
Next Steps
|
Next StepsThe following is the text of a letter sent by Derek Grover and David Forrester of the DfEE on the 1st April 1999 to the following: Chief Executives of Careers Services; Chief Education Officers of LEAs in England; TEC Chief Executives; Principals of Colleges and Higher Education Institutions. Introduction This letter:
Consultation The Department's proposals were set out in "Local information, advice and guidance services for adults - Towards a National Framework", which was published in early January. 460 formal responses to the consultation were received, in hard copy and by e-mail. A large number of useful points were also made at four very well-attended regional consultative conferences. A short summary of the main points made in the formal responses and at the regional conferences is available on this site. Except where the authors said that they did not wish their views to be made public, all consultation responses are available for inspection at the Department's offices. Please contact Marcus Bell if you wish to see any of these. All respondents welcomed the broad thrust of the Department's proposals and the new investment of programme resources. There was also a good deal of common ground about the proposed general approach; most respondents felt that this would mean delivery of services by broad-based partnerships of local organisations underpinned by an effective quality assurance mechanism. There was, however, a considerable divergence of view about the detailed arrangements under which information, advice and guidance services should be developed at a local level over the next few years. Opinions varied most often about:
Ministers have sought to take account of this diversity of opinion in reaching conclusions about the arrangements for 1999-2000. Key issues In the light of this consultation, Ministers have decided to press ahead with the broad strategy for the development of local IAG services set out in "Towards a National Framework". Their conclusions on the key issues on which the Department consulted are set out under the relevant headings below. Levels of service Ministers believe that priority should be given at a local level to the development of a basic information and advice service that is free of charge. The focus of the service should be learning and employment and the relationship between the two. While Ministers are keen to see local providers developing and delivering a more comprehensive range of services where this proves feasible, they recognise that the level of public resources likely to be available means that it may not be possible to guarantee the availability of such services nationally, or to everyone. The development of a national specification for local IAG services remains an aim, although substantially more dialogue with providers is needed about exactly what it might contain. It is hoped that the experience of local IAG "pathfinders" (see below) in particular will inform that dialogue. Funding Ministers have decided that, except for IAG pathfinders, the available funding should be allocated to partnership areas in 1999-2000 on the basis of their adult population only (based on 1991 Census of Population). The most accurate figures which we can use for this process are those defining adult as 21years and above, with no upper age limit in recognition that lifelong learning is a continuous process throughout an individual's life. A number of persuasive arguments were advanced by consultation respondents as to how funding allocations might be skewed to reflect the needs of different areas, such as social deprivation, unemployment, population sparsity and other factors. However, Ministers have taken the view that there is considerable virtue in simplicity and transparency and that the total level of resources available in 1999-2000 does not in any case justify the creation of a complex funding formula. Nor does it appear to be practicable for funding allocations to take account of previous investment by local agencies in IAG services. Partnerships Ministers believe that local information, advice and guidance services should be included among the planning responsibilities of Lifelong Learning Partnerships, which already include key provider organisations. This proposal received widespread support during the consultation on local IAG. This decision should help to ensure that the provision of local IAG is appropriately "joined-up" with the provision of other relevant local services. The practical implications of the decision for delivery arrangements in 1999-2000 are explored in more detail below. However, it is recognised that IAG networks may well also include other partners, from the voluntary sector or Employment service or elsewhere. Geographical coverage It follows that the areas within which local IAG services will be delivered will be those covered by the Lifelong Learning Partnerships. Where it makes sense locally, however, two or more Lifelong Learning Partnerships should be able to form a common partnership for IAG purposes. Ministers would welcome this where partnership areas are relatively small geographically or in relation to adult population. Quality As suggested in the consultation document, Ministers intend that quality assurance arrangements for local IAG should be based on the Guidance Council quality standards. Responsibility for monitoring and applying these and for continuous quality improvement within the sector will lie with an accreditation body to be established by the Guidance Council. While the general intention remains that all publicly funded organisations delivering IAG should meet the quality standards by April 2001, the Department will consider further with the Guidance Council the detailed arrangements for applying the standards within the sector, so as to take account of other requirements in place where appropriate. Customer charges Ministers intend that partnerships should provide a basic information and advice service free of charge. Whether other services should be provided free should be a matter for local decision, in the light of the overall resources available to each partnerships and the priorities locally. Next steps Detailed arrangements for year 1 (1999-2000) For year 1, 1999-2000, there will be two types of IAG partnerships, pathfinder and development. The Department will fund six "pathfinder partnerships" to deliver a full IAG service from June 1999 and undertake priority development work to take forward aspects of IAG policy. This will help inform further development across the whole country in 2000-2001. Pathfinders will receive up to £250,000 for year 1 (June 1999 - March 2000). The six pathfinders will be chosen on the basis of plans which appear most likely to provide the Department with a range of approaches on which to develop a national year two specification. If your Lifelong Learning Partnership area has been agreed and you wish your partnership to be considered as an IAG pathfinder partnership you should submit your proposals in accordance with the planning framework presented in Planning Framework (paragraph 3.2). To be received by Marcus Bell, Room E8d, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ by 31 may 1999. Development partnerships will be allocated funds to bring partners together to plan and develop networks and begin to deliver services so as to provide comprehensive, quality IAG services from April 2000. £5.5 million will be allocated by formula based on adult population for this purpose. It is not possible to say exactly how this will be divided, as boundaries of most Lifelong Learning Partnerships are not yet known. But to give providers an indication of the level of resources likely to be available, indicative figures of the resources likely to be available by LEA area, are presented in Allocation of Resources. Proposals for development partnerships should be submitted in accordance with the planning framework presented in Planning Framework (paragraph 3.1). Proposals should only be submitted when your Lifelong Learning Partnership area has been agreed. Development funding will be made available from September 1999, or the date thereafter on which a partnership is agreed and a plan submitted. For those networks unsuccessful in bidding for pathfinders, development funding will be made available from June. Arrangements for Year 2000-2001 For 2000-2001 the Department intends to issue, in January 2000, a detailed specification for IAG services which will draw on the detailed outcomes from the pathfinder partnerships work. Funding for year 2 will be available to all partnerships allocated on the formula basis. Timetable Possible Pathfinder Partnerships to submit plans - 31 May 1999 Pathfinder Partnerships announced - June 1999 Development Partnerships plans - July 1999 All plans should be sent to Marcus Bell, Room E8d, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ Any queries about the contents of this letter should be addressed to:
|
 |