Call for action: a national ambition for potential and existing students from a care experience background

Transcription

1 AIC/15/16 Agenda item May 2015 Call for action: a national ambition for potential and existing students from a care experience background This paper presents the AIC which a national ambition for potential and existing students from a care experienced background. The ambitions themselves focus on intake, successful completions (in the college sector) and retention (in the university sector). Overall they seek, in the period AY to AY to achieve a consistency with non-care experienced students and they seek to increase the intake of care experienced students into colleges by 31% to 800 students and by 50% in the university sector which would increase the numbers to 400 students. The proposal includes consideration of how other partners can contribute towards this and how we can increase the likelihood of our collective success. It also outlines a proposed governance arrangement so that we can monitor our achievements and remain accountable for their achievement thereby enabling further interventions if required. Recommendations The AIC is asked to consider the national ambition outlined in this paper and advise on its content. In particular, it would be helpful to hear views on: o The level of ambition proposed and the timescale o The inclusion of statements and support from partners o The proposed governance group and future reporting to the AIC. The AIC is asked to agree to this paper being published in full on our website. Financial implications There are no financial implications.

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3 Call for action: a national ambition for potential and existing students with a care experience background Purpose 1. This paper outlines a national ambition for the SFC, the sectors and our partners for potential and existing students from a care experienced background. Strategic Plan implications 2. This paper relates to: Outcome 2: Access for people from the widest possible range of backgrounds; and Outcome 3: The right learning in the right place of the Scottish Funding Council Strategic Plan Background 3. Students from a care experienced background have been a priority group for the SFC for some time and we have proactively promoted the use of the Buttle UK Quality Mark across both the sectors. We also took the decision at the time of developing our Outcome Agreement framework to consider learners with care experience i.e. those who are looked after, in care or care leavers as if they were categorised as a protected characteristic group. This position means that this group feature strongly in our outcome agreement guidance and in our equality work. There are three main reasons why we felt (and still do) that this group should be a priority for us, these are: Like many other agencies, our data in relation to this group is poor and needs improving. AY is the first year for which we have data for both sectors and many institutions declare no or little numbers. Based on the data we do have, we believe that this group is underrepresented in both sectors, we also believe that part of this issue is due to low declarations amongst existing students and data collection issues Finally, the data we do have, data from the Scottish Government and feedback from specialist agencies outlines a significant difference between the outcomes of care experienced learners and their peers. 4. The need for a national ambition for those from a care experienced background originated from discussions with the AIC and with the group tasked to discuss and advise on the legacy of the Buttle UK Quality Mark. It became clear at those meetings that there were two issues, the need for support and advice for both sectors to best assist those students and a need to reflect on how well we were doing on meeting the needs of this group across Scotland. It was agreed that the SFC should consider how well we are meeting the needs of these 1

4 potential and existing students and to suggest a set of ambitions for the future. 5. At the last AIC meeting, the SFC executive presented the AIC with an update on our work in relation to supporting students with a care experienced background and the current statistical evidence available to us in relation to these students. This is summarised in Annex A and Annex B. The AIC reiterated their previous agreement that the SFC executive should seek to develop, in collaboration with partners, a national ambition to seek improvements in the intake and educational outcomes for these students. This is presented in this paper and if agreed it will feature as part of our Outcome Agreement guidance for the period starting AY Strategic purpose 6. Our work on developing a national ambition contributes towards to the Scottish Government s ambitions in relation to those in or with a care experienced background. For example, as part of Scotland s Youth Employment strategy, the Scottish Government aim to increase the positive destinations for looked after children by 4% points per annum resulting in parity by Furthermore, we have met with and outlined our willingness to help and support, particularly in relation to our outcome agreement approach, the Looked After team at the Scottish Government in collecting and assessing the Corporate Parenting reports expected from both sectors. 8. Our overall aim in all of the work we support is to reduce the inequalities faced by this group in accessing further and higher education and achieving their full potential. It is also based on the belief that we can improve and should continually strive to do so. We believe that the first step towards that is to set a national ambition which aims to achieve set improvements in the intake, declarations, educational outcomes and destinations for this group. The national ambition 9. The remainder of this paper presents a possible national ambition for those from a care experienced background. The AIC is asked to consider this ambition and provide advice in relation to our proposal to present this as part of the AY Outcome Agreement Guidance which we publish in the summer. 2

5 Why set an ambition? 10. Research evidences that those with a care experienced background are more likely: To have lower attainment and poorer school attendance To be excluded and/or leave school younger To enter a negative post school destination. 11. Research by CELCIS, the Centre for Social Justice and others also outlines that they are also more likely to experience mental health problems, go to prison, and have the worst outcomes compared to children who have not been in care. 12. They are also least likely to leave school and progress to college or university. This is particularly the case for university. Currently, 4% of young people brought up in care go from school to University compared to 36% of young people not brought up in care. However, there are issues in relation to the college sector too as those that do attend college are significantly less likely to complete their qualification than their peers. For both sectors, those with declared care experience are significantly more likely to also declare a disability. They are also more likely to be younger students. More statistical details can be found in Annex B to this document. 13. In addition to the statistical evidence our stakeholders are very clear in their desire for us to be ambitious and set a national ambition for this group. The AIC is asked to note that subject to their comments on this national ambition, this section will include statements from stakeholders for this section on why we should set an ambition, this could include statements from organisations such as Buttle UK, Centre for Excellence for Looking After Children in Scotland (CELCIS), Who Cares? Scotland (WC?S), Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAF), NUS and MCR Holdings. 14. The AIC may also want to note that we have already received very positive feedback on our direction of travel from Buttle UK, CELCIS and Who Cares? Scotland. This is summarised below. Buttle UK feels that the proposed national ambition creates a solid platform for the new legacy model. CELCIS state that would be happy to support the idea of setting a national ambition by the SFC (and partners). Subject to AIC feedback, they intend on endorsing the approach publicly, arguing that it provides both the vision and 3

6 leadership Scotland needs if it is to really deliver progress for care leavers. Who Cares? Scotland agree with the approach and state that: "the poor educational outcomes that care experienced young people face have not changed for decades. Years of academic writing and legislation have not provided a solution. It is clear that in order to achieve real change, action must be taken. They also state that they wholeheartedly support the efforts of the SFC to show leadership with this national ambition. They believe that it is precisely this kind of action that will give young people hope, self-belief and ultimately, lead to them beginning and completing a positive education journey. 15. We cannot influence any of these statistics or respond to the challenges outlined by our stakeholders if we do not set a national ambition. Setting a national ambition will help us to co-ordinate action and challenge ourselves to improve their outcomes. But perhaps the most compelling argument to set a national ambition is because of the impact of a college or university education makes such a difference to the likely outcomes of someone with a care experience background. 16. Our outcome agreements and our Outcome Agreement team highlight some excellent examples of good practice and commitments to students from a care experienced background. For example, GCU offer free accommodation to students with a looked after/care background (LAAC) 365 days a year. They are establishing a new outreach initiative targeted at young people from a LAAC background. Working with Glasgow City Council, they have identified pupils from LAAC backgrounds across eleven partner schools, and aim to implement targeted support for pupils so that they feel prepared to make the transition to higher education, whether to GCU, another university or to HN study at college. 17. In addition to the statistical, legal, moral and social arguments to set an ambition, we also feel that this is the right time to support such an ambition as: The outcome agreement process is more embedded; Our data sets are more developed in this area enabling us to collect statistics from AY which means we can evidence our achievements The expectations of Corporate Parenting reporting which means that from April 2015 all colleges and universities need to evidence their commitments and outcomes for this group of students. How will this national ambition work alongside the Buttle UK Quality Mark? 18. The Buttle UK Quality Mark for Care Leavers will no longer be awarded to 4

7 institutions in Scotland from July 2015 (in the rest of the UK, the Buttle UK Quality Mark finished in July 2014). Buttle UK have helped the sectors to make excellent progress, and we need to make sure that we embed and enhance the progress that has been made. This will be achieved through this national ambition. 19. To ensure further progress can be made we recognise that in conjunction with this ambition there needs to be access to a support network and a system that can assist colleges and universities to: Develop their culture e.g. a positive environment in which to disclose your background and access support, Enhance and introduce systems e.g. admissions, student support etc. Support CPD that maximises the awareness of barriers faced by those with a care experience background and the role that everyone has to play in eliminating those barriers and maximising the outcome of successfully completing their qualification and securing a positive destination. 20. We are keen to support such a system that can work alongside this national ambition and we are working with specialist agencies to assist in the development of such a supportive system that can work as a legacy to the Buttle UK Quality Mark. What are the ambitions and what will they achieve? 21. The ambitions outlined in this paper are national ones for Scotland. Longer term we are keen to consider developing institutional measures in the same way that we have institutional measures for deprivation and articulation but feel we need to focus on enhancing our data collections in this area and on supporting colleges and universities to enhance their declaration environments first before that can be achieved. 22. The ambitions are medium term up to AY with milestones set in the intervening years. These ambitions will be reviewed and updated as we near the completion date. At this stage we will also consider institutional measures. The ambitions are displayed in two ways below, once chronologically and once as a set of overall ambitions. Ambition 1 To increase intake from 613 to 800 in the college sector (an increase of 31%) and from 266 to 400 in the university sector (an increase of 50%) by AY For AY we are aiming for an increase of 60 additional college 5

8 students and 50 additional university students from a care experienced background. Ambition 2a for colleges To increase the FTHE numbers who successfully complete their course from 54% to 71% by For AY we are aiming for 60%. Please note that the current FTHE student numbers are small and as such these figures will be prone to fluctuation. To increase the FTFE numbers who successfully complete their course from 53% to 66% by For AY we are aiming for 57%. Ambition 2b for universities To increase the numbers (Scottish domiciled under-graduate) who progress to year 2 of their course. AY is the first time we have data so we do not know what the current retention rate is. This will be updated once the data is available but our expectation for AY is that retention should be within 10% of the sector average. 23. This means in our ambition was for: Each Outcome Agreement in every college region and university to state the numbers of care leavers and where under-represented make a commitment to increase intake Each Outcome Agreement states how it will support care leavers. More details are outlined in Annex A. 24. This means in our ambition is to: Increase intake from 266 for Scottish domiciled under-graduate entrants in the University sector in AY to 316 Increase intake from 613 in the College sector to 673 Increase the FTHE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 54% to 60%. The sector average is currently 71%. Increase the FTFE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 53% to 57%. The sector average is currently 66%. 25. This means in our ambition is to: Increase intake from 316 for Scottish domiciled under-graduate entrants in the University sector in AY to 366 6

9 Increase intake from 673 in the College sector to 733 Increase the FTHE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 60% to within 66%. The sector average is currently 71%. Increase the FTFE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 57% to 61%. The sector average is currently 66%. 26. This means in our ambition is to: Increase intake from 366 for Scottish domiciled under-graduate entrants in the University sector in AY to 400 Increase intake from 733 in the College sector to 800 Increase the FTHE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 66% to 71%. The sector average is currently 71%. Increase the FTFE college numbers who successfully complete their course from 61% to 66%. The sector average is currently 66%. Retention to be within 10% of the university Scottish domiciled undergraduate sector average. The sector average is currently 91% What will we and our stakeholders do to assist the college and university sectors in achieving these national ambitions? 27. We feel that these ambitions are achievable as they can be achieved three ways, by: Improved data quality Encouraging, fostering and supporting positive declaration environments and cultures. These processes should support multiple ways and opportunities to declare pre and during education Increasing numbers promoting the opportunities and benefits to potential students. 28. We also intend to increase the likelihood of us achieving these ambitions by: Proactively seeking Impact for Access fund applications in this area. Particularly in relation to: o Raising the aspirations and awareness of the range of college and university opportunities available for young care experienced people o Promoting a positive culture in which young people can and want to self-declare o developing a supportive student peer/buddy systems amongst the student cohort Considering changes to our student support funding to best support both emotionally and financially this group from the limited resources available 7

10 Working and supporting others such as the Who Cares? Trust to provide accessible up to date information on what provision and what support is on offer Raising the profile of care experience learners within our access policy work and our work with stakeholders Continuing to consider care leavers as a protected characteristic group and encourage others to do so Assisting in the development, collection and assessment of corporate parenting reports What will our stakeholders do to increase the likelihood of us achieving these ambitions? 29. The AIC is asked to note that subject to their comments on this national ambition, we would intend on publishing statements from stakeholders for this section on how they will support us in achieving these ambitions, this could include statements from organisations such as Buttle UK, CELCIS, WC?S, STAF, NUS, College Development Network, Education Scotland, QAA and MCR Holdings. 30. Who Cares? Scotland have already responded to this request and have stated that are part of this national ambition they will do the following. "Who Cares? Scotland will continue to speak up for and with care experienced young people and their right to access education. We will work to create a Scotland where care experienced young people are understood, positive about their care identity and given every opportunity to thrive. We will continue to share our research and policy work widely and we will continue to share the better practice identified through our Corporate Parenting work with local authorities and those directly delivering care services." How will we know we have achieved it? 31. We intend on setting up a governance group to hold us to account for these ambitions and to help us achieve them. Invitations to become members of this group will be sent to representatives from (at least): SFC Who Cares? Scotland CELCIS STAF Colleges Scotland Universities Scotland 8

11 32. The ambitions will be published in our OA guidance. The meeting dates of the group for the first year of the ambitions will correspond with: Post publication of the ambitions - Sept/Oct 2015 The submission of OAs early 2016 to report on outcomes and reports from colleges and universities - Late Feb 2016 The Learning for All report, which includes care leavers statistics, which is due to be published in March 2016 April There will be a final meeting to discuss the need to revise the ambitions or the approach, and progress on the ambitions will be reported to both our Access and Inclusion Committee in May 2016 and Council Board in June Risk assessment 34. This proposal is medium risk as the ambitions outlined are deliberately ambitious which therefore brings an element of reputational risk if we do not deliver. However, it is being shaped through a partnership approach which significantly increases the levels of support and therefore increases the chances of success. In many ways, there is actually a higher reputational risk of not trying to increase the intake and achievements of this group. Equality and diversity assessment 35. As outlined in the background to this paper, students from a care experienced background are not a protected group but the SFC have decided to consider them alongside the nine other characteristics. The work outlined in this paper and the proposed national ambition was included as evidence in our mainstreaming report and equality outcomes. More details can be found here: As part of our work on developing the proposal outlined in this paper we did seek advice as to whether we should seek to understand different care experienced learners and the interplay of other protected characteristics. The advice given was that although admirable the data does not easily lend itself to that level of analysis and we would probably be the only agency taking that approach at this time. However, as our work develops in this area and we start to improve our data, increase the intake of this group and improve the outcomes, we would be keen to develop a better understanding of other issues. We see this as phase two of this work. 37. A key area for further assessment in relation to phase two is the high levels of declared disability amongst these learners and that is something we will continue to monitor and consider as this work develops. 9

12 Recommendations 38. The AIC is asked to consider the national ambition outlined in this paper and advise on its content. In particular, it would be helpful to hear views on: The level of ambition proposed and the timescale The inclusion of statements and support from partners The proposed governance group and future reporting to the AIC 39. The AIC is asked to agree to this paper being published in full on our website. Financial implications 40. There are no financial implications, Publication 41. This paper will be published on the Council website. Further information 42. Contact: Fiona Burns, Assistant Director for Access, tel: , 10

13 Annex A: SFC commitments to care experienced learners to date We have supported Buttle UK since the FE pilot scheme was funded and launched in and throughout the roll-out of the Quality Mark to the college sector starting in Buttle UK state that this support has been instrumental in enabling Buttle UK to work intensively with both the FE and the HE sector in Scotland. Over the past 2 years we have also supported Buttle UK through providing funds to strategically increase the number and regional coverage of the Quality Mark in the Scottish college sector and to develop a legacy to the Quality Mark. We have funded Who Cares? Trust to produce a Scottish College Handbook for Care Leavers for the first time (published in January 2015) and to develop the existing HE Handbook for Care Leavers, into an online resource. fteryoungpeopleandcareleavers.pdf We have funded CELCIS to run annual best practice events. We have included expectations for these learners within our Outcome Agreements guidance. More details on this are provided below in the section on the Outcome Agreement Framework We have supported the MCR Pathways project, by allowing staff paid time off to volunteer to mentor young people with experience of care in four schools in the East end of Glasgow. The scheme includes training, on-going support, time away from the office and travel. More recently we have received training from Who Cares? Scotland and our CEO has signed the Who Cares? Scotland Pledge to Listen. By signing the pledge we made a commitment to support care experienced students through our funding, policy and outcome agreement work and ensure our work with Colleges and Universities will directly lead to more care experienced people applying, entering and successfully completing further and higher education qualifications. 11

14 Buttle UK Quality Framework Out of the 25 colleges in Scotland 2 have exemplary level QM (Glasgow Kelvin and Dumfries and Galloway), 11 have developed well, 2 have the minimum level, 1 has been award and a further 2 are applying Out of the 13 college regions in Scotland 11 have or are applying for Buttle UK QM Out of the 19 Universities in Scotland 2 have exemplary level QM (Strathclyde and Glasgow), 5 have been rated developed well and 4 are awarded. Outcome agreement framework The college Outcome Agreement guidance has six national priorities. One of which is access for people from the widest range of backgrounds, under this national priority we specifically seek to: Increase (where under-represented) the participation of learners from protected characteristic groups, particularly young disabled learners, care leavers and black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. Ensure effective arrangements are in place to provide programmes geared towards improved employability for care leavers In addition to these national priorities and measures we are also implementing the recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland s Young Workforce (DYW) through our Outcome Agreement approach. For AY , each college has provided (as part of their OA) an implementation plan for their region. These plans include how the region (college, LA, schools etc.) will deliver DYW and what the college s contribution towards that will be. This includes (because it was specifically outlined in DYW) plans to increase the participation of school pupils with a disability, looked after children/care leavers/those with care experience and BME. The university OA guidance has seven national priorities. One of which is to improve access to higher education for people from the widest possible range of backgrounds. Under this priority we outline that we specifically seek to: Achieve more even patterns of participation by different groups of learners, including those from areas of deprivation, from protected characteristic groups and care backgrounds 12

15 Outline, where under-represented, the OA should state the number and proportion of Scottish-domiciled undergraduate entrants by different protected characteristic groups and care leavers. Evidence that steps are being taken to address any barriers to recruitment and progression for learners from deprived/ disadvantaged backgrounds including those who are or were looked after. Outline a specific statement in each university outcome agreement about how they recruit and support care leavers/young people in care. This should include the transitional arrangements the university has in place as well as support arrangements during their course and to assist them once they have completed their qualification. It should also outline what processes the university has in place to re-engage these students should they be at risk of dropping out, or have dropped out, of the course. 13

16 Annex B: The statistical evidence 2% of Scotland s children are looked after Glasgow, Dundee and Renfrewshire have the highest numbers of looked after children There has been a significant rise in the number of children in community placements (a 49% rise from 2001 to 2011) Research evidences that Looked After Children are more likely: - to have lower attainment and poorer school attendance; - to be excluded and/or leave school younger: In almost eight in ten (79%) of looked after school leavers were aged 16 and under (i.e. they left school at the earliest point they could) compared to three in ten (30%) of school leavers more generally. They are therefore more at risk of being unemployed or in low-skilled, low-paid employment, with associated economic, social and health risks. - to enter a negative post school destination, and if they do achieve an initial positive destination they are statistically less likely to maintain it. One in nine of school leavers looked after for the full year (and one in four of those looked after for part of the year) were in a negative destination in both surveys in 2012/13 compared to less than one in twenty of all school leavers. The chart below of tariff scores demonstrates the significant difficulties of this group even being considered for college or university in relationship to their peers. In % of Looked After Children (LAC) (full-year placements) entered higher education, compared to 37% for all school leavers. For LAC on part-year placements, the percentage entering higher education was even lower at 2%. 14

17 Even if looked-after young people achieve the academic qualifications to go onto university, research outlines that there are a range of other reasons for the low numbers who apply. A crucial factor is that many young care leavers are worried about incurring debt and are unsure about the level of financial support they will receive if they enter higher education. The chart below demonstrates the destinations of looked after children in Scotland and the following chart shows the most recent data on the success rates of care leavers in college in Scotland. 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Looked After Children School Children 15