College care leavers and
the FE Quality Mark
Our journey
Support in Place
Issues
Way forward
Our journey
College profile:
22.000 students over 5 campuses
70 nationalities and 100 languages
Wide range of socio-economic backgrounds
Learners in Care & Care leavers:
From a Looked After Children Protocol
To the Frank Buttle Trust FE Quality Mark
Support in place: Staffing
LAC mentor/co-ordinator
alongside
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Safeguarding officers
Counsellors and Welfare advisers
Student mentors
Student Fund administrators
Careers and course advisers
Connexions PAs
Support in place: Structure
Pre-entry:
 Taster sessions on request
 Pre-entry careers/course advice
 Priority interview and assessment
 LAC mentor & line manager as key contacts
for queries from Social Services and College
staff
Support in place: Structure
On course and pre-exit:
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1-2-1 mentoring with action planning
Drop in service for quick queries
Monthly workshops and Newsletter
Meetings with tutors/social workers
Referrals to internal/external services
Focus on achievement, building
confidence and raising aspirations
Issues
Identification of learners in care
 Tick box on Application/Enrolment form
 College staff referrals
 Social Services
Late notification
Range of Social Services involved
 Networking
 Different systems in place
Way forward
 Internal Marketing of Service
 Staff training to raise awareness
 Further development of LAC ID recording
system
 A London wide or national approach?
 Introduction of web based networking forum
for participating FE Colleges?
Frank Buttle Trust
Further Education Quality
Mark
Why The FBT Quality Mark?
• Gives a framework to measure the quality of
Care Leavers provision
• Provides partners with external evidence of
provision for care leavers
• Raises profile of Care Leavers amongst staff
• Assures College management of sustainable
strategy for Care Leavers
08/04/2015
John Wheatley College
9
Key Issues for our Care leavers
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Chaotic home situations
School refusers
Very low if any formal attainment
Measures of supervision including Youth
Justice
• Carer responsibilities
• Low self esteem
• Limited citizenship skills
John Wheatley College
10
08/04/2015
College Objectives
• Re-engagement with both informal and
formal education
• Innovative curriculum design
• Range of Learning/Teaching approaches
• Core skills qualifications
• Personal and Social development
• Vocational tasters
• Wrap round Support
• Progression and achievement
John Wheatley College
11
08/04/2015
Challenges
• Oh No not another audit!
• Working with UK Standard
• Integrating approach into the existing College
self evaluation strategy
• Standard we are working with tailored to
Scottish FE
08/04/2015
John Wheatley College
12
Successful integrated strategy
• Referral stage
• Social Services
• Local Schools
• Youth Justice
• Ongoing curriculum delivery
• Community Health Partnership
• LAAC nurse and psychologist
• Social Services
• Pre - exit
• Care Leavers Employment Service
• Careers Scotland
• Local Regeneration Agency
John Wheatley College
8
08/04/2015
13
Overall review
• QM adds value to our system
• QM criteria helps identify gaps in our
provision
• Successful and effective promotion of our
services
John Wheatley College
14
08/04/2015
Neath Port Talbot College
Frank Buttle Quality Award
for Further Education
What We Had Before?
 Good working relationships with the LACE Coordinator and the Leaving
Care Team;
 A Protocol between the College and the Leaving Care Team;
 A member of the teaching staff to liaise with the LACE Coordinator;
 Limited information relating to these learners entering the College;
 Taster sessions to enable these learners to become familiar with the
College;
 Awareness raising for staff on the needs and barriers that these
learners have;
What We Have Now?
 Excellent working relationships with the LACE and Leaving Care
Team;
 A non-teaching member of staff as the designated person based in
Student Services;
 Robust information sharing practices which maintain confidentiality;
 A comprehensive job description for the designated person;
 Targeted financial support and fast tracking of enrolment payments;
 Effective tracking of recruitment, retention, attainment and
progression;
What Are The Benefits?
 A workforce that has a greater understanding of the needs of this
group of learners;
 An enhanced support system for Looked After Children and Care
Leavers;
 A wider support network of professionals to call upon;
 A more diverse set of documentation to promote the support and
services available;
 The award of the Quality Mark to promote the support on offer at the
College;
 Learners who are happy, successful and progressing in their
programmes of study.
COLEG GLAN HAFREN
Cardiff
Transforming lives by placing learners first
Frank Buttle Trust
Quality Mark for Further Education
How did we become
involved?
One of 3 colleges selected by Colegau Cymru ( Colleges
Wales) for the FBT Q Mark Pilot because of our
commitment to student support:
Estyn awarded grade 1 in 2008 for
• Outstanding support and care of students
• Wide range of courses, qualifications and experiences
available to 16-19 years olds, adults and 14-16 year olds.
How did we become
involved?
3 Awards in the last 8 years for Careers & HE Quality Provision
National Awards gained in recent years from Colleges Wales:
• Shortlisted for Student Support award in 2009
• Winners of awards for managing vocational excellence to
prepare learners for industry and the workplace in 2009
• Winners of award for Returning to and Widening the Scope of
Learning in 2010
Coleg Glan Hafren Project
Plan
Strong features which met the criteria for the FBT Q Mark:
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Partnership working with local agencies, eg Careers Wales Learning
Coaches and local Leaving Care Team (LACS, Care Leavers,
Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers)
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Taster days especially for LACs and their social workers, including
information sessions on range of support available
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Well established Central Admissions process which ensure unbiased
guidance and student centres process to ensure the best match for
level of study
Using the FBT QM to
develop existing practice
• Cap on funding prevented growth so a new course could only be
created by closing 2 profitable, grade 1 courses in Hair & Beauty
• Faculty Head worked with local Leaving Care Manager and Careers
Wales Learning Coaches to explore barriers faced by LACs and Care
Leavers
• Consulting and planning process took a year, which resulted in
• A new flexible course with very specialist tutor support
• Contributed to FBT QM as this course redirection significantly
required SMT buy in
• 5 days – Roll on roll off
• Monday - Reward Day; Tuesday – Thursday: Essential skills,
Employability Skills, Welsh, and Tutorial activities including oneto-one sessions.
• Friday - Vocational Day - Auto, Hairdressing or Beauty.
• Few holidays
• Same behavioural standards required as for other students at the
college
• Weekly 2 way link with the social worker
• New culture in the college of measuring success: Outcomes and
Progression for individuals rather than on course completion at
the end of the year.
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Essential Skills in ICT, Numeracy, Literacy
Employability Skills
Wider Key Skills including WWO, PS and IOL
Welsh
Entry 3 Introduction to the Hair and Beauty sector
Entry to Vocational Studies in Auto
All these qualifications will help the learner gain confidence,
increase their life skills and give an insight to vocational careers
that are available.
Benefits of FBT Q Mark
• A comprehensive framework against which to measure our
provision for LACs/Care Leavers
• Raised awareness at College: senior management participation
but also across committees eg Student Support, Equal Opps,
Staff Development etc
• The Q Mark is on our website, along with an article about our
good practice in supporting LACS/Care Leavers
• Recognised by ESTYN
• Strengthened links with key partners, especially LACE team,
other colleges, Social Services outside Cardiff
• A catalyst to share best practice