Our journey Support in PlaceIssues Way forward

College care leavers and the FE Quality Mark

Our journey

College profile:22.000 students over 5 campuses70 nationalities and 100 languagesWide 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-ordinatoralongside 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: 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 notificationRange 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

21/04/23 John Wheatley College 9

John Wheatley College 10 21/04/23

Key Issues for our Care leavers

• 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 11 21/04/23

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

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

21/04/23 John Wheatley College 12

John Wheatley College 8 21/04/23

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

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 21/04/23

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 Learners who are happy, successful and progressing in their

programmes of study.programmes of study.

COLEG GLAN HAFRENCardiff

Transforming lives by placing learners first

Frank Buttle TrustQuality Mark for Further

Education

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?

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:

• Partnership working with local agencies, eg Careers Wales Learning Coaches and local Leaving Care Team (LACS, Care Leavers, Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers)

• Taster days especially for LACs and their social workers, including information sessions on range of support available

• 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 one-to-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.

• 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