Valuing People

What does the Implementation Guidance Circular mean for adult learning?

The changes put forward in Valuing People and supported by this Implementation Guidance have significant implications for post school education providers of learning opportunities for people with learning difficulties. Staff working in this area of education have for many years emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration if a truly holistic service is to be provided for people with learning difficulties. These changes open up the possibility of such collaboration happening but, for it to be effective, it requires education to be actively involved in the new developments both at a strategic and an operational level.

1. Representation on Boards:

It is essential that adult education providers are represented on the newly forming Learning Disability Partnership Boards and contributes to the plans which they have to produce. Many of the areas which are priorities for these Boards such as modernising day services and developing strategies for employment opportunities have key implications for adult education. Adult education staff need to be clear who their representative is and need to be able to feed in their ideas as to how adult education can play a role in the strategic development of a holistic service.

2. Links with ‘named person’:

Education staff working with adults with learning difficulties need to be aware of the named people, who are responsible for co-ordinating services for the learners they work with. They need to have the opportunity to work with these people in order to ensure that the work they are doing is in harmony with other services that learners are receiving.

3. Advocacy services and support into employment:

The Learning Disability Partnership Boards have a particular role both in developing advocacy services and in supporting people with learning difficulties into employment. Many adult education providers are already doing considerable work in both these areas. They should ensure that the Boards are aware of this and work with the Boards to see how they can develop this area of work in accordance with any overall strategy.

4. Person centred planning and curriculum development:

Valuing People and its Implementation Guidance place considerable emphasis on the importance of developing services in the light of person-centred planning. This is an approach which many people working in adult education would welcome. However, the structure of current education provision which tends to be focused around the notion of specific, time limited programmes of learning does not always lend itself to adhering to a person centred approach. If adult education is to work more closely with other services in order to try and facilitate services which do genuinely respond to a person centred planning approach this needs to be recognised. There may in the future be a need for different patterns of provision which respond more appropriately to the needs and aspirations of people with learning difficulties. Time needs to be given to exploring different ways of working.

5. Staff training: 

Learning Disability Partnership Boards are required to produce a workforce and training plan by Summer 2002. It is also expected that by April 2002, all new entrants to learning disability care services should be registered for qualification with the new Learning Disability Awards Framework and that by 2005, 50% of all front line staff will have achieved at least NVQ Level 2.

At a strategic level, it is important that delivery of this award should include elements which involve participants understanding the place which adult education can play in developing services for people with learning difficulties.

At an operational level, it may well be that education providers would want support staff in their own organisation to take part in this training programme.

For more information about work with adults with learning difficulties or disabilities in the light of the implications of Valuing People please contact Yola Jacobsen at NIACE by emailing yola.jacobsen@niace.org.uk

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