This Document Contains the Following Procedural Information
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Community Services Education
This document contains the following procedural information:
Work Based Learning Procedures VERSION 2 – 7th October 2010 Section 1 Introduction and Definitions
Section 2 Using these Procedures
Section 3 Work Based Learning Entitlement
Section 4 Arranging Placements 4.1 Scottish Government Guidance 4.2 Work Placement Procedure 4.3 Self-found Work Placement Procedure 4.4 Extended Work Placement Procedure 4.5 Skills for Work Procedure 4.6 Career Pathway Procedure 4.7 Work Based Vocational Learning for Young People with Assisted Support Needs 4.8 ASN Work Placement Procedure
Section 5 Legislative Checks 5.1 Protecting Vunlnerable Groups Scheme 5.2 General Guidance: When to Carry out a Disclosure Scotland check 5.3 Vulnerable Groups 5.4 Categorising Level of Risk and Appropriate Safeguards 5.5 Equal Opportunities 5.6 Keeping Young People Safe During Work Based Vocatioal Learning
Page | 2 5.7 Health and Safety Overview 5.8 Health and Safety Procedures 5.9 Health and Safety: Preparation Priot to Visit 5.10 Risk Assessments 5.11 Provision of Personal Protective Equipment
Section 6 Roles and Responsibilities 6.1 Local Authority 6.2 Education Development Officer 6.3 Senior School Leadership 6.4 School Work Placement Coordinator 6.5 Subject Teachers 6.6 Health and Safety Team 6.7 Work Placement Database Administrator 6.8 Parents 6.9 Pupils
Section 7 Appendices A Work Based Learning Contacts B ABC Work Placement Calendar 2010/11
Page | 3 INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS Section 1
INTRODUCTION
Experience and understanding of the world of work is an important part of a young person’s education. It has a core role to play in delivering work-based and work-related learning within a secondary school’s enterprise in education programme as described in Determined to Succeed. Effective work-based and work-related learning can help young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work as outlined by Curriculum for Excellence. The essential purpose of an effective work placement programme is to enhance the education of young people and their understanding of the world of work. Traditional work experience now has an increased and sharper focus within the broader interpretation of Enterprise in Education arising from Determined to Succeed and from the implications for practice of the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence. These stress that schools and other educational establishments must prepare young people for the challenges they will face in a rapidly changing world. Work Placements fits perfectly with each of the four strands of Determined to Succeed, providing opportunities for young people to:
Develop enterprising skills and attitudes
Experience and develop an understanding of the world of work
Participate fully in enterprise and entrepreneurial activities
Enjoy appropriately focused careers education
ABC DEFINITIONS OF WORK BASED LEARNING Page | 4 WORK PLACEMENT
Work placements are generally considered to be a one-week experience with a participating employer. The pupil is involved in learning through work, about work. Scope exists for some flexibility and variation in the work pattern. For example this may include senior pupils participating in work shadowing and/or self-found employer placements.
EXTENDED WORK PLACEMENT
An extended work placement may be offered to pupils to enhance their employability skills and options available to them as they make the transition from secondary school under the auspices of 16+ Learning Choices. For example a S5 December Leaver or More Choices, More Chances (MCMC) pupil.
SKILLS FOR WORK
These SQA courses are delivered in partnership with a local college or employer and are part of the pupils’ chosen timetable. They focus on the generic employability skills that are needed for success in the workplace and offer a variety of practical experiences that are linked to a particular vocational area. For example Construction, Hairdressing, Rural Skills and Uniformed and Emergency Services.
CAREER PATHWAYS
For pupils looking to enhance the career opportunities available to them upon leaving school there are a number of courses they can opt to take during their senior phase. These cover a wide range of options, from First Aid training to driving instruction through to Sound Engineering and Film Production. These courses provide opportunities for pupils to achieve qualifications that are not normally available within the school curriculum. The opportunities on offer to each school will vary and are dependent upon local employer and college partnerships.
The term Career Pathways can be misleading because not all the pupils who fill their fifth column with a Pathways Option will necessarily use a Pathways experience for their career. For example, you may have pupils doing a life- saving course who may want to go on and be an accountant.
The Pathways option is useful for three reasons:
Page | 5 1) It allows pupils to have a "taster" of a particular career or environment. This can help pupils consolidate their desire to enter a chosen career pathway or to let them see that perhaps their interests lie elsewhere.
2) It gives them the opportunity to develop other skills (e.g. driving, life- saving, leadership development), which may not be strictly necessary for their chosen career. However, employers and universities are increasingly telling educationalists that additional skills and experiences are just as important as the academic qualifications. Therefore the more skills and experiences pupils have the better the opportunities available to them.
3) Schools traditionally only request that S6 pupils to choose subjects in 4 columns. There is statistical evidence to show that when you fill senior school pupils timetables their grades rise as they remain more focused; as opposed to when they have some free time, it encourages them to want more free time, thus losing the work ethic.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS (ASN)
The basic procedures for work based learning may need to be altered and additional help/support put in place for some pupils with Additional Support Needs. Each case should be looked at on an individual basis by all staff involved in the process.
Where a pupil already has a support person assigned to them, then the support person should accompany the pupil at all times, including when on work based placement. The Senior Leadership Team and the Schools Work Placement Coordinator may wish to consider that ALL ASN pupils on work based placements be accompanied by a support person, where possible.
It may suit for the ASN pupil to attend their work based placement for a day or half-day a week for a term or throughout the academic session. Again, each case should be looked at on an individual basis by all staff involved in the process to reach the ‘best fit’ scenario for the ASN pupil.
As with all pupils, ASN pupils cannot do work experience in a placement that is run by a sole trader.
Page | 6 USING THESE PROCEDURES SECTION 2
These procedures have been designed as the tool to help you manage work placements effectively in your school. It provides all the information needed and includes links to additional guidance. It is essential that ALL staff involved in the delivery of work placements reads the guide carefully to ensure that ALL staff preparing young people for work placements are familiar with our local authority procedures for organising and managing placements.
A number of flowcharts have been provided to summarise procedures for different types of work placements or for checks that require to be carried out. Electronic versions of these charts can be found on the CD that accompanies this document. These flowcharts can be copied for use by individual staff.
There are electronic versions of all the forms required for the delivery of work placements on the CD or schools may wish to access the resource via the Argyll and Bute Council Determined to Succeed Glow page. Each school should add their school logo to the top right hand corner of each form.
Training in work placement procedures will be offered annually by the EDO for Enterprise and Vocational Studies (EDO – EntVoc). When a new member of staff is appointed to assist with the delivery of work placements then the Head Teacher should notify the EDO who can then offer assistance and support directly to the school.
While schools have freedom to present work placement information to pupils and to manage the pupil/placement matching process in any way they choose, it is anticipated that schools will adhere to timescales and database management issues outlined in this document.
From August 2010 the Work Placement Database will be held centrally at Colgrain Area Education Office, Helensburgh. The database will contain information on all checks that employers and pupils have to undergo and will state whether or not an employer is approved for use. Each school will be able to access their own employer’s information, but only approved staff will be able to update and amend the local authority placement database.
The procedure for handling self-found placements is outlined on page 11 of this handbook. Once approval has been granted by Argyll and Bute Council’s Health and Safety Team the school then has the responsibility of entering the information to the database.
POINTS TO NOTE
All procedures take into account current Council guidelines
Optional classroom material has also been included WORK BASED LEARNING ENTITLEMENT Section 3 Page | 7 Under Section 123 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, school pupils are entitled to undertake a period of ‘work experience’ from:
“1st May in their S3 year if they are going to reach school leaving age either during their S4 year or at the end of the December in their S5 year. This may mean that a small number of pupils will be too young to undertake work experience after 1st May in their S3 year.”
The general position i.e. section 123 setting out the exemption, is displaced where there are laws which specifically prohibit or regulate the employment of certain age categories.
The legislative entitlement to ‘work experience’ for a pupil while at school is 2 weeks. This is an entitlement only and schools should be flexible to meet the needs of individual pupils.
The following points must be applied when planning placements outwith the standard S4 programme:
Meeting pupil needs must be taken into account when planning extended senior work placements. These placements should NOT be seen as an alternative to school and should be discussed further with the EDO – Enterprise and Vocational Studies. Agreement must be reached with the prospective employer before any paperwork is issued. Employers must be made aware of any health/behaviour issues when this initial contact is made. Placement requests must take into account the minimum notice periods (6 weeks for Health and Safety Team, 4 weeks for Protecting Vulnerable Groups Team). An appropriate programme must be devised for the placement linked to school activity and taking into account Building the Curriculum Experiences and Outcomes, including skills development. Progress on extended placements must be monitored on a regular basis by the School Work Placement Coordinator or other appropriate school staff (a minimum of 1 visit per month for each month pupil is on placement). Contact must be made by telephoning the employer or visiting on a weekly basis during the placement period and a log should be kept of these calls/visits. Feedback from the employer and pupil must be an integral part of the placement experience. The placement must also directly link to the school curriculum and a system must be in place for the pupil to record the progressive impact of the experience on skills development both in the workplace and in school. You may wish to consider using elements of the Gateway package ‘Equip for Work Experience’ to support this type of placement.
ARRANGING PLACEMENTS Section 4
Page | 8 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE At the core of work based learning provision is the entitlement for each young person to spend time out of school on placement at some time during the senior phase.
“Almost all pupils expressed positive views about the value of work placements and other vocational experiences such as Skills for Work programmes, supporting the important principle that vocational opportunities and themes are important for all learners. Pupils believed that they had gained significantly from an experience of the world of work.” Improving Enterprise in Education, HM inspectorate of Education, 2008
The most effective work placements involve three stages; planning, execution and review. They:
are well planned, involving thorough preparation by young people, teachers, parents and employers; have clear objectives for, and are understood by, young people; are supported by parents; include briefing for employers about the purposes of work experience and its relationship to the young person’s education and wider skills development; involve activities which develop a wide range of new skills; give young people opportunities to experience or witness a variety of roles in the workplace; include debriefing and self-evaluation for all those involved, ensuring all young people reflect on the learning that has taken place, and school staff and employers build on the experience for future placements; provide an appropriate means of recognising achievement.
No placements will take place until the appropriate permission has been received from parents, Health and Safety and, where appropriate, Protection for Vulnerable Groups.
It is preferable that pupils should not go on a work placement that they are already familiar with (part-time job, previous primary school) or with immediate family.
No pupil will be allowed to attend a work placement with a sole trader.
WORK PLACEMENT PROCEDURE
Page | 9 1) An area timetable will be negotiated and agreed at a Principal Teacher Enterprise (PTEnt) meeting in the preceding session, around the end of November. It is requested that schools avoid clashing weeks with other schools and, if at all possible, split Work Placements over two or more weeks. Before this meeting the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) of individual schools should have decided on their chosen weeks for Work Placements.
2) Between November and March staff from school will contact employers to negotiate/re-negotiate placements for the coming session. This will be based on the requirements identified by schools in their area timetable. Schools should send details to Health and Safety of all the work placements that they propose to use at least 6 weeks prior to the placements starting (WPP11). The Work Based Learning Database will be updated, Health and Safety status confirmed, and Letters of Understanding signed, with the new database ready for individual schools at the beginning of June at the latest.
3) The School Work Placement Coordinator should issue the Work Placement Letter (WPP1) to Parents/Carers explaining what the work placement programme is about at least 2 months prior to the date the pupils will be out on placement. Parents/Carer are asked to complete and return the Permission Form (WPP2).
4) Pupils investigate and select placements by whatever process the school prefers. Schools may wish to use the Placement Details Form (WPP3) that the placement providers complete as job cards for pupils to select from. An example of a Work Placement Application Form can be found at WPP4.
5) Schools match and allocate pupils to available placements with specific reference to possible health restrictions intimated by employers.
6) Following the matching exercise employers should be contacted by the school with the pupils names who have been selected to attend (ER5). Enclosed with the letter should be the following information: - A copy of the Pupil Information Form (WPP2) - A letter of introduction written by the pupil - A blank Supervisors Report (ER6)
7) After the matching process schools should generate the consent WPP2 and placement details WPP3 forms to give to the pupils. Pupils should receive a copy of the Work Experience Diary (WPP5). The diary is to be used for the Work Experience Intermediate 1 qualification or for reference for schools own use.
8) It is important that pupils are briefed adequately beforehand in the following areas: Practical details about the placement company Travel expenses where appropriate (WPP9) Page | 10 Dress Code/appearance Hours of work Health and Safety procedures Personal conduct The need to set 2 personal targets for their time on placement – see Work Experience Diary (WPP5).
This briefing should be an integral part of the course. However, even if pupils are not aiming for certification this briefing – particularly Health and Safety – is still an essential prerequisite. The bare minimum Health and Safety briefing requirement is 1 hour.
For an example of a scheme of work incorporating Health and Safety see Section 8: Health and Safety of Work Based Learning Resource.
9) Prior to beginning their placements the School Work Placement Coordinator should ensure that each pupil has copies of the following information: - Their Work Experience Diary and/or 2 targets (WPP5) - Their Parent/Carer Permission Form (WPP2) - A copy of their Placement Provider Details (WPP3)
10)Pupils should give a copy of WPP2 to employers on the first day of placement.
11)A monitoring contact while the pupil is on placement is required – either by phone, or preferably by a site visit – during the week of placement and should be conducted by members of staff who have been adequately briefed. A report of this monitoring contact should be made on the Monitoring Form WPP7.
Any concerns raised by a parent, pupil or employer should result in the placement being suspended while an investigation take place. The Educational Development Officer for Enterprise and Vocational Studies should be immediately notified of any serious concerns and the outcome of any investigation using form WPP10.
12)As part of the debriefing, a thank you letter should be sent to each company along with any personal letters from pupils. School thank you letter – WPP8
13)For Self-found placements please follow the procedures outlined on page 11.
Page | 11 SELF-FOUND WORK PLACEMENT PROCEDURE
It is important that schools and pupils do not approach employers who have already offered placements on specific weeks from the database. Employers currently on the database have already determined which weeks they are prepared to offer placements. Requests to supply placements outwith these weeks may cause confusion and dissatisfaction with the ‘sign up’ procedures.
Employers already on the database should NOT be asked for new placements unless the school is satisfied that the employer is happy with the new arrangements.
Self-found placements
Database placements should always be used in preference to self-found placements as employers on the database have withdrawn permanently when not used.
1) If suitable placements cannot be identified from the database, individual pupils may be able to identify placements using their own contacts.
2) Pupils arranging a self-found placement must be issued with a self found placement form (SFP1). When the pupil returns the self found placement form the school should send out a letter confirming that the placement provider is happy to take this pupil (SFP2). Enclosed with this letter should be an employer profile form (ER3), a copy of the letter of understanding (ER4) and a placement acceptance form (ER2). This letter and forms should only be issued for completion if discussion has already taken place between a pupil or parent and someone in authority within the company.
3) The company representative MUST sign and return all of these forms before the placement can be processed.
4) The placement must then be referred to the Health and Safety team within Argyll and Bute Council (SFP3). No further action should be taken until the placement has been assessed and approved by the Health and Safety Officers.
5) All Self-found Placements should be referred to Health and Safety timeously. Schools sending out pupils must supply this information to the Health and Safety Team as soon as possible before their school’s placement week, but no less than a minimum of 6 weeks before.
6) Self-found placements negotiated by pupils are still subject to Health and Safety provisions and byelaws governing work placement. This means Page | 12 that schools must hold signed confirmation by a representative of the company verifying that they have read and understood the ‘Letter of Understanding’ and agreed the insurance conditions, before a pupil can undertake a self-found placement. The signing by the company representative of the appropriate section of ER4 fulfils this obligation.
7) The Health and Safety at Work Regulations require that employers must inform parents of Health and Safety issues in the workplace BEFORE the young person starts work (including work placement).
Page | 13 EXTENDED WORK PLACEMENT PROCEDURE
Extended Work Placements tend to be made up of a variety of different options to suit an individual pupils needs. For example a pupil may spend 2 days following a school timetable, 2 days at college and 1 day with an employer. The school should ensure that all procedures have been correctly followed for each element on offer.
1) Identify suitable placements using the Work Based Learning Database. If a suitable placement cannot be identified from the database, individual pupils may be able to identify placements using their own contacts.
2) Now follow the guidelines for either Work Placement or Self-found Placement, making sure that the placement provider completes the Letter of Understanding (ER4).
3) Ensure that Health and Safety have approved the provider for an extended work placement by submitting form EXP2 to the Health and Safety Team at least 6 weeks prior to the pupil beginning their extended placement. If the pupil requires safety equipment while on placement this should be issued using form EXP3
4) Check and see if a Disclosure Scotland check is required either for the employer (EXP4) OR for the pupil (EXP5). (See relevant section of the procedure)
5) The school should regularly visit a pupil who is out on an extended work placement for longer than one month – 1 visit each month the pupil remains on placement and a weekly telephone call. A log of calls and visits should be kept by the main school contact for this particular extended work placement (EXP6). Any pupil who is on an extended work placement should keep an up-to-date log (EXP7), which the school should monitor.
Page | 14 SKILLS FOR WORK PROCEDURE
1) A meeting with the providers for Skills for Work will be arranged by the EDO – EntVoc in the November of the preceding academic session, to discuss future Skills for Work course provision and to revisit the current partnership agreement. Our main providers of Skills for Work are Argyll College, Clydebank College and James Watt College, however there are additional employer based providers in certain areas.
2) Between November and March a series of meetings in each of our secondary schools will be arranged between the EDO –EntVoc, the school PT Enterprise, a representative from the school Senior Leadership Team and the Skills for Work course providers. These meetings will discuss the current progress of Skills for Work courses and options for the forthcoming session.
3) Information on all Skills for Work courses should be included in the schools’ option choice booklets. The PT Enterprise should request this information directly from their Skills for Work Provider.
4) Parents and pupils should have the opportunity to attend an information session at option choice time led by the Skills for Work providers and the PT Enterprise. This session will include information on content of the course, dress code, behaviour, transport arrangements where appropriate and relevant health and safety information.
5) The school and the Skills for Work provider should conduct interviews of all interested pupils as a means of allocating places. These interviews should be based upon the information provided by the pupil in the Skills for Work Application Form (S4W1). Once a pupil has been offered (S4W2) and accepted a place on a Skills for Work course they and their parent/carer should be asked to sign the Skills for Work Contract (S4W3).
6) By the end of March each school should know which Skills for Work courses they will be offering to the next intake of students. The PT Enterprise should send a list of all providers to the Health and Safety Team requesting health and safety assessments are carried out (S4W4).
7) If the Skills for Work course is to be run on school or council premises then the tutor for each course must undergo a Disclosure Scotland check (S4W5). The PT Enterprise should send this information to the Work Placement Database Administrator as per Protecting Vulnerable Groups section of this document.
8) The Work Placement Database will be updated, Health and Safety status confirmed, and, where appropriate, Disclosure Scotland section Page | 15 completed ready for individual schools at the beginning of June at the latest.
9) Certain Skills for Work courses require pupils to undergo a Disclosure Scotland check – those pupils dealing with other children through their course. E.g. Early Education and Childcare and Sport and Recreation Skills for Work courses. The PT Enterprise is responsible for ensuring these pupil complete and return the necessary paperwork (S4W6). Failure to return or pass a placement will mean the pupil will be unable to attend a placement.
10)Where appropriate the PT Enterprise should ensure that all S4W pupils have the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and have completed form S4W7.
11)By the start of each new academic session the following Skills for Work paperwork must be in place: Completed Skills for Work Application Forms (S4W1) Skills for Work contract signed by both pupil and their parent/carer (S4W3). All placements checked by Health and Safety Team (S4W4) All tutors running courses on school/council premises Disclosure Scotland checked (S4W5). All pupils who require a Disclosure Scotland check completed necessary paperwork and processed through the system (S4W6). Completed Issue of Safety Equipment Forms (S4W7) where appropriate.
A Partnership Agreement between each Skills for Work provider and school is currently available. This partnership document should be signed on an annual basis by the Head Teacher, the PT Enterprise and the Skills for Work provider. You should refer to this document for further information on how Skills for Work operates across Argyll and Bute.
Page | 16 CAREER PATHWAYS PROCEDURE
1) During the preceding academic session each secondary school has the opportunity to work with local and national partners to identify suitable Career Pathway courses for their senior pupils.
2) A series of meetings are held between the school’s senior leadership team and each partner agency to discuss the type of course or placement they could provide to senior pupils. Courses or placements on offer should enhance the career opportunities available to the pupils upon leaving school, either directly through a recognised course qualification or indirectly through the skills the pupil will develop.
3) Where possible the courses should provide opportunities for pupils to achieve recognised qualifications that are not normally available within the school curriculum.
4) A contract should be drawn up between each provider and the school before the course begins (CP1) and the placement provider should complete the ABC Letter of Understanding (ER4).
5) Once a course or programme has been agreed with the school a member of the Senior Leadership Team should ensure the following checks have been made:
6) Risk Assessment of course and premises to be used for delivery (CP2)
7) Disclosure Scotland check of tutor is using school/council premises (CP3)
8) Disclosure Scotland check of the pupil if required (CP4). (Please refer to Protecting Vulnerable Groups section)
9) All Career Pathway courses should appear on the senior option choice form for pupils to select the opportunity best suited to their own career plans. The Guidance Teacher will discuss the completed option form with each pupil to ensure the ‘best fit’.
10)Pupils will be allocated a place on the Career Pathways programme by the end of June and will begin their course in the forthcoming academic session. If pupils require personal protective equipment the school/provider should complete form CP5.
11)Each provider will be visited by a school representative each term to monitor the programmes content, progress etc.
Page | 17 WORK BASED VOCATIONAL LEARNING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS (ASN)
Some young people will require additional support to ensure a successful work placement and schools/educational establishments are responsible for ensuring that this takes place. In particular consideration must be given to:
Careful matching of a young person to placement Early planning with the young persons support team The additional support required and appropriate preparation prior to a placement What information to share with the employer and how to involve the young person and their family in this. Times of transition for the young person.
ASN WORK PLACEMENT PROCEDURE
The process is similar to standard placement procedures with the following additions:
a) Young people with additional support needs are identified as they enter S3. This will be done by the Principal Teacher - Support for Learning, School Work Placement Coordinator, the associated Social Worker and any other staff/agency working with the young person.
This team should work with the young person to: Help them decide what type of jobs they should realistically be looking for. Help them build up a profile of their skills and experience.
As part of the coordinated plan for the young person a profile is created that appropriately describes the young person’s skills and additional support needs which have to be taken into consideration when identifying an appropriate placement. Where possible an employer with experience of young people with additional support needs is preferable.
b) For ASN placements schools should send details of the additional needs to Health and Safety of all the work placements that they propose to use at least 8 weeks prior to the placements starting. The Work Placement Database will be updated, Health and Safety status confirmed, and Letters of Understanding signed.
c) The needs of the young person are discussed with the employer.
Page | 18 d) A pre-placement visit should be arranged to boost confidence. Photographs may be taken and used as a visual prompt prior to the placement starting.
e) Based on the risk assessment a supported placement should always be considered where possible.
f) The School Work Placement Coordinator and Principal Teacher of Support For Learning should be in contact with the employer on a daily basis. In addition the parent/carer should be fully informed.
As with all placements any concerns raised by a parent, pupil or employer should result in the placement being suspended while an investigation takes place. The Educational Development Officer for Enterprise and Vocational Studies should be immediately notified of any serious concerns and the outcome of any investigation. (WPP10)
For further guidance please refer to the ASN in Argyll and Bute Schools Information Booklet or see the ABC Glow page for Work Based Learning.
Page | 19 LEGISLATIVE CHECKS Section 5
PROTECTING VULNERABLE GROUPS SCHEME
DISCLOSURE SCOTLAND CHECKS The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 includes the offence which an organisation commits if it knowingly employs an individual to work (paid or unpaid) in a childcare position (as defined in Schedule 2* outlined below) when that individual is disqualified from working with children. The best way to ensure that an individual is not disqualified is through a Disclosure Scotland check, but this is not an explicit requirement of the 2003 Act. * Schedule 2 of the Act defines childcare positions and generally applies to those who have contact with children under the age of 18, including, for example, supporting work placements as part of their ‘normal duties’ (i.e. specified in their job description). While legislation does not contain any statutory duty, which requires that a school must obtain a Disclosure Scotland check on an adult who works with a pupil on a work placement/work experience, etc, it does contain a statutory duty, which requires that a school must fully consider the risks in this area.
GENERAL GUIDANCE: WHEN TO CARRY OUT A DISCLOSURE CHECK:
There are many thousands of work based vocational learning placements taking place each year, and it is expected that Disclosure Scotland checks take place for only a small percentage of these.
Disclosure Scotland checks are required in limited cases on certain staff that come into contact with a young person on placement. It is recommended that School Work Placement Coordinators should require a Disclosure Scotland check only on a member of staff with day-to-day responsibility for the young person as part of their job description. This could be the manager, a supervisor or a mentoring employee (but in many cases, no- one).
In the vast majority of placements, where the employer/employees involved will not have regular unsupervised access to young people at work, it is not recommend that the school should require Disclosure checks on any of those staff.
Page | 20 Schools should carry out Disclosure checks for the employer in all of the following cases:
Young persons identified by the school as vulnerable for educational, medical, behavioural or home circumstance reasons.
Pupils on placements lasting more than 10 days over an extended time frame, especially where these involve: o regular lone working with an employer over long periods (i.e. anything over half a day at a time); o placements located in particularly isolated environments; o and placements involving a high degree of travelling.
Placements, which include a residential element.
Extended vocational learning in a college environment.
But the fact that a particular placement falls into one of the above categories does not necessarily mean that the school should require a Disclosure check. Such a decision will depend on an assessment of the overall potential risks posed to a young person, and will take into account any systems in place to minimise these risks.
Schools should consider Disclosure checks for 14-18 year olds themselves in the following cases: If the young person might have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults, e.g. a young employee or a pupil in a vocational training placement in a nursery, school or elderly people’s homes or in a coaching capacity.
It is possible that young people with a juvenile offending record may be unsuitable to undertake work experience placements in these circumstances.
Schools should not normally require work placement students under the age of 16 to apply for a Disclosure Scotland check.
Page | 21 VUNERABLE GROUPS
It is important for School Work Placement Coordinators to understand that safeguarding/ assessment of risk to young people, who are considered as vulnerable, requires a partnership approach in schools. The procedures ensure that School Work Placement Coordinators consider child protection/safeguarding in a similar way to health and safety. As a result a great deal of attention is rightly paid to ensuring that placements are generally suitable and that risks have been reduced to the lowest level practicable. Any potential risks to the learner from the placement should be considered as part of this initial assessment of general suitability, which looks at health, safety and welfare. Additional safeguards may be necessary when there are certain risk factors present due to the young person being vulnerable. A variety of factors can make a young person vulnerable, including special needs, being looked after, immaturity, abuse or neglect, substance misuse, etc. The measures that need to be in place are common-sense policies and procedures. In some circumstances they should include obtaining Disclosures on individuals working with a child as part of the placement. Additional safeguards may be required and the duration of the placement needs to be carefully considered. Nevertheless, School Work Placement Coordinators should use their judgment and that of the guidance, learning support teams and social work to decide what additional measures may need to be put in place. It should also be recognised that there are children who are vulnerable to bullying or abusive behaviour, or have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The School Work Placement Coordinators must take this into account when arranging a placement. At all times the School Work Placement Coordinators will take into account the vulnerability of individual learners and seek to categorise the level of risk and then identify appropriate safeguards to reduce the level of risk. The indicators of risk that exist for an individual learner will dictate what appropriate safeguards are put in place and these should be discussed with the placement provider and parent/guardian.
Where a young person is identified as a child in the care of the local authority, the designated teacher for Looked After Children and also the School Work Placement Coordinators should discuss the suitability and logistics of a work experience/work-related learning opportunity with the young person's Social Worker, so as to ensure that there are appropriate control measures in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of the young person.
Page | 22 CATEGORISING LEVEL OF RISK AND APPROPRIATE SAFEGUARDS Category Indicators of risk Appropriate safeguards of risk
Level 1 Attendance below 80% Disclosure check to be Child with ASN (Additional carried out High risk Support Needs) Consider an assisted At or above 10 serious placement. behavioural incidents e.g. Check arrival of young history of violent behaviour person by telephone Known drug use with the placement Outside agency involvement provider e.g. Social work First visit to be made on Other possible risk factors e.g. the second week if it is family, housing, Looked After an extended placement Further visits to be Children, death of a close carried out every three relative, speech and language weeks difficulties Level 2 Attendance below 85% Disclosure check to be Child with ASN (Additional carried out. Medium risk Support Needs) Check arrival of young Isolated child - no real mends person by telephone No obvious area of strength with the placement Parental relationship provider breakdown First visit to be made on the second week if it is an extended placement Further visits to be carried out every three weeks
Level 3 Disclosure check to be Attendance at or below 90% carried out. Low risk At risk of exclusion First visit to be made on Serious behavioural incident. the third week if it is an Birth of a new sibling. extended placement Financial difficulties in the Further visits to be family. carried out every four Inconsistent parenting styles weeks if an extended placement.
Page | 23 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Equality in education, particularly in work placements, is a priority concern, as highlighted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Schools should pursue a policy of equal opportunities in their work placement programmes set within the context of the school’s equal opportunity policy. In particular, areas such as countering gender stereotyping, ethnic, cultural and religious groups, those with physical disabilities, increasing young people’s confidence and challenging underachievement should be looked at. They should recognise the diversity of aspiration, needs and interest of the individual young person. Young people should be encouraged and given extra support when choosing non-stereotypical placements. Schools should check that their programmes are free from both overt and covert stereotyping and pay particular attention to equal opportunities aspects when briefing young people and employers. It is important for schools to find appropriate placements that engage young people’s interest for the duration of the work placement and ensure their attendance. Young people should be made aware tat they all have potential, emphasising a ‘can do, will do, be all you can be’ attitude. It should be emphasised that work placements is only one of a range of factors that help young people determine their future career direction.
KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE DURING WORK BASED VOCATIONAL LEARNING
Work-based vocational learning has an outstanding track record with regards to health and safety and everyone wants to keep it that way. Curriculum for Excellence will mean more work-related learning, greater employer involvement, more contact with different people and more movement of young people between different locations. Keeping young people safe in this environment will require continued careful attention and good management.
The regulations and requirements that must be observed surrounding health and safety, child protection, insurance and data protection are there to ensure that young people are protected during their learning, in particular during work placements.
HEALTH AND SAFETY OVERVIEW This section deals with all the health and safety procedures for all work based learning placements. This procedure must be followed for all pupils who will be attending a work placement of any duration. Argyll and Bute Council Health & Safety staff will makes visits to all of the employers who take students for all of the work based placements. This allows the authority to comply with its legal duty under Section 3 of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which states, ‘It shall be the duty of every Page | 24 employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety.’ Pupils on any of the work placements are deemed to be employees for the purposes of health and safety legislation and must be afforded the same rights and protection as all other employees for whom the employer is made responsible for. All Health and Safety visits are undertaken by council employed Health and Safety Officers who check the suitability of the premises where a student will be participating in a work based placement. The suitability of the business will be judged solely on the basis of the health, safety and welfare provision established, delivered and maintained on a regular basis within the company concerned, appropriate compliance with legislation, and the employers overall commitment to Health and Safety. Where a pupil is requesting to attend a work placement which is outwith the authority, Health & Safety staff will determine if another local authority has already approved this. If so, then Argyll and Bute Health and Safety team will accept this vetting and complete the necessary paperwork required to ensure that the school knows the placement has been verified. The school makes initial contact with the potential placement providers. Once the placement has been agreed, the school must notify Health & Safety staff a minimum of 6 weeks in advance of the placement commencement date. When the Health and Safety team make initial contact with the business they will ask the employer to answer a range of Health and Safety Questions, before deciding to arrange a site visit of the premises. Or an over the phone interview will be conducted where the premises are outwith Argyll & Bute’s normal catchment area and the premises have not been vetted by another local authority. This will determine:
Evidence of Employer and Public Liability Insurance. Awareness of the employer’s responsibilities with regards to Health and Safety. Safety conditions of the work experience premises The type of work to be undertaken by the pupils Any induction training that will be given Any Risk Assessment Documentation Mode of supervision during the placement
If the Health & Safety staff are not satisfied with the information provided during the assessment process, the placement will be rejected.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
Page | 25 All Placements with employers to be arranged at school based level by the School Work Placement Coordinator.
All Self found placements must be passed to the School Work Placement Coordinator to ensure that dates and students are confirmed. School Work Placement Coordinator and Senior Leadership Team representative must be aware of what scheme the student is participating in. Once places are confirmed all schools must complete a health and safety request form for all pupils participating in work based placement. This must be sent to the Health and Safety Manager. Health and Safety staff will assess the work placement and decide whether or not the placement is verified – work placements are usually notified on the outcome of the visit a few days after the H&S team have conducted the survey. The Health and Safety database is updated and the completed front cover of the questionnaire is sent to schools. Health and Safety will email outcome of the visit to the School Work Placement Coordinator. All schools must arrange PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) if required prior to the start of the work placement.
**Employers will notify schools of any required PPE and whether or not they will provide this equipment to the student. Contact the Health and Safety team should further information be required.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: PREPARATION PRIOR TO VISIT It is the responsibility of individual schools to ensure that all pupils involved in any work based learning have participated in some form of health and safety training. This aspect of the process must be undertaken by school staff and pupils will not be allowed to participate in the placement if the necessary School Health and Safety briefing programme has not been followed – Work Based Learning Resources, Section 8: Health and Safety.
RISK ASSESSMENTS
Page | 26 As part of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999), providers of work placements are legally required to complete a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for each placement opportunity prior to a placement starting. The risk assessment must take into account individual pupil needs. The risk assessment must outline the tasks the pupils will undertake, the workplace hazards they could be exposed to and the appropriate safety precautions the provider will take to prevent the hazard being realised. The assessment must reflect the pupil’s unfamiliarity with the workplace, their inexperience and lack of training, as well as physical capabilities. The Health and Safety Officer will also ensure that the pupil will not be operating machinery or undertaking activities that form part of the Prohibited Machinery/Work Involving Risks to Young Persons listing.
PROVISION OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) Placements in certain sectors require the provision of safety footwear, boiler suits, overalls, hard hats, ear defenders, eye protection, overalls, aprons and hairnets. Where possible the Work Placement Provider will have been asked to provide the required PPE. Providers may have suitable spare PPE that can be given to pupils on work placement. However, in some cases, due to cost implications, it may not be possible for the Work Placement Provider to do this. Safety footwear is one item of PPE that Providers find difficult to provide. Pupils should be asked to consider the situation with PPE, especially footwear, when making work experience choices. If suitable PPE cannot be supplied by any of the partners involved (employer, school), a different work placement should be sought.
Page | 27 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Section 6 Outlined below are the various responsibilities for all people who are involved in work based learning.
LOCAL AUTHORITY Argyll and Bute Council is responsible for honouring a young person’s entitlement to appropriate work placements.
EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT OFFICER - ENTERPRISE & VOCATIONAL STUDIES (EDO-EntVoc) The EDO-EntVoc is responsible for ensuring the local authority procedures for delivering work placements is updated and meets current government legislation. The EDO-EntVoc is responsible for offering training to all council staff involved in the delivery of work placements on an annual basis and offering ongoing help and support throughout the academic session. The EDO-EntVoc can be called upon by individual schools to offer advice and guidance on the suitability of a placement and how placements may be linked to Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes and skills development. The EDO-EntVoc is responsible for ensuring all Skills for Work programmes meet the local authority requirements laid out in the Partnership Agreement and for building partnerships with colleges and employers.
SENIOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP (SLT) The Head Teacher has overall responsibility to ensure that these Work Based Learning Procedures are implemented and followed by all staff in their school. The commitment of the Head Teacher and the Senior Leadership Team are crucial to delivering effective work placements. Priority should be given to resourcing work placements and recognising its importance throughout the school. The SLT role includes:
Establishing effective processes for overseeing work placements. Devising a strategic plan for the delivery of work placements Monitoring the quality of work placements Supporting the School Work Placement Coordinator who has operational responsibility and ensuring the Coordinator has sufficient time to organise, monitor and evaluate placements. Disseminating good practice within the school Providing an annual report of work placements, as part of the school’s standard and quality report. Informing the EDO – EntVoc if the School Work Placement Coordinator is absent or changes. The EDO – EntVoc will then offer appropriate guidance, advice or training to support a member of staff providing cover or for a new appointment.
Page | 28 SCHOOL WORK PLACEMENT COORDINATOR (SWPC) Each school must nominate an appropriate member of staff to act as School Work Placement Coordinator. The Coordinator must be familiar with the following guidelines:
Determined to Succeed: Enterprise in Education Work Experience Guidance 2006 National Review of Work Experience in Scotland 2009 HMIe Report on Work Related Learning – Working Out Argyll and Bute Council Work Placement Guide for School
The Coordinator should also have an understanding of the local labour market and the economy. The Coordinator is responsible for liaising with pupils, parents, appropriate staff within their school, their Head Teacher, the EDO-EntVoc, the Work Placement Database Administrator and Health and Safety Officer as appropriate in all matters relating to the organisation of work placements. The Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that all staff supporting pupils in all aspects of work placements have access to the necessary paperwork and have a working knowledge of the various programmes. The Coordinator is responsible for monitoring, controlling an evaluating placements. The Coordinator should ensure that where possible the level of demand and responsibility of a placement matches the pupil’s level of study and, where appropriate, career ambitions. The Coordinator should be informed of any ad-hoc placement opportunities being considered for pupils in their school to ensure that the local authority guidance for work placement procedures are implemented. The Coordinator will ensure that all pupils are fully prepared regarding health and safety issues and that any PPE required by the pupils is in place. The Coordinator will attend meetings set at the discretion of the EDO-EntVoc to share good practice, help inform developments at both local and national level and to review the work placement programme.
SUBJECT TEACHERS Heads of department or faculty should review their policies regularly to ensure that schemes of work and the teaching and learning of their subject(s) embrace the school’s policy for work-based or work-related learning, including work placements. Subject staff should review their lesson plans to ensure they provide opportunities for using vocational and work-related contexts and include enterprising teaching and learning methodologies. All staff are responsible for helping pupils develop and build upon their skills.
Page | 29 Subject staff should provide feedback to their department, the SLT and the Coordinator on the effectiveness of work placements and any other aspects of work-based learning outcomes. Subject teachers can also help to identify placements and visit pupils on relevant placements. Development needs of staff in their department should be identified and discussed with the SLT and Coordinator.
HEALTH AND SAFETY TEAM (HST) Health and Safety staff are involved in assessment visits to placement providers. These visits are prioritised by risk rating of the placement opportunity.
Staff visits to the placement providers are arranged by telephone, followed by a letter confirming the visit. After the visit an assessment report is written detailing all information gained and the recommendations/actions. These will include a satisfactory outcome, minor issues to be addressed, the need to update information on the Work Placement Database or removal from the database as the provider is unsuitable. A copy of the visit report is sent to the placement provider with details of remedial actions if necessary. Appropriate advice/information leaflets may also be sent to the employer. A copy of the report is kept on file. Details of any concerns i.e. removal from database, insurance problems etc are passed to the Work Placement Database Administrator for information and can be added to the notes section of the employer entry on the database. If Health and Safety staff are advised of a new placement provider, an assessment visit will be undertaken as soon as possible, although a minimum of 6 weeks notice is required. The school should provide the Health and Safety team with the following information: . Contact Name and Position . Employer Address and Phone Number . Type of Work Placement to be undertaken . Any health/behavioural issues of the pupil.
WORK PLACEMENT DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR (WPDA) The Work Placement Database Administrator is responsible for entering, updating and administering the work placement database. The WPDA will input all new employers details and will keep a record of when Health and Safety or Disclosure Scotland checks have been requested and their progress. The WPDA is responsible for sending out the initial Disclosure Scotland letter to either an employer or pupil.
Page | 30 PARENTS Parental support increases when parents understand what the school is doing for its pupils and why they are doling it. Schools should provide parents with information about the work placement programmes on offer including:
The purpose and aims of the placement The learning benefits for the pupil including the skills to be developed How they can support their child during the placement When and where the placement will be Travel arrangements and associated costs The nature of the work and the working hours Health and Safety issues and controls The name and phone number of the designated staff coordinator The name and phone number of the person responsible for their child in the company
Parents may also be asked to help find appropriate work placements via their own employers or where they have their own companies. They can also provide invaluable support in preparation and debriefing.
PUPILS It is essential that pupils are well prepared for the placements they are to undertake if they are to make the most of this opportunity. Such preparations should include:
Ensuring awareness of the purposes of work placements. Self assessment: identifying skills, attitudes, likes, dislikes etc. Ensuring that pupils are aware, particularly in S4, that the focus is on experiencing a work environment and the skills, attitudes and qualities needed to contribute effectively as an employee. Ensuring that pupils have an understanding of what will be required during the placement, including the tasks that may be undertaken, to ensure that there are no unrealistic expectations. In many cases observation of workplace tasks will be a major part of the experience due to issues such as pupil age, confidentiality and risk. This should be made clear during the planning phase Ensuring that pupils consider the learning that will take place before, during and after the placement and how this learning can be linked to the wider curriculum. Ensuring that pupils have an understanding of behaviour expectations. Ensuring that pupils’ ability to access placement choices is taken into account (travel, location).
Page | 31 APPENDICES Section 7
A Work Based Learning Contacts
B Argyll and Bute Council Work Placement Calendar 2010/2011
Page | 32 APPENDIX A
WORK BASED LEARNING CONTACTS EDO – Enterprise and Vocational Studies
Aileen Goodall c/o Dunoon Grammar School Ardenslate Road Kirn, Dunoon PA23 8LU T: 07748584998 E: [email protected]
Work Placement Database Administrator
Sarah Mills Senior Clerical Assistant Area Education Office Colgrain Primary School Redgauntlet Road Helensburgh G84 7TZ T: 01436-678635 E: [email protected]
Health and Safety Team
Argyll and Bute Council Improvement and HR Whitegates Road Lochgilphead PA31 8SY 01546-604044 E: [email protected]
Page | 33 APPENDIX B
ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL WORK PLACEMENT CALENDAR 2010/2011
Hermitage Academy Monday 4th October 2010 Monday 10th January 2011
Lochgilphead High Monday 25th October 2010
Tarbert Academy Monday 6th December 2010
Campbletown Grammar Monday 14th/Monday 21st February 2011
Rothesay Academy Monday 21st February 2011
Oban High School May/June 2011
Tobermory High Last week in May/First week in June 2011
Tiree High Monday 30th May 2011
Dunoon Grammar Monday 6th June 2011
Still awaiting information from Islay High School
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