Mapping study of current provision in Scotland’s colleges for students with profound and complex needs

March 2008

The BRITE Initiative has been jointly commissioned by the Scottish Government and ther Scottish Funding Council to undertake a mapping study of the current provision of further education across Scotland for students with profound and complex needs. Each College Principal has been asked to oversee their college’s response to an accessible online survey, which will inform the mapping study.

The Scottish Executive, as it was known at the time, carried out a consultation exercise in 2005 on the arrangements for supported further education places and funding for students with complex needs wishing to study further education in England. The clear message from the consultation responses was that the arrangements, particularly for those wishing to study outside Scotland, did not provide fair and consistent access to further education for this group of people. To address the concerns raised by respondents to the 2005 consultation, officials from the Lifelong Learning and Schools Directorates are undertaking on-going discussions with COSLA, the Association of Directors of Education and the Association of Directors of Social Work. From these initial discussions it has become apparent that greater clarity is needed about exactly what options are available to students with ‘profound and complex needs’ within Scotland’s colleges.

The term ‘profound and complex needs,’ often causes confusion. Therefore, a clear educational definition of what is meant by this term is provided in the online survey. This survey is an opportunity for colleges to voice the issues, concerns, difficulties and challenges they face, or could face, in offering appropriate learning opportunities for such students. Colleges have been asked to give a detailed and candid response to the questions posed by the researchers.

The results of this survey will inform the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council of the current provision - and the barriers to provision - in Scotland’s colleges. Once the mapping study has been completed, it is anticipated that a directory of current college provision and guidance for potential applicants will be produced, which will help inform Local Authorities, schools, careers services, social work departments, young people, parents and carers etc. about further education provision across Scotland for students with profound and complex needs.

Click here to view the survey

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