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Consultation Responses
Skill's Policy team works to influence Policy for disabled students by responding to Government Consultations. Here you can view and download Skill's most recent consultation responses.
2010
April
Draft Code of Practice on Employment
Skill comments on the draft code on Employment published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The code is designed to accompany the Equality Act 2010. The response focuses on ensuring that the law is interpretated correcty to support disabled people in employment.Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations
Skill comments on the draft code on services, public functions and associations published by the EHRC to accompany the equality Act 2010. The response focuses on ensuring that the law is interpretated correctly by organisations delivering services and public functions particularly with regards to reasonable adjustments.Draft guidance for Education providers on the Equality Act
Skill responds to draft guidance for education providers from the EHRC to accompany the Equality Act 2010. The response focuses on Colleges and Universities and other Post 16 providers and the steps they need to take to interpret the new law correctly as well as promote good practice.
Draft guidance for Employers on the Equality Act
Skill responds to draft guidance for employers to accompany the Equality Act 2010. The response focuses on ensuing that employers interprete the new law correctly and that good practice is promoted so that disabled people have a fair opportunity to enter and progress within employment.
Standards for pre-registration nursing education
Skill responds to the draft standards for pre-registration nursing education published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Skill focuses on making the standards as inclusive as possible as disabled people are still underrepresented in nursing.
March
Regulating for confidence in standards. Consultation on the regulation of qualifications, examinations and assessments
Skill responds to the newly formed Ofqual on how it will recognise and regulate awarding bodies who in turn will design and deliver qualifications. Skill emphasises the importance of Ofqual providing a robust framework to advance equality for disabled students.
February
The National Commissioning Framework
Skill responds to a Department for children Schools and Families consultation on how the new National Commissioning Framework will work. Skill focuses on how local authorities and the new Young People's Learning Agency will secure appropriate provision for young disabled people.
January
A Conservative Party Consultation on Further Education funding and Skills Accounts.
Skill responds to a Conservative Party consultation on funding within Further education. skill emphasises that funding must remain a priority for disabled learners.
2009
November
Helping shape the future of care
Skill responds to the Department of Health green paper and the proposals to create a national care service. Skill emphasises that while broadly supportive, the proposals are targeted at older people and that students should also benefit from the enw service.
September
Policy Proposals for specific duties for public authorities under the Equality Bill.
Skill responds to the Government Equalities Office on proposals on the Specific Duties for public authorities under the new Equality Bill. Skill has also fed into the response from the Disability Charities Consortium and supports their position.July
Assessments relating to learning difficulties - Full Skill response
Assessments relating to learning difficulties - DCSF Form
Skill responds to the DCSF consultation on the statutory guidance on assessments relating to learning difficulties. Skill recommends tighter quality control around the 139a assessment process to ensure consistency in support and provision for all disabled young people in post-16 education and training.
Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations
Skill responds to draft guidance by the Joint Qualifications Authority on access arrangements, reasonable adjustments ansd special considerations of disabled students. Skill is concerned over the proposed inclusion of certificate indications for learners who have been exempted part of their exam.
Informal Learning Strategy White Paper: The Learning Revolution
Skill responds to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills White Paper on informal adult learning. In the response Skill focuses on increasing access to informal learning as well as supporting adult learners within learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
Specification for Apprenticeship Standards Wales
Skill responds to a consultation on the creation of Apprenticeship frameworks in Wales. The response focuses on encouraging participation of disabled people within Apprenticeships as well as making frameworks accessible and supportive.May
Specification for Apprenticeship Standards England
Skill responds to a consultation on the creation of Apprenticeship frameworks in England. The response focuses on encouraging participation of disabled people within Apprenticeships as well as making frameworks accessible and supportive.April
Draft Regulations for the Training of Newly Appointed Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) in England
Skill responds to DCSF draft regulations for newly appointed SENCOs. Skill welcomes government commitment to establishing professional standards for SENCOs.
March
GMC standards for 'Tomorrow's Doctors'
Skill responds to a consultation from the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC, through 'Tomorrow's Doctors', sets the standards for knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that medical students should learn at UK medical schools.
February
DCSF proposals for access to exams
Skill responds to proposals on access to exams within the forthcoming Equality Bill. Skill's response focuses on the importance of designing accessible qualifications from the outset.
January
Definition of disability discrimination
Skill responds to a consultation from the Office for Disability Issues on improving protection from disability discrimination. Skill's reponse focuses on strengthening protection which has been weakened after the ruling in the Lewisham Borough Council v Malcolm case.
Government consultation on creating a Single Equality Scheme
Skill submits evidence to show that Disability Equality Schemes have been effective in many organisations in terms of improving participation and access.
Development of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator
Skill responds to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education’s (OIA) decision to consult on the development of the OIA scheme. In the response, Skill raises some general issues as well as supporting the extension of its remit to pre-registration. Skill has worked with the OIA since its establishment and strongly supports its remit.
2008
December
Equality and Human Rights Commission Single Equality Scheme
Skill responds to the EHRC's Single Equality Scheme. Skill welcomes the EHRC’s review of its 2008/2009 Equality Scheme, in particular the review of the Commission’s priorities within the Scheme. We recommend that, within its revised action plan, the EHRC commit to improving the experience of post-16 education for disadvantaged groups.
Learning and Skills Council: National Mental Health Strategy Refresh
Skill responds to the LSC's Mental Health Strategy. Skill welcomes the strategy which strengthens the commitment to learners with mental health difficulties. It builds on significant work and commitment shown by the LSC in recent years.
November
Apprenticeship Inquiry
Skill responds to the Progression through Apprenticeships inquiry held by the Skills Commission. Skill's response focuses on increasing participation of disabled people within Apprenticeships as well as designing flexible frameworks.
October
The Welfare Reform Green Paper
Skill responds to the Welfare Reform Green Paper, outlining how back to work support must be accessible in order for disabled people to move into suitable and sustainable jobs.
Skill responds to the Skills Commission's Inquiry and articulates support for disabled apprentices. Skill believes that in order for the Government to achieve its target of 400,000 apprenticeships by 2020 and 190,000 completions, it is vital that disabled people are not only given access to apprenticeships but that they receive sufficient support to ensure they have the opportunity to complete.
The Draft Apprenticeships Bill
Skill responds to the Government's Draft Apprenticeships Bill and outlines ways in which to increase the participation of disabled learners in apprenticeships.
September
Towards a Strategy to Support Volunteering in Health and Social Care
Skill responds to the Department of Health's consultation on supporting volunteering in the health and social care sectors.
July
Towards a DIUS Single Equality Scheme
Skill welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation and is pleased that the Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills (DIUS) has committed itself to building upon the equalities work of the former Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Skill’s response is designed to enhance and inform the further development of the process and recognises that as a new Department some areas of work are further forward than others. Skill’s response is directly related to the Disability Equality Duty and the need for a Disability Equality Scheme.
Skill welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation and the Government’s commitment to create a fairer Britain, in part, through equipping more people with high level skills. The disparity between disabled and non-disabled working adults highlights a number of issues for DIUS to consider if it is to fulfil its objective to ensure that there are more, and more employable, graduates.
June
The Human Right Act in Britain
Skill responds to the EHRC call for evidence into how public authorities are using the Human Rights Act in Britain.
Skill responds to the Office for Disability Issues' Independent Living Strategy. We take the opportunity to comment on the importance of transition to adulthood for young people with disabilities, transport and economic activities.
Skill responds to the DCSF's qualifications strategy for 14-19 year old learners. We comment on the areas that must be addressed in the Diplomas and the Foundation Learning Tier in order for these qualifications to be accessible to disabled young people.
Tackling Bullying Outside Schools
Skill submits evidence to the DCSF on the incidence of bullying outside schools - in FE Colleges and Post-16 Education. Skill supports the response by the Transition Information Network (TIN) on the same topic.
Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver
Skill submits a full response to the joint DCSF and DIUS consultation on the machinery of government changes. Skill's concerns include the lack of clarity around the duty on Local Authorities to meet the needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to the age of 25, and that transferring responsibility to Local Authorities should not lead to a postcode lottery for local provision.
May
Lifelong Learning and Poverty Reduction
Skill responds to the NIACE Commission for the Future of Lifelong Learning. We highlight the importance of lifelong learning and qualifications in reducing poverty through greater employability. This link is especially strong for disabled people.
Skill responds to the DIUS consultation paper on Informal Adult Learning, focusing on the importance of technology and how disability equality can be maintained in an informal environment.
After Leitch: Implementing Skills and Training Policies
Skill responds to the Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee call for evidence on implementing Leitch through skills and training policies.
April
Skill responds to the Committee for Children, Schools and Families' evidence request on the Work of Ofsted.
Lifelong Learning and Technological Change
Skill submits evidence to the NIACE Commission into the Future of Lifelong Learning focusing on technological change. While we recognise and advocate the use of technology providing access to lifelong learning for disabled people, we also highlight the importance of not ignoring other means of communication and learning.
March
Skill responds to the Valuing People Now consultation. This looks at how far the Valuing People agenda has come over the last few years, but also sets new milestones for people with learning difficulties to achieve equality, choice and control over their lives.
DWP - Improving Specialist Employment Services
Skill responds in full to the range of proposals in the DWP consultation. Three areas are covered in the consultation; the future of specialist employment programmes (Job Introduction, Work Preparation, JobWORKSTEP), the role of the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) and Access to Work.
Skill responds to the DIUS consultation on how to increase and improve the apprenticeship offer. DIUS acknowledged the low number of disabled people in apprenticeships, but we expressed some concern over initial suggestions for how to increase this number.
Skill responds to the QCA on the importance of developing a Qualifications and Credit Framework that meets the needs of disabled people.
February
The future of pre-registration nursing education
Skill responds to the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) on pre-registration nursing education, emphasising the importance of competence standards and Fitness to Practise issues.
Equality and Human Rights Commission Equality Scheme consultation
Confidence in Standards: Regulating and developing qualifications and assessment
Skill responds to the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) on how they should develop a new regulatory system. Skill's response includes reference to the extension of the DDA to include General Qualifications and the importance of Disability Equality Impact Assessments.
Skill responds to the DCSF proposals on home access to technology for families with young people aged up to 19 years old.
Regulatory arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework
January
London Skills and Employment Board: Draft Strategy
The LSEB have produced a Draft Strategy to improve the skills and increase employment in London. This strategy links to the LSC's Learning for Living and Work strategy for London which will be published shortly.
A new sector-owned organisation has been proposed to support improvement in the FE Sector.
Equivalent or Lower Qualifications (ELQs) HEFCE
Equivalent or Lower Qualifications (ELQs) IUS
Skill responds to HEFCE and the Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee on the issue of Equivalent of Lower Qualifications (ELQs).
[May 2010]
