Select Committee on Innovation, Universities and Skills Written Evidence


Memorandum 78

Submission from the British Association of Psychotherapists

RESPONSE TO DIUS SELECT COMMITTEE

  This response is made on behalf of the British Association of Psychotherapists, one of the premier psychotherapy training organisations in the country.

  The British Association of Psychotherapists currently runs two programmes collaboratively run with Birkbeck College, University of London. These are an MSc in the Psychodynamics of Human Development and a Clinical Doctorate for Child Psychotherapy. The MSc programme provides a pathway through to the three clinical trainings offered at the BAP and to other psychotherapy trainings across the country. One of the particular strengths of our MSc programme is that it enables under-represented groups to access psychotherapy trainings, and if funding were to be withdrawn, it would be these very people who would be most affected.

1.  SUBMISSION TO THE INQUIRY

  The arguments for and against the Government's decision to phase out support to institutions for students studying Equivalent or Lower Level Qualifications (ELQs):

    (a)  There is no reasonable argument for withdrawing support for students studying ELQs as it does not accord with the government's stated aim of developing the skill levels of the workforce.

    (b)  The targets outlined in the "Leitch" skills agenda expect that by 2020 40% of the workforce would have Higher Education qualifications. This would require universities to cater for mature students already in the workplace as well as school-leavers. It is particularly invidious that the capital—London will be hardest hit by this loss of funds as thirty of the 50 universities most affected by these cuts are in London. This will ultimately decrease their capacity to meet the government's new skills agenda and eventually lead to a lowering of skill levels in London.

    (c)  The impact of this decrease in ELQ funding will disproportionately hit the part-time sector, as the effect to this sector will be 10 times greater than on full time providers.

    (d)  These enormous cut-backs will definitely reduce the provision for part time students as they will result in many of these courses ceasing to be financially viable. This will, inevitably lead to some courses being dropped and in all likelihood the closure of some university departments.

    (e)  This proposed policy represents serious cutbacks in funding for the professional study that is needed if competent professionals are to be developed to manage a workforce effectively.

    (f)  Many mental health practitioners become ELQ students in order to improve their skills in their jobs and these cuts will make the cost of acquiring wider skills prohibitive and consequently, be detrimental to mental health services.

    (g)  ELQ students often do not fit the model of more traditional students and often bring different and interesting perspectives to the class, which can have a positive and enlivening influence on the dynamics.

2.  THE TIMING OF THE DECISION AND OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHANGE

    (a)  The government did not consult on the proposed changes and the timescale that is proposed does not allow the institutions to deal with the financial shortfalls in the least disruptive way possible.

    (b)  Such changes would affect all institutions offering part-time courses and in particular Birkbeck and the Open University It is however true to say that the government did (in quite a short timeframe) consult on the interim measures for introducing these changes and that is an entirely different basis for consultation on such an important issue.

    (c)  As the fees commission meets in 2009 it would be more appropriate to wait for the outcome of these meetings where ELQ funding can be discussed as part of the overall review of student funding. Failing that, any decisions should at least await the conclusion of the Select Committee enquiry.

3.  THE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE WITHDRAWAL OF FUNDING PROPOSED BY THE HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND

    (a)  There should be exemptions for any student returning to education more than five years after the date of their last qualification whether at an equivalent or lower level.

    (b)  All Health related courses including psychotherapy and psychological trainings should be exempt.

    (c)  Subject areas which add to an individual's career development should be exempt for example IT, business, law, economics.

4.  THE IMPACT UPON STUDENTS, INCLUDING WHETHER THE CHANGE WILL AFFECT SOME GROUPS OF STUDENTS MORE THAN OTHERS

These cuts will particularly affect:

    (a)  Students undertaking professional trainings and continuing professional development (CPD) who are considered ELQ students and because of the increased fees will in future be unlikely to take such trainings and courses.

    (b)  Students trying to re-skill after redundancy or other changes in personal circumstances.

    (c)  Disabled students trying to re-skill when their disability makes it impossible to continue in their last/current job.

    (d)  Parents, in particular women who, after having raised a family are trying to re-skill to re-enter the workforce. A high proportion of such women are ELQ students and the present proposals create additional hurdles for them to overcome in their attempt to improve their position and their contribution to the national economy.

5.  THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGE UPON INSTITUTIONS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS FOR SPECIALISED INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE OPEN UNIVERSITY   AND BIRKBECK COLLEGE LONDON

The following statistics come from Birkbeck our partner on two programmes

    (a)  The funding cuts are likely to have a severe impact on Birkbeck as approximately 38% of Birkbeck students are ELQ students.

    (b)  Both the Open University and Birkbeck are likely to be focusing on dealing with these cutbacks rather than on delivering education.

    (c)  Birkbeck is very well placed to deliver the government's skills agenda as Educating working people has been part of its mission since 1823. As a small institution it will inevitably be distracted from its prime role.

    (d)  Many courses would have to close as they would cease to be viable when ELQ students are unable to afford the increased fees.

    (e)  Over 70% of Birkbeck students study to improve their career prospects, and over 90% choose to study in the evening because they work during the day. Such study increases their contribution to the economy.

    (f)  50% of Birkbeck students are on low incomes and working hard to improve their career prospects—this year, 33% of Birkbeck undergraduate students applied for government financial support. Thus many of Birkbeck's ELQ students will have great difficulties in meeting any increased fees and in many cases unlikely to be able to afford to do the courses.

    (g)  The average age of a Birkbeck student is 35. As the economy demands that people are more flexible in their working lives the opportunities for re-skilling need to be available to people throughout their lives. People through no fault of their own, sometimes have to change direction, often because of redundancy or disability.

    (h)  Such cuts are more than likely to have a seriously destabilising effect on the work of this important, high-quality, research-led, world-class, London institution.

    (i)  In a small educational institution such as Birkbeck, the management will find it extremely difficult to deliver the full range of planned initiatives which include widening participation and employer engagement in education if they have to divert resources into dealing with the fallout from the ELQ funding cuts.

6.  WHAT THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHOTHERAPISTS WANTS THE GOVERNMENT TO DO NOW

    (a)  Revisit this policy and do not consider implementing any of it before 2009 at the earliest, after the broad review of student funding has taken place or, at least until the Select Committee has conluded its enquiry.

    (b)  Birkbeck and the Open University give people a second chance and will be hardest hit. They should not have their funding removed in the short term, but be allowed to keep their funding and student places and given an opportunity over a number of years in which to re-focus on non-ELQ students in line with whatever government policy is finally agreed and implemented.

    (c)  Exempt all students returning to study more than five years after their last degree.

    (d)  Exempt all vocational and healthcare courses (eg law and psychotherapy) from the ELQ policy as students doing these courses are likely to be doing these courses to improve their their skills in their current jobs and or their employment opportunities.

January 2008





 
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