Memorandum 110
Submission
from the British Association of Psychotherapists
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to be withdrawn, it would be these very people who would be most affected
Submission
to the inquiry
1. 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 focussing 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.
4.
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
change 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 (e.g. 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.
Elise Ormerod
Chief Executive
British
Association of Psychotherapists
11th
January, 2008
