Best Value Review of Lifelong Learning

Report of the Older Persons Task Group

1. Introduction

1.1 The Task Group was asked to focus on the learning of older people. Various definitions of this group are used. Third age learners are usually classified as being those aged 55-75 and fourth age learners 75 plus. As with all such groupings they can help to illuminate particular issues as well as limit thinking about the needs of individuals.

1.2 The Task Group met on five occasions and gathered information from providers across the County Council. Most departments are delivering activities that support lifelong learning for older people. What this report identifies is an overall lack of focus, coherence and strategy in making this provision.

1.3 The central issues around the level of funding and changes in the LSC's priorities towards supporting vocational courses for adults are the same as those identified by the Adult Education Task Group report. They will not be repeated here. The provision of non-vocational adult education only at full-cost does impact particularly on the older age groups, particularly as they start to live on pensions and savings. Older participants in adult education are often attracted to non-vocational courses because of the social and community contact and companionship.

1.4 In 2001 there were 262,778 people aged over 60 and over in Hampshire or 21.19% of the population, of which 95,240 or 7.68% were aged 75 plus. The census summary tables do not provide numbers in the 55-59 age group, an estimate of around 85,000 would seem reasonable. Overall, there are about 348,000 aged 55 plus in Hampshire, or 28% of the population. The latest government estimates suggest that over 40% of the national population will be aged 50 or over by 2021. Hampshire's population profile is very close to the national average. This is an area where there could be a growing demand for suitable learning opportunities ,for both non-vocational and vocational courses. Increasingly Government is trying to persuade people to remain in employment for longer .This could create a demand from older people for training in new skills.

1.5 There is significant variation in the distribution of older people across the county by ward level. Seven of the ten wards with the highest number of people aged 65 plus are in the New Forest with the remaining three in Gosport, Test Valley and East Hampshire. They range from 42.8% in Barton to 27.8% in Grayshott. In contrast there are eight wards where the population of older people is less than 5% of the total. This does raise issues about how to reach potential older learners who are geographically isolated.

1.6 The national figures for 2002 produced by the DfES for local authority maintained, assisted and contracted adult education show that 25% of those taking part were aged 60 and over. This age group formed 33% of those attending day classes and 15.5% evening and open learning classes. Males formed 28.5% of the total of those attending all adult education and female 72.5%. Those aged 60 and above formed 32% of enrolments on non-vocational courses and 14% on vocational courses. Males were more likely to attend vocational courses. Males aged 60 and above formed 18% of this group, while females aged over 60 formed 13% of the females attending vocational courses.

2. Provision for Older Learners

2.1 The range of provision made by County Council departments for adult learners normally is available for "older learners". This report therefore will not repeat what is set out in the report of the adult learners task group, but give particular emphasis to those areas which are most attractive and available to older learners. A similar approach will be taken in commenting on how well the County Council is providing for older learners, identifying areas for improvement and the key strategic issues.

2.2 In 2002/3 the Adult Learning Unit forecast that 42,800 adults would attend adult learning classes provided by the County Council with a target of 9,200 or 23% for those aged 60 and above. These estimates were exceeded. 45,100 learners attended adult learning classes and 27% were aged 60 and above, an increase of 8.4% over the previous year. In 2003/4 the estimated number of learners was forecast to be 30,500, as a result of changes to LSC contracting directly with colleges, but a target for older learners of 25% or 7,500 older learners.

2.3 A new system for recording enrolments has been introduced from September 2003. This provides an individual learner record and will enable more complex analyses to be undertaken. The data for the first term is available. This has been analysed to show the distribution of adult learners across different courses, and shows broadly similar patterns of enrolment across the different subject areas. It would be best to await further data before attempting to draw firmer conclusions.

2.4 The Social Services Department provide a range of educational services for older adults. These promotes re-ablement and independent living wherever possible .For older people of working age the aim is to reduce the number claiming incapacity benefit and to increase the number of disabled people in the workforce .This includes supporting people to receive training and qualifications to enable this to happen An assessment is undertaken to identify an individual's health, immediate environment, ability to care for themselves and their families and to maintain a social life as well as the ability to work and to learn. Packages of care are put together and often include services provided by a number of different agencies. Those services that have a learning component are rehabilitative services that help people gain or regain skills lost through illness such as a stroke or memory loss. County council provision and purchased care includes:

· Homecare: These services provide care combined with active therapy to maximise independence

· Day Centres: Activities include art/painting, music, dancing, bingo/quizzes and invited speakers to provide purposeful activity and mental stimulation

· Residential Care: Support workers help residents needing help to access formal training, learning and employment. Occupational therapy is provided. In eight of the residential homes the Arts Office has provided a programme of activities. These include cameo puppets, light classical music, music and movement, interactive music sessions with professional musicians, The Way We Were - sketches and songs about 30s, 40s and 50s and creative arts workshops in ceramics and painting.

2.5 As well as working with the Recreational and Heritage Department, Social Services have linked with Trading Standards in their initiative to warn, often older residents, about the danger posed by some door step traders.

2.6 The Recreation and Heritage Department provides learning opportunities through many of its activities. Often these are particularly attractive to older learners and the timing of the activities during the day encourages their participation. Many arts courses are provided in the afternoon at Arts Centres to meet the needs of older learners. Grants to independent providers, eg Sculpture Trust and local orchestras enable them to support work with older learners and provide performers. A range of activities is supported in local village and community halls through small grants to enable a programme of activities to be put on. These are often aimed at older people.

2.7 The Archives and Museums Services undertake outreach work with local groups to raise awareness of their collections. These usually attract an older audience. The Library Service makes specific provision for older people including large print/talking books and provision of books for the housebound.

2.8 The possible expansion of Learn Direct, the e-based learning network and local community centres could be of particular benefit to those older learners remote from traditional sources of provision. The lap-top scheme run by the ACCU with Age Concern also benefits older learners. The County Council has supported the national "Silver Surfer" initiative.

2.9 As an employer the County Council enables all member of staff to have access to work related learning opportunities regardless of their age. Specific provision is made for older staff approaching retirement by making available pre-retirement courses .The County Council has an older than average workforce .The provision of further training opportunities to enable older people to stay in work ,possibly undertaking changed roles ,is an area that may need developing.

3. What are we doing well?

3.1 The County Council' departments provide or support a range of services to meet the needs of the older learners. These are usually integrated into the provision made for the overall population of Hampshire, but specific attention is paid to providing services so they are accessible to the elderly.

3.2 The Adult and Community Learning Unit in the Education Department requires, as a condition of funding , the centres providing adult learning opportunities for them to subsidise costs to those over 60.

3.3 The County Council, through its networks, is able to provide a wide range of services which would be beyond the capacity of any single department to provide. Partnership working and funding other agencies to deliver services creates a flexible and responsive system. It can draw in a range of knowledge, expertise and community commitment which might not otherwise be available.

3.4 The focus on departmental initiative fosters innovation and stimulates good practice.

3.5 The report of the adult learners task group mentions the external inspection reports and the quality assurance arrangements that have been established. Social Services provision is subject to annual inspections .CPA and Best Value cover all the activities of the County Council, although there are no specific BV indicators for the provision of learning opportunities for the elderly.

4. What could we do better?

4.1 The Task Group have had to search for information about the range of services provided for older learners. This reflects the lack of any central focus or policy towards making coherent provision across the County Council's services for older learners. Varying definitions of what constitutes an older learner make comparisons and service planning more difficult.

4.2 It is not clear that services for older learners are targetted consistently to meet the needs of individuals or groups. Inevitably much provision has developed over time and in response to local drive and enthusiasm. There are opportunities to look more closely at how learning is made available to those socially and geographically isolated. Some existing services are more likely to be taken up by the more socially advantaged.

4.3 The County Council's approach to the provision of, for example, adult education devolves responsibility for making detailed arrangements to local providers and thereby has little ability to influence either the nature of provision made or its targeting. This limits the impact any County policy or strategy may have.

4.4 There is a lack of consistency about discounts and fee structures for older learners. The County Council's approach limits the opportunity to create more clarity for older learners as there is no clear policy direction across County Council departments.

5. Some key issues for a County Strategy

· A focus and emphasis on providing learning opportunities for older learners

· Greater consultation with older people about what learning opportunities they want

· Ensure that any lifelong learning strategy links into the community cohesion and regeneration strategies being developed by Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs)

· Clarity about fee structures and subsidies for provision supported by the County Council

· Prioritising and focusing County supported provision to meet the learning needs of the geographically and socially isolated

· Identification and use of available accommodation as it becomes available, as a result of falling rolls

· The production and dissemination of information about learning opportunities across the County.