§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of time Connexions personal advisers have spent with young people from each socio-economic class, broken down by Connexions partnership. [154780]
§ Margaret HodgeInformation about the proportion of time Connexions personal advisers spend with young people from each socio-economic class is not collected by Connexions Partnerships.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what examinations and assessments of existing services for young people were carried out in each region before Connexions partnerships were established; and what the nature of such assessments was. [154784]
§ Margaret HodgeAll Connexions partnerships were subject to a rigorous assessment process before "going live" to ensure they were ready to provide a high quality service. As part of developing their business plans, partnerships were expected to undertake a local needs assessment to draw out the key needs of young people, the extent to which existing provision met those needs, and to identify gaps in services.
The Connexions Service National Unit provided a mapping tool to assist this process. Partnerships also drew upon local mapping information collected for other purposes.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget allocation is for each Connexions partnership for 2004–05. [154785]
§ Margaret HodgeThe budget allocation for each Connexions Partnership for 2004–05 is as follows:
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£ Connexions partnership 2004–05 allocation South East M. Keynes, Oxfordshire and Bucks 10,595,357 Berkshire 6,669,629 Surrey 8,110,651 Kent and Medway 13,144,292 Sussex 11,229,894 South Central 14,247,867 London West London 12,661,008 Central London 15,338,641 North London 10,026,144 East London 22,055,084 South London 10,574,964 East of England Norfolk 6,508,049 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 5,981,683 Suffolk 5,408,558 Bedfordshire and Luton 5,070,064 Hertfordshire 7,913,832 Essex, Southend and Thurrock 12,848,412 South West Gloucestershire 4,512,252 Wiltshire and Swindon 4,979,619 West of England 8,089,632 Somerset 3,951,306 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole 5,060,675 Cornwall and Devon 12,513,950
£ Connexions partnership 2004–05 allocation West Midlands Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 3,841,302 Staffordshire 9,236,197 Black Country 11,473,924 Birmingham and Solihull 13,045,649 Coventry and Warwickshire 7,199,993 Hereford and Worcester 5,652,538 East Midlands Derbyshire 8,009,441 Nottinghamshire 9,644,783 Lincolnshire and Rutland 5,413,738 Leicestershire 8,351,533 Northamptonshire 5,759,611 Yorks and the Humber York and North Yorks 5,392,793 West Yorkshire 20,546,411 Humber 8,689,130 South Yorkshire 12,385,536 North West Cumbria 4,281,199 Lancashire 12,712,765 Greater Manchester 26,256,913 Greater Merseyside 17,411,643 Cheshire and Warrington 6,850,581 North East Northumberland 3,011,745 Tyne and Wear 11,667,484 County Durham 4,829,615 Tees Valley 7,143,913 Total England 446,300,000
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research has been carried out into the proportion of young people who are aware of the Connexions service in each partnership area, broken down by(a) ethnicity, (b) age and (c) gender. [154786]
§ Margaret HodgeInformation on the awareness of young people of the Connexions service has been obtained from two recent Department for Education and Skills research studies.
In 2002, the Youth Cohort Study found that 51 per cent. of young people were aware of a Connexions service in their area. Of those, slightly more females said they were aware of a Connexions Service in this area (53 per cent. compared to 50 per cent. of males). Just over one-third of non-white respondents claimed awareness (36 per cent.) compared with 53 per cent. of white respondents.
In 2003, a customer satisfaction survey of 16,000 young people found that awareness of Connexions was generally high. 92 per cent. of both male and female respondents contacted said they had heard of the service. For minority ethnic groups, awareness levels were 88 per cent. compared with 93 per cent. for white respondents. Young people aged 16–17 had the highest levels of awareness (94 per cent.), followed by 13 to 15-year-olds (92 per cent.) with those over 18 (89 per cent.) being the least aware of the service.
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§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what qualifications and training Connexions' personal advisers are expected to have on(a) working with young offenders and (b) health matters; and what proportion are trained to this level within each area partnership. [154787]
§ Margaret HodgeDetailed information on specific qualifications held by PAs working with young offenders and with individuals who have health concerns is not collected.
Connexions Personal Advisers are drawn from a broad range of professional backgrounds including youth justice, social work, probation, youth work and career guidance. To be fully qualified Connexions Service personal advisers are required to have an NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline and have undertaken Connexions specific training.
Connexions Personal Advisers are not expected to be experts in all areas but are trained to broker and refer to specialists where appropriate.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of Connexions' personal advisers within each area partnership have(a) a Qualification in Careers Guidance, (b) NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance, including specified units and (c) a Diploma in Careers Guidance. [154788]
§ Margaret HodgeMy department does not collect data on the proportion of specific specialist qualifications held by Connexions personal advisers.
In our guidance to Partnerships we require that any Personal adviser responsible for providing young people with in-depth career guidance must hold a Qualification in Career Guidance, NVQ4 in Advice and Guidance (including specified units) or the Diploma in Careers Guidance. Connexions Partnerships are responsible for ensuring that this requirement is met.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of Connexions personal advisers within each area partnership are qualified to give guidance on all advisory services. [154789]
§ Margaret HodgeTo be fully qualified, Connexions PAs are required to have a NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline and have undertaken Connexions specific training in delivering a wide range of support services to young people. Connexions training equips personal advisers to recognise the boundaries of their existing professional competence and refer to specialist services where necessary.
We do not collect information in the form requested. However, we expect that by April 2005 all Connexions personal advisers will have completed Connexions specific training.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what safeguards exist to ensure that young people are given in-depth advice only by properly qualified Connexions personal advisers. [154790]
§ Margaret HodgeThe safeguards are through training and supervision. Connexions personal advisers are either qualified to NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline or they are actively working to a level 4 qualification. They are also required 185W to complete or be actively working towards Connexions specific training which equips them to recognise the boundaries of their own professional competence.
All Connexions Service Partnerships have in place professional supervision arrangements.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the quality of advice given by Connexions personal advisers is monitored. [154791]
§ Margaret HodgeThe quality of advice given by Connexions personal advisers is monitored on three levels:
- 1. It is a condition of grant that every Connexions partnership has effective procedures in place to evaluate the professional practice of personal advisers and takes appropriate steps to improve individual performance. Partnerships are also required to have robust professional supervision arrangements in place for all personal advisers.
- 2. Connexions partnerships undertake a comprehensive annual self-assessment of their performance which is based on the document "Connexions Partnerships: A Framework for Inspection—April 2002". One of the key criteria addressed is the overall quality of advice given by personal advisers. Areas for improvement are identified and addressed by improvement actions in the following year's business plan. Currently progress against these improvement actions is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Government Office.
- 3. The independent element of scrutiny of personal advisers' practice is provided by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) over a four-yearly cycle. Ofsted make judgements about the partnership, using the seven key questions within the Ofsted inspection framework. Within this framework Key Question 4 assesses the effectiveness of Connexions practice, assessment, support, teaching and guidance and contains a specific quality statement that addresses the quality of impartial information, advice and guidance provided to young people by personal advisers. Following the report of Ofsted's findings, partnerships are required to address any issues arising from the inspection in an action plan. Progress against this action plan is again monitored by the Government Office.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how(a) parents' and (b) clients' complaints against the service provided by Connexions are dealt with. [154792]
§ Margaret HodgeConnexions partnerships are required to put in place a complaints procedure, which is the primary mechanism for all complaints from parents and clients. Should complaints not be resolved at that stage, the local Government office and Connexions teams within DfES investigate and provide support both to the public and partnerships to continually improve the level of service Connexions provides to clients and their families.
Partnerships are required to have strategies to ensure young people are involved in the design, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvement of the service. This, in part, ensures the number of complaints is reduced. They must respond positively to any complaints made by young people and are required to publish a Youth Charter explaining what Connexions is and offers; its standards of service; and how to complain.
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§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by what criteria Ofsted assess the performance of a Connexions partnership. [154794]
§ Margaret HodgeThis is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of Connexions personal advisers within each area partnership has undergone Criminal Records Bureau checks. [154795]
§ Margaret HodgeAlthough Connexions Partnerships provide us with the numbers of personal advisers they have recruited, they are not required to provide data on the numbers who have been subject to List 99 and Criminal Records Bureau checks. To do so would serve no purpose as it is a legal requirement for employers to ensure that personal advisers have been subjected to completed List 99 checks before they can come into direct contact with young people. We also require Partnerships to ensure a Criminal Records Bureau check is completed for all Connexions staff working with young people.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much time has been spent by Connexions personal advisers upon each advisory service.[154796]
§ Margaret HodgeIt is not possible to provide the information requested. Connexions advisers offer a broad range of advice on many issues. We do not ask them to account for their time by category of advice.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to ensure that Connexions works effectively with the voluntary sector. [154797]
§ Margaret HodgeIn October 2002, we published our first strategy for engaging the Voluntary and Community Sector [VCS] in Connexions. We have made considerable progress since then in working with the VCS
Connexions Partnerships awarded more than £10 million in grants and contracts to the VCS in 2002–03.There has been an increase in the number of personal advisers based within, or coming from, the VCS. Recent figures show that around 13 per cent. of Connexions personal advisers came from the VCS.Nearly every partnership board and local management committee now has VCS representation.Most partnerships have at least one full-time VCS co-ordinator or development worker.A working group, composed of representatives from the VCS, has been working with the Connexions Service National Unit advising on operational issues as they affect the sector, and sharing good practice.An updated strategy, "Involving the Voluntary and Community Sector in Connexions: Strategy and Guidance 2004–05" will be published later this month. This document was developed jointly with the VCS and is endorsed by the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services.
187WFrom April 2004, Connexions Partnerships will also be required to work with local VCS partners and other organisations to develop a clear and systematic local strategy for the involvement of the VCS in service design, planning, delivery and evaluation.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance is provided to voluntary organisations by Connexions in(a) ensuring staff undergo Criminal Records Bureau checks, (b) applying for funding and (c) ensuring they fulfil requirements. [154798]
§ Margaret HodgeConnexions Partnerships are required to ensure enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks are completed for all staff they recruit, including those who are employed through a subcontractor or voluntary agency. Connexions Service Partnerships are encouraged to provide assistance to voluntary organisations when they apply for funding and are committed to keeping procedures simple. Partnerships are able to provide grant funding and in-kind support to voluntary organisations who might otherwise be able to engage with Connexions.
It is the responsibility of contractors—including voluntary organisations—to ensure they fulfil contractual requirements, which partnerships monitor to ensure compliance.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of the Connexions Card scheme has been. [154799]
§ Margaret HodgeMy Department has so far spent £35,884,000 on the Connexions Card scheme.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people have Connexions cards within each partnership area. [154800]
§ Margaret HodgeThe number of young people who have a Connexions Card in each Connexions Partnership area is as follows:
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Connexions Partnership Number of young people who have a Connexions Card Bedfordshire and Luton 8,502 Berkshire 6,981 Birmingham and Solihull 4,075 Black Country 8,213 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole 3,816 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 6,318 Central London 6,084 Cheshire and Warrington 4,507 Cornwall and Devon 18,267 County Durham 6,740 Coventry and Warwickshire 7,877 Cumbria 3,771 Derbyshire 4,194 East London 19,156 Essex, Southend and Thurrock 14,304 Gloucestershire 2,255 Greater Manchester 19,619 Greater Merseyside 14,938 Herefordshire and Worcestershire 1,434 Hertfordshire 8,235 Humber 16,653 Kent and Medway 19,560 Lancashire 4,294 Leicestershire 11,887 Lincolnshire and Rutland 6,986 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 6,938
Connexions Partnership Number of young people who have a Connexions Card Norfolk 6,198 North London 14,506 Northamptonshire 8,421 Northumberland 4,138 Nottinghamshire 10,455 Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 3,015 Somerset 1,562 South Central 10,109 South London 11,533 South Yorkshire 7,127 Staffordshire 6,142 Suffolk 2,905 Surrey 10,759 Sussex 8,277 Swindon and Wiltshire 5,429 Tees Valley 20,052 Tyne and Wear 18,897 West London 8,396 West of England 8,738 West Yorkshire 11,857 York and North Yorkshire 3,721 Total 417,841
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people used Connexions Direct, on average, in each of the last six months broken down by(a) age and (b) ethnic origin. [154801]
§ Margaret HodgeIn the past six months (August 2003 to January 2004) Connexions Direct advisers handled an average of 16,000 contacts per month. In addition there were 70,000 visits per month to the Connexions Direct website.
Many young people choose to remain anonymous when they contact Connexions Direct. Of those that chose to provide information, around 14 per cent. were aged 13 to 14, 39 per cent. 15 to 16 and 38 per cent. 17 to 19. Of those remaining around 1 per cent. were under 13 and the remainder were over 19. Information about ethnic origin is not available as reports over the past six months show no disclosure from young people.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how complaints from(a) parents and (b) young people about Connexions Direct are dealt with. [154802]
§ Margaret HodgeAll complaints from parents and young people are logged and investigated. If the complaint is during a call or webchat, the Connexions Direct duty manager will take over and deal with it immediately.
In the past six months 15 complaints and 68 praise calls have been logged.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been spent on the(a) purchase and (b) rental of buildings by each Connexions area partnership in each year since its establishment. [154803]
§ Margaret HodgeThe information requested is provided in the following table.
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Spend (£s) 2001–2002 2002–2003 Partnership Start date Purchase of buildings Rental of buildings Purchase of buildings Rental of buildings Bedfordshire and Luton September 2002 0 0 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough April 2002 0 257,825 Essex Southend and Thurrock September 2002 0 0 Hertfordshire1 April 2002 0 0 Norfolk1 January 2003 18,000 0 Suffolk1 September 2001 0 0 0 0 Derbyshire September 2002 0 0 Leicestershire September 2002 0 135,192 Lincolnshire and Rutland April 2001 0 128,177 0 143,298 Northamptonshire September 2002 0 147,410 Nottinghamshire April 2002 0 199,197 Central London1 June 2002 0 0 East London April 2002 0 94,000 North London April 2001 0 0 0 0 South London April 2001 0 0 0 0 West London September 2002 0 24,000 County Durham1 April 2002 0 0 Northumberland April 2003 0 Tees Valley September 2002 0 0 Tyne and Wear1 April 2002 0 0 Cheshire and Warrington April 2001 183,037 304,372 53,307 238,600 Cumbria April 2001 0 123,950 0 137,269 Gtr Manchester September 2002 0 88,208 Gtr Merseyside September 2001 195,770 242,436 1,324,924 319,245 Lancashire April 2002 98,000 338,000 Berkshire January 2003 0 21,840 Kent and Medway November 2002 0 28,000 Milton Keynes Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire April 2001 0 0 0 14,000 South Central September 2002 0 24,500 Surrey November 2002 0 0 Sussex September 2002 0 29,820 Bournemouth Poole and Dorset April 2002 0 140,286 Cornwall and Devon April 2001 0 313,000 0 334,000 Gloucestershire April 2002 175,273 181,570 Somerset April 2002 44,229 225,351 West of England April 2001 62,000 0 4,000 331,000 Wiltshire and Swindon September 2002 0 10,750 Birmingham and Solihull September 2002 274,356 402,500 Black Country April 2001 0 0 478,000 36,000 Coventry and Warwickshire April 2001 0 0 208,605 360,060 Hereford and Worcester April 2002 0 157,221 Shropshire Telford and Wrekin April 2001 0 88,470 2— 2— Staffordshire April 2002 0 264,500 Humberside September 2001 0 23,375 0 23,375 South Yorkshire April 2001 0 0 0 18,850 West Yorkshire October 2002 0 0 York and North Yorkshire September 2002 8,647 0 1 These are Lead Body Partnerships for which we have separate accounting arrangements that do not require details of rental expenditure 2Accounts are not submitted yet Note: A zero indicates that a Partnership did not incur any expenditure on buildings (e.g. because it took over existing premises). The absence of any figure for 2001–02 means that the Partnership did not start until 2002–03 Source: Partnerships' Annual Statutory Accounts
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what qualifications are required of Connexions personal advisers who give drugs counselling to clients. [154805]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 12 February 2004]: To be fully qualified Connexions Service personal advisers are required to have an NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline and have undertaken Connexions specific training in delivering and brokering a wide range of support for young people. This includes information on drugs and alcohol issues. Connexions training equips advisers to recognise the boundaries of their existing professional competence 190W and to refer to specialist services when necessary. In 2003–04, £1 million has been made available to Connexions Service Partnerships to provide additional training to personal advisers on drugs related issues.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been distributed to voluntary organisations through the Connexions service in each year since its establishment. [154806]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 12 February 2004]:Connexions Partnerships make both grant awards and contract payments to voluntary organizations. In 191W 2001–02 these totalled £2.2 million, in 2002–03 £10.1 million and in the first six months of 2003–04 (the latest data available) £4.3 million.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average salary of a Connexions personal adviser is in(a) each area partnership and (b) England. [154807]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 12 February 2004]: My Department does not keep any data on the average salaries of Connexions personal advisers. Under their financial memorandum, partnerships are able to set their own salary rates taking account of qualification levels and local labour market factors.