Relate Welcomes Critical Select Committee Report
27 March 2008
Relate today welcomed the publication of the report of the House of Commons' Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee into the Withdrawal of funding for equivalent or lower level qualifications (ELQs). As a leading provider of training for counsellors and therapists, the Relate Institute and its students are severely affected by this withdrawal of funding, and are pleased to see that the Committee is critical of both the policy, and the timing of its implementation.
The Committee has concluded that the Department for Innovation, Universities, and Skills, should have held an open consultation on the policy of withdrawing funding for those studying for ELQs, rather than on the implementation of the policy alone. In addition, the Committee state that there is no evidence of a pressing reason to make the changes to ELQ funding in the academic year 2008-09. Instead, the Government should have waited until after the planned 2009 review of fees, which would have been able to weight funding of ELQs against other priorities.
The Relate Institute has lobbied for an exemption to this withdrawal of funding for its students studying for an ELQ on the grounds that increasing provision of talking therapies is a stated government priority. In response, the Government has agreed to carry out a review of which subjects should be exempted in December 2008. The Committee recommend that this review be brought forward to summer 2008. They also conclude that the current exemptions proposed by Government are inconsistent, and are unsuitable for determining which subjects should receive state support.
Claire Tyler, Chief Executive of Relate, said:
'This withdrawal of funding was announced at very short notice, and after minimal consultation with the institutions it will affect. The majority of students training to be counsellors are mature people with experience of life, and are therefore more likely to have a previous qualification. Having submitted evidence to the review, we share many of the Committee's criticisms of the policy, the way in which it has been handled, and the Government's proposed action on exemptions, and hope this will have an effect on Government. In particular, we would like to see the review of exempted subjects brought forward to the summer.'
- The Relate Institute provides training in relationship counselling and therapy for approximately 350 learners a year. The vast majority go on to work for Relate.
- On the basis of the current profile of students at the Relate Institute, it is expected that in 08/09 there will be 70% ELQs on our entry level programme, the University Advanced Diploma, and 30% on our Post Graduate Diploma. The consequent reduction in HEFCE funding is circa £375,000). The figure represents approximately a quarter of the full income to the Relate Institute and would result in the Relate Institute running at a substantial and unsustainable loss.
- Despite Government assurances that no existing ELQ students will be affected by this funding change, this is not the case. Students begin their courses at the Relate Institute in January and May, as well as September. Recent changes in the way that HEFCE funding is calculated will mean that any students starting their programme of study in January and May 2008 will be treated as though they are enrolled from September 2008, so HEFCE funding will be lost for these students as well. The cost of this change will result in a further reduction in HEFCE funding of about £80,000 in both 07/08 and 08/09, a loss of income over and above the reduction of funding of £375,000 already referred to above.
We believe that Relate's learners should be exempted from any withdrawal of funding for ELQs for the following reasons:
- Disincentivising students of the Relate Institute will undermine the government's stated aim of making talking therapies more accessible via the NHS. All three of the Relate Institute's therapeutic models - systemic, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioural - are recommended by NICE as approved interventions. The Department of Health wants to provide 900,000 extra patients with such interventions by 2010-2011. A barrier to this aim is a lack of trained practitioners. By extending our existing contracting with Primary Care Trusts we are able to help them meet the shortfall by training 350 practitioners a year within the Relate Institute.
- Disincentivising students will undermine government efforts to provide preventive interventions to families. The new Children's Plan states that 'an effective family policy must start with supporting strong couple relationships and stable, positive relationships within families', and that Children's Centres and other services must be able to signpost families to relationship support. We already work in this way but need to extend services so that they reach all parents - and children - in need. This work depends on a supply of qualified counsellors, and reducing learner numbers will jeopardise this.
