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Transcript of Regional forums Home Access programme. Local authority conferences Hosted 3 conferences for local...
Regional forumsHome Access programme
Local authority conferences Hosted 3 conferences for local authorities on Home Access – over
250 delegates attended and over 100 authorities represented.
Overwhelmingly positive feedback received and authorities reporting they are keen to get involved
Assistive technology was particularly well received as was the Home Access National Indicators map
Some areas where more detail was requested:
–Rollout and marketing plan–Delivery partners –Eligibility criteria–Aggregation –Looked After Children
National Rollout
Looked After Children Grant Administration Service announced on the 16th October as Capita
Becta is currently reviewing Marketing Strategy and Implementation plans
Proving period end November – December 2009
Main launch activities in January 2010When all eligible families can start to applyMain marketing to start
Support for LAs and schoolsHome Access Regional Marketing Team available for support activitiesInformation packs for Schools made available
Eligibility
Are you a parent or guardian responsible for and living with a child
Yes
...in years 3 to 9
... who attends a state school in England full time
... who did not get a computer from Computers For Pupils or the Home Access programme in the pastDo you receive at least one of the following Yes
Free School Meals for your child
Income Support
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and an income of less than £16,040Guaranteed Pension Credit
Income Related Employment Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act
The offer
Home Access Grants for low income families to cover the cost of a Home
Access package comprising:
Approved suppliers to
provide these packages
designed to support learning
Assistive technologies for
those with additional needs
Getting the grant
Designed to remove burden from schools and local authorities
Responsible for:
- driving demand
- issuing and evaluating applications
- delivering grants to families
- enquiry and helpdesk support
Will benefit over 270,000 households by March 2011
Capita will provide the grant administration service
First wave of provisionally approved suppliers and their partners are:
Acquiring the product
Bli Education
Centerprise (3 mobile, Phones4U, Apollo, Hughes, Brighthouse, Retra)
Comet
Misco
Positive IT Solutions (Cartridge World)
XMA (T-mobile)
Becta is then responsible for delivering benefits realisation.
Learning and development
Providing parents, carers and guardians with advice and guidance including:
- how to guide on every desktop
- dedicated Home Access web-space for families
- monthly newsletter and direct mail via approved suppliers
Supporting local authorities and schools to realise the wider benefits of the scheme for their families
Working with partners such as DCSF, BIS, TDA, QCDA and UK online centres
Looked After Children
Looked After Children
Looked After Children in foster care will be catered for by the main Home Access programme.
Local authorities (specifically care workers) will identify a need and make an application on the learner’s behalf at key review points in the Careplan and Pathway Plan reviews.
Eligibility for Looked After Children spans years 1 to 13 inclusive.
Looked After Children (and others) who benefitted under Home Access for targeted Groups will be ineligible under the national programme.
Detailed guidance will be made available later in November. This will be sent to the LACES teams or equivalent contacts in authorities and be available for download from www.becta.org.uk/homeaccess
Ownership of kit
In all cases the package stays with the foster family. The four exceptions are:
Child has been awarded enhanced assistive technology and so is bespoke to their needs
Child is in a critical phase of education and loss of equipment would severely impact attainment
Child is leaving care, but requires kit to continue with education.
If the designated care worker thinks it is appropriate
In all of these cases the decision is made by the designated care worker.
If packages do move then the foster carer should notify the approved supplier.
Home Access for Targeted Groups
110 local authorities took part in the Home Access for Targeted Groups programme which ran in parallel to the Home Access pilots
Over 21,000 learners benefited – including looked after children, young offenders, Gypsy Roma Travellers, pupils in National Challenge schools and those in alternative provision
These learners are ineligible for Home Access grants.
Local authorities are required to provide Capita with details of recipients – secure data transfer being arranged in November.
Local authorities should take into account previous provision when verifying looked after children applications and in targeting Home Access awareness messages
Aggregation
Aggregating local authorities are:
ShropshireHullBriminghamDurham
Details of school’s aggregation will now be communicated to schools and academies
Academies can chose whether to run their own scheme or take part in the local authority scheme
School level aggregation
Any school – other than an academy – will have to be affiliated to the e-Learning Foundation to run an aggregation scheme.
e-Learning Foundation will provide additional advice and support, as well as providing schools with opportunity to combine Home Access with a wider parental contribution based scheme.
e-Learning Foundation also has access to additional funds to support schools build wider programmes to include those ineligible for Home Access grants. School level and Individual Support Grants available from e-Learning Foundation (www.e-learningfoundation.com)
School level aggregation
Schools will have to submit an application to Capita who will evaluate them and if successful register their aggregation scheme.
As with local authorities, schools will have to communicate the opportunity to families, ensure legal requirements are followed and purchase equipment from approved suppliers.
The deadline for applications is 28 February – however school applications will be evaluated and (if successful) registered as and when submitted. They can operate their aggregation scheme as soon as they are registered.
Communicating schools aggregation
Schools aggregation pack will be available on request from 1 December from: www.becta.org.uk/homeaccess
Opportunity will be included in 26 November DCSF email to Headteachers
Local authorities should make schools aware of the opportunity
Becta will also be:attending e-Learning Foundation conference (20 Nov)attending the SSAT Annual conference (25-26 Nov)working with a range of partners such SSAT and NAACE to communicate to schools looking to communicate via Sec Ed and TES
The programme will provide three models of support
Software – pre installed on all Home Access packages applications such as ‘text to speech’, ‘text prediction’, ‘mind-mapping’ and screen magnification
Package 1 – provides the user with an adapted mouse and keyboard as well as reading stickers on the keyboard as required
Package 2 – supports the more profound learning needs not supported by Package 1 with items such as a touch screen and joystick mouse.
Assistive technology offer
Assistive Technology Software
Becta is exploring procurement opportunities to enable local authorities and schools to purchase the AT software:
- MindView 3 - Read&Write 9 - iZoom
A demo version of the software for local authorities is now in development – aim to be ready before Christmas
Working with local authorities
New resources developed for local authorities:
Local authority resources DVD which contains:- Background information- Key information on how Home Access works- Real life stories, videos and other assets
Stakeholder map to help authorities identify who their key partners are
Home Access National Indicator Map which maps local authority national indicators for 2009-10 according to the impact Home Access can have on them
FAQs for local authorities
All at www.becta.org.uk/homeaccess