New Ceredigion centre development for post-16 complex needs provision

IN response to the new Additional Learning Needs Bill (ALN) which comes into force in September 2021 Ceredigion County Council will develop provision for five young people to continue their post 16 education within the county.

Young people with severe and complex needs will soon be able to continue their education closer to home with a new centre in development.

Currently young people with severe and complex additional learning needs – seven at the moment – are educated outside of the county at specialist placements because there is no provision locally.

The Act means that young people will be entitled to two years of further education up to the age of 25, and a further one year can be requested from the Welsh Government.

On Tuesday (August 4) members of the council’s cabinet received a report on the Camu ‘Mlaen project which will provide the provision from September this year, with the first cohort of five learners from across the county.

Cabinet member for schools, lifelong learning and skills, support and intervention Cllr Catrin Miles told the meeting that the focus was on providing access locally and allowing “our young people to develop and mature within their community.”

The out of county placements cost around £1.27million with an estimated saving of £500,000 using the Camu ‘Mlaen model the cabinet heard.

There is a desire to develop a purpose-built facility on the Hafan y Waun site in Aberystwyth, depending on capital funding from the Integrated Care Fund, with temporary accommodation available currently.

“It is an investment to save issue, we are investing to provide for the future and to provide better provision as well,” added Cllr Miles.

Those young people currently at out of county placements will continue their education there with an additional five taking part in the new scheme, two of whom will also benefit from supported living provision as part of their college experience.

From September pre-entry provision will offer three days a week supported access at Coleg Ceredigion with personalised curriculum-based learning and a focus communication, development of numeracy and digital skills through the “four pillars of learning” – health and well-being, community inclusion, independent living and employability.

There will also be two days a week local day centre provision including work experience and life skills development.

This will allow the young people involved to “assert their independence whilst also staying close to family and friends,” said Cllr Miles.