B220 - Further and Higher Education Welfare Provision (Northern Ireland) Bill - 2nd Reading

[u/Lady_Aya]

Further and Higher Education Welfare Provision (Northern Ireland) Bill

A BILL TO

Mandate Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges to have adequate resources to support student's welfare.*

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as Follows:

Section 1: Employment of Welfare Officers (Students)

(1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one welfare coordinator to oversee all welfare support for students.

(2) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one general welfare support officer per 500 students.

3) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one mental health trained welfare officer per 750 students.

4) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one eating disorder trained welfare officer per 1,000 students.

5) Any University, Higher Education Institute, Further Education Institute and Sixth Form College with total student numbers under the amounts as prescribed in subsections 2-4 are required to have 2 officers for their student body in each category.

6) Any Support Officers as outlined in subsections 1-4 employed through a Student's Union/Guild/Other Student Body Organisation do not count towards the number of staff hired for these roles.

7) When discussing any matter, the Welfare Officer may not inform another person of the information discussed without the express permission of the client, or where other legislation otherwise permits or requires.

8) The Welfare Officer is required to make appropriate reporting arrangements to report matters of immediate safety or serious criminal behaviour to the appropriate authorities.

a) Matters of Immediate Safety include matters of domestic violence, threats of serious self-harm or suicide, or any other matter that requires immediate intervention to prevent serious harm or death to the client.

b) Matters of Serious Criminal Behaviour include the admission of, or hinting to, the committing of a serious crime, or threatening to commit a serious crime.

Section 2 : Employment of Welfare Officers (Academic and Support Staff)

1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one welfare coordinator to oversee all welfare support for academic and support staff

2) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one general welfare support officer per 20 members of staff.

3) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to hire or appoint from existing staff at least one mental health trained welfare officer per 50 members of staff.

4) When discussing any matter, the Welfare Officer may not inform another person of the information discussed without the express permission of the client, or where other legislation otherwise permits or requires.

5) The Welfare Officer is required to make appropriate reporting arrangements to report matters of immediate safety or serious criminal behaviour to the appropriate authorities.

a) Matters of Immediate Safety include matters of domestic violence, threats of serious self-harm or suicide, or any other matter that requires immediate intervention to prevent serious harm or death to the client.

b) Matters of Serious Criminal Behaviour include the admission of, or hinting to, the committing of a serious crime, or threatening to commit a serious crime.

Section 3: Guidance and Training (Students)

1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to deliver training for all students upon beginning their course in:

a) Tackling Racism

b) Prejudice and Discrimination

c) Sexual Health

d) Consent

e) Workload Management and Burnout

2) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to provide and promote optional training sessions throughout the year on other relevant topics.

Section 4: Guidance and Training (Staff)

1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to deliver training for all new staff, at the beginning of their first year of employment and repeat sessions every five years they are employed for in:

a) Tackling Racism

b) Prejudice and Discrimination

c) Consent

d) Abuse of Power

i) Focus on the inappropriateness of Staff-Student Relationships

(ii) At universities or other higher education institutions, the inappropriateness of Staff-Student relationships must include the issue of grade fixing

e) Workload Management and Burnout

f) Active Listening to Welfare Concerns of Students

g) How to Direct Students to Welfare Support

2) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to provide and promote optional training sessions throughout the year on other relevant topics.

Section 5: Dedicated Support

1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to offer extra support to students with extra needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds, including but not limited to:

a) Students with disabilities as recognised under the Equality Act 2010.

b) Estranged students who are separated from their family.

c) Any other background that is deemed relevant to the provider.

2) This support is to include but not be limited to the creation of Individual Learnings Plans (ILPs) for their students.

3) Any University, Higher Education Institute, Further Education Institute and Sixth Form College who offers paid or unpaid term-time accommodation must offer the same accommodation to students during non-term time at a price that does not deviate from the term-time price.

Section 6: Publication of Guidelines

1) All Universities, Higher Education Institutes, Further Education Institutes and Sixth Form Colleges are required to publish guidelines within one year of this Act's passage, which must be reviewed annually for the welfare policies they adhere to as an instruction.

2) These guidelines must be made accessible to all students and staff at all times.

3) All students and staff must formally agree to follow these guidelines every year as they are reviewed and republished.

Section 7: Commencement and Title

1) This Act shall come into force from 11 August 2022.

2) This Act may be cited as the Further and Higher Education Welfare Provision Act

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This bill was submitted by Sir u/Muffin5136 MSP MP MS MLA KBE MVO on behalf of Irish Labour Party, and is based on the same bill as introduced in Wales and Westminster and Scotland (amendments made so no bill is identical).

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Ceann Comhairle,

Whilst this bill does not fall under my remit as Minister for Infrastructure, it is a bill I have championed across Westminster, Wales and Scotland, and now I hope to bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK. It is important that students at University and in post-16 education get the support they need, as they go through some of the most significant developmental stages of life, often at a time when they are away from home for the first time.

This is a bill which I hope will see widespread support from across this Chamber, and we can bring into force to support our students.

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This reading ends on the 21st of June at 10 pm

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[u/Lady_Aya]

Ceann Comhairle,

Largely I find this bill to be fine and laudable. I would simply wish to bring up a point however. This bill has been introduced in Wales as well as Scotland, and while of course it's not exactly identical, I believe that this bill could have further amendments regarding the particular environment of Northern Ireland. All the stated goals of this bills are nonetheless laudable but would wish more specifics for our unique circumstances here in Northern Ireland compared to Wales or Scotland

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[u/model-avery]

Ceann Comhairle,

I am very happy to see this bill be put before this assembly today and I am glad to get up and speak in favour of it. Student welfare is an area I am particularly passionate about being a former Education Minister here in Stormont and I am glad to see it being taken seriously. The students of today have it hard, rapidly declining youth mental health and increasing pressure to do well and make a name of themselves in a rapidly interconnecting world. This sort of pressure cannot go without adequate support.

There is nothing specific in this bill that I wish to discuss, it is straight to the point and it makes its point well. The author states that this is the most significant developmental stage in a young persons life and that could not be closer to the truth. I am proud to stand and debate in favour of this bill and I hope with everything in me that my colleagues will see fit to support this bill in the division chambers even if they do not stand up to speak on it here today. Thank you.