The School of Education has developed professional partnerships in a number of ways.
For example, partnerships with professional and statutory bodies are developed usually to secure endorsement of awards which give professional status recognition for practitioners. Such awards are then subject to regular scrutiny and inspection by the particular professional body. An example of this type of professional partnership is the National Youth Agency’s endorsement of the FdA Youth Work.
Professional partnerships of a differing kind are developed with large public sector employers, usually local authorities, in order to develop courses and awards which meet the staff development needs of the employer. This partnership may then extend into direct funding arrangements, where student places on the course are paid for directly by the employer. An example of this type of partnership is the way that the School of Education worked collaboratively with Connexions Sussex to develop and design the FdA Working with Young People and Young People’s Services.
A further variant on the range of professional partnerships is reflected in the way that the School has responded to invitations from governmental bodies to tender for direct funding and endorsement of programmes designed to respond to changing workforce needs; for example, the partnership the School has developed with the Children’s Workforce Development Council in response to the Early Years Professional Status initiative.