English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and other skills support: Homes for Ukraine
Guidance for providing ESOL and training for other skills.
Applies to England
Low English language skills are the main barrier to employment and integration. The Ukrainian cohort predominantly want to work and are highly educated.
Having these guests move into work is part of their integration into society. It is an important aspect of supporting them into self-reliance and independent accommodation.
We know councils are working closely with local Further Education providers so new arrivals are signposted to and can access ESOL and other adult education.
Funding of education services
People from Ukraine aged 19 and up, and their family members settled in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine), can access training to gain the skills they need to move on with their lives.
This includes provision funded through the adult education budget (including ESOL) and Level 3 - free courses for job offer and skills bootcamps.
As the tariff is not ringfenced, it can also be used to fund education and skills support including ESOL provision.
Other ways of providing training
Councils are strongly encouraged to procure non-traditional, innovative alternatives to existing provision. This might include online tutor led delivery models, commercial providers, courses run to more intensive timeframes, and courses which run at different times of day to suit different people.
Councils should consider investing in wraparound and innovative solutions rather than rely on traditional delivery. By investing in ESOL provisions it will boost people’s self-sufficiency which in turn will allow councils to focus in the long term on other priorities.
Councils should also be mindful of additional challenges to Ukrainians where public transport is more limited, and where childcare forms a barrier to attendance at colleges.
Further resources for parents
Councils can direct parents to the guest guidance which contains advice on childcare and education up to 16 years old, and education for people from 16 years old to adults.
Guests can read more information about education for children up to 16 years old and education for anyone older than 16.
The Department for Education (DfE) have published resources to help support children and young people arriving from Ukraine to integrate.
For children who are not travelling to the UK with or to join a parent or legal guardian, there is a different welcome guide that contains the same advice, in the section about School and Education.