Glossary

A

Academy

Academies are a new type of school. They are publicly-funded independent schools, for pupils of all abilities, established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups working in highly innovative partnerships with central Government and local education partners. Their independent status allows them the flexibility to be innovative and creative in their curriculum, staffing and governance and to work in different ways to traditional local authority schools.

Admissions authority

Schools which handle their own pupil applications are admission authorities. They send out information about the school and pupil application forms, giving a deadline for receipt. Local authorities are also admission authorities as they are responsible for admissions to community and voluntary-controlled schools.

Age-disputed child

An age-disputed child is an asylum applicant whose claimed date of birth is not accepted by the UK Border Agency and/or by the local authority who have been approached to provide support. This term is usually used to refer to people who claim to be children, but who are treated as adults by the Home Office and/or the local authority. Whether an individual is treated as an adult or as a child has serious implications for the way in which the person’s claim for asylum is treated, and the support received.

Application registration card (ARC)

ARC is a credit card sized document issued to asylum applicants after screening to show that they have applied for asylum. It is also used as evidence of identity, immigration status and entitlements in the UK. It holds identifying information including fingerprints and reporting arrangements in a microchip within the card.

Article 3 (of ECHR)

Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) states that ‘No one shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’. A person can make a claim for protection based directly on Article 3 of ECHR as states are prohibited from returning a person to a country where she/he may suffer a violation of his/her rights under Article 3.

Article 31

Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention prohibits states from penalising a refugee for illegal entry when the purpose of their entry is to claim asylum.

As soon as is reasonably practicable

Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 gives the Home Secretary power to deny support to asylum seekers who have not applied for asylum ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’. In December 2003, the Home Secretary provided further clarification by announcing that asylum seekers would be considered to have made their claim ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’ if they could give ‘credible explanation’ of how they arrived in the UK within three days of applying for asylum. However, support and accommodation must be provided if the applicant would have to live in inhuman or degrading circumstances otherwise.

Asylum and Immigration Tribunal

The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal hears and decides appeals against decisions made by the UK Border Agency in matters of asylum, immigration and nationality.

Asylum interview

An asylum interview is a substantive interview about a person’s reasons for claiming asylum in the UK.

Asylum screening unit

Asylum screening units are the entry points into the asylum system. It is here that in-country asylum seekers make their initial asylum claims and where immigration officers conduct screening interviews. See 'Screening Interview'.

Asylum seeker

An asylum seeker is someone who has lodged an application for protection on the basis of the Refugee Convention or Article 3 of the ECHR.

Asylum support

Asylum seekers who are destitute may be able to receive accommodation and/or subsistence support from the UK Border Agency (UKBA). This form of support is also referred to as 'UKBA support’, see below. If they have additional care needs, due to chronic illness or disability they may also be eligible to support from their local authority.

Asylum support adjudicators

Asylum Support Adjudicators consider appeals by asylum seekers against UKBA decisions to refuse or terminate asylum support.

Asylum Support Partnership (ASP)

The Asylum Support Partnership comprises five refugee agencies (North of England Refugee Service, Refugee Action, Refugee Council, Scottish Refugee Council and Welsh Refugee Council) which are contracted by UKBA to provide advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees. The Asylum Support Partnership used to be called the Inter Agency Partnership.

B

Baseline assessment

An assessment of a child's skills and abilities usually made by a teacher within the first seven weeks of starting primary school. It shows teachers what a child can do when starting school and helps them to plan lessons and measure progress. Areas covered include language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social development.

Behavioural support plan

A statement which sets out local arrangements for schools and other service providers for the education of children with behavioural difficulties.

BTEC National

Qualification equivalent to two A level courses. Subjects include nursery nursing, business studies and art and design. There are considerable practical elements to the courses with work placements offered.

C

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

CAMHS are services covering all types of provision and intervention, from mental health promotion and prevention, specialist community-based services, through to in-patient care for children and young people with mental health conditions.

Care plan

Following an assessment that a child needs to enter care and become looked after, the social worker must ensure that the child's needs (and the services to meet those needs) are set out in a care plan. A care plan should be drawn up before the child becomes looked after, or in the case of an emergency entry to care, within 14 days. The care plan includes key documents, such as the health plan and the personal education plan. It should inform the decision as to which placement (e.g. foster care) will be most suited to meeting the child's needs.

Case owner

The UKBA uses ‘case owner’ to refer to an official within its New Asylum Model who is responsible for an asylum seeker’s case throughout the process, from application to the granting of status or removal. Their roles include deciding whether status should be granted, handling any appeal, dealing with asylum support, integration or removal. The UKBA also uses the term to refer to an official at Senior Executive Officer level within the Case Resolution Directorate (see below) who is responsible for several teams of case workers.

Case resolution process

The case resolution process was set up by the UKBA to deal with unresolved cases of those who claimed asylum before April 2007. Claims are being dealt with by the Case Resolution Directorate at the UK Border Agency. It is expected that case resolution will take until 2011 to complete.

Catchment area

Some admission authorities give priority to children who live in an area around the school.

Certificate of Identity

Certificate of Identity, also known as the ‘Home Office travel document’ can be issued to people who have humanitarian protection or discretionary leave. The Certificate of Identity is not valid to travel to the country of origin.

Children's guardian

A children's guardian is an independent person appointed by a family court to represent the rights and interests of a child in court proceedings. Children's guardians are qualified and experienced in social work with children and families, but are independent of local authority social services, the court and everyone else professionally involved with the case.

Clearly unfounded claims

When the UKBA believes that the asylum seeker comes from a safe country and would not face a risk of being persecuted, it deems it a ‘clearly unfounded case’.

Community school

State schools in England and Wales which are wholly owned and maintained by the local authority. The local authority is the admissions authority — it has main responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils.

Connexions

Connexions is the government's frontline support service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in England. Through multi-agency working, it provides integrated advice, guidance and access to personal development opportunities to help remove barriers to learning and progression, and ensure young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life.

Convention Travel Document (CTD)

A Convention Travel Document, also known as ‘blue document’ is given to people with refugee status to use as a valid travel document in place of passport to travel overseas. This document is valid for all countries except the one from which the person sought asylum.

CTC - City Technical College

Independent all ability non-fee-paying schools for pupils aged 11 to 18. There are 14 CTCs and one CCTA — City College for the Technology of the Arts, in urban areas across England. CTCs teach the National Curriculum to pre-16-year-olds with a focus on science, mathematics and technology. They offer a wide range of vocational qualifications and part of their role is to innovate in the development, management and delivery of the curriculum.

D

DCSF

Department for Children, Schools and Families. Government department responsible for children and family services, including social services and education.

Designated teacher

Senior member of staff (not necessarily a teacher) appointed by a school to coordinate child protection procedures within the school, and for liaison with social services and other agencies.

Disapplied pupils

The National Curriculum assessments have been designed to make sure that as many children as possible can be assessed. There may, however, be a small number of pupils who are not able to take part in some or all of the assessments, even allowing for the full range of arrangements that can be made. Usually this only happens if all or part of the National Curriculum is not suitable for a pupil because he or she has certain special educational needs. The assessments are designed to cater for most pupils with special educational needs.

Discretionary leave

Discretionary leave is a form of immigration status granted to a person who the Home Office has decided does not qualify for refugee status or humanitarian protection but where there are other strong reasons why the person needs to stay in the UK temporarily. It is also granted to asylum seeking children until the age of 17.5.

Dispersal

Dispersal is the process by which UKBA moves an asylum seeker to accommodation outside London and the South East. They are first moved to initial accommodation while their application for asylum support is processed. Once the application has been processed and approved they are moved to dispersal accommodation elsewhere in the UK.

Dublin II Regulation

Dublin II Regulation provides EU member states with a mechanism for allocating responsibility to a single member state for processing an asylum claim.

E

EAL

English as an additional language. Educational provision for children whose first language is not English.

Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership

Plans education locally for children below compulsory school age, and childcare for children from 0 to 14 years. One Partnership in each local authority area draws up a plan each year which explains what local early education and childcare services will be provided and includes a list of all local providers of free early education.

EAZs - Education Action Zones

Groups of 15 to 25 schools which aim to create new partnerships, raise standards and generate innovation within education. These groups of schools receive £1million a year for three to five years. An EAZ based on a single secondary school and its associated primaries will receive £350,000 a year. These smaller EAZs are only being set up in Excellence in Cities areas.

EBD

Emotional and behavioural difficulties. Broad category which is used commonly in educational settings, to group a range of more specific perceived difficulties of children and adolescents. Both general definitions as well as concrete diagnosis of EBD may be controversial as the observed behaviour may depend on many factors.

EDP

Education Development Plan.

Education Welfare Officers

(otherwise known as Education Social Workers). Employed by local authorities to monitor school attendance and help parents meet their responsibilities.

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

The ECHR is an international legal instrument adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe. Its provisions are enforceable in UK law courts.

Exceptional leave to remain (ELR)

ELR was a form of immigration status in use before April 2003. It was granted to asylum seekers who the Home Office decided did not meet the definition of a refugee as defined in the Refugee Convention but whom it decided should be allowed to remain in the UK for other reasons.

Exclusion

The suspension or expulsion of a pupil from school for disciplinary reasons.

Extended school

A school that provides a range of services and activities often beyond the school day to help meet the needs of its pupils, their families and the wider community.

F

Family amnesty

The Family ILR Exercise announced by the Home Secretary on 24 October 2003 allowed certain asylum seeking families in the UK to stay. The main applicant of the family unit must have applied for asylum before 2 October 2000 and must have had a least one dependant child under 18 (other than a spouse or civil partner) in the UK on 2 October 2000 or 24 October 2003.

Family reunion

Family reunion is the policy enabling people bring their spouse and dependent children join them in the UK.

Fast track procedure

The fast track procedure is used to determine asylum applications from people who the UKBA assesses to be ‘suitable’. Applicants in the detained fast track are held at an Immigration Removal Centre and the initial decision on their case and any appeals happen at a faster pace than in the community. A case is considered suitable for the fast track process where it appears to the UKBA that the asylum claim can be decided ‘quickly’.

First reporting event

Shortly after the screening interview the asylum applicant will be asked to attend a ‘first reporting event’ where they will meet the UKBA case owner who will deal with their case and have the procedures explained to them, in particular the ways in which the UKBA expects the applicant to keep in touch with them during the course of the asylum process.

Foster care

Foster care is a support arrangement in which a child lives with a family called a foster family, or a foster carer. Foster carers and foster families are trained to look after children and young people.

Foundation schools

Type of state school which is run by the local authority but which has more freedom than community schools to manage their school and decide on their own admissions.

FSM

Free school meals.

FTET

Full-time education and training. FTET aims to enhance employability and move people into jobs, through high quality education, training and work experience. The key objectives are to help jobseekers reach NVQ level 2 (or equivalent) or offer support to those with basic skills needs and also to equip participants with employability and occupational skills for work.

G

Gateway Protection Programme

The Gateway Protection Programme is a government scheme which brings certain particularly vulnerable refugees living outside their home country to resettle permanently in the UK. Many refugees resettled under the Gateway Protection Programme have been living in refugee camps for several years and have no prospect of returning to their own country.

GNVQ (General National Vocational Qualification)

Vocational qualifications taken mainly by pupils age 16 and in full-time education.

H

Hard case support

See 'Section 4 support'.

HC1 form

Application form for help with medical costs.

HC2 certificate

Certificate which allows someone to claim free prescriptions and some dental and optical services.

High Court

The High Court can consider applications against determinations made by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in England and Wales. This normally takes a form of a statutory review which is a paper-based examination made by a single judge whether the law has been correctly applied.

Human Rights Act 1998

The Human Rights Act incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into the UK law.

Humanitarian protection (HP)

Humanitarian protection is a form of immigration status. It is granted by the Home Office to a person who it decides has a need for protection but who does not meet the criteria for refugee status.

I

IEP - Individual Education Programme.

Programmes which are drawn up by the class teacher and/or special needs co-ordinator within a school to provide individual support for children deemed to have needs over and above that of other children in the class. This could be either due to learning difficulties or because they are considered to be exceptionally bright or gifted children.

ILT

Information and learning technology.

Immigration judge

An immigration judge is a person appointed by the Lord Chancellor to decide appeals made to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

Immigration removal centre

Immigration removal centres are detention centres. They are used to detain people under Immigration Act powers, including those at any stage of the asylum process, not as the title might imply, just prior to removal.

Immigration Service

The Immigration Service is the UKBA department that regulates entry at UK ports, screens asylum seekers, manages asylum cases and contact with asylum seekers, and enforces removal of people who don’t have permission to remain in the country.

In-country applicant

An in-country applicant is a person who applies for asylum at the UK Border Agency office in Croydon or Liverpool after passing through immigration control.

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)

ILR is a form of immigration status given by the UK Border Agency. Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is also called ‘permanent residence’ or ‘settled status’ as it gives permission to stay in the UK on a permanent basis.

Independent schools

These are schools which are not funded by the state and obtain most of their finances from fees paid by parents and income from investments. Some of the larger independent schools are known as public schools, while most boarding schools are independent. Further information is available from the ISIS — Independent Schools Information Service.

Induction (asylum support)

Induction is the part of the process asylum seekers go through in order to access UKBA support. See 'UKBA support'. In the induction process asylum seekers receive information about the asylum and support processes and their rights and responsibilities in the UK.

Initial accommodation

Initial accommodation is provided to destitute asylum seekers while they wait for the outcome of their application for UKBA support. If the application is successful an asylum seeker is moved to dispersal accommodation elsewhere.

INSET - In-service education and training

All teachers have access to INSET in schools, helping them to refine their teaching and management skills.

Integration loans

Integration loans are available to people who have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection.

Interim support tokens (UKBA support)

Asylum seekers who claim UKBA support are given interim support tokens during the period when they are being dispersed. The tokens provide short-term support until their subsistence payments are available through their asylum registration cards at their local Post Office.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organisation which works in the field of migration worldwide. It runs various schemes on behalf of the UKBA to help people return permanently to their country of origin.

J

Judicial review

In the context of asylum claims, judicial review enables the applicant to challenge a decision on the basis that the original decision was based on the incorrect application of law. Judicial reviews cannot be used to challenge the asylum decision itself, this is the role of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

K

Key Stage

A child's progress through school is measured in Key Stages. Each Key Stage covers a number of school years. Starting at Key Stage 1 and finishing at Key Stage 4. • Key Stage 1 Infant School (3-7 years). • Key Stage 2 Junior School (7-11 years). • Key Stage 3 Lower Secondary School (12-13 years). • Key Stage 4 Upper Secondary School (14-16 years).

L

Learning Direct

A free advice telephone line which offers information on adult education and courses wherever you live and wherever you want to study (0800 100 900).

Legal representative

Legal representative is a barrister or a solicitor, solicitor’s employee or other authorised person who acts for an applicant or appellant in relation to a claim.

Local safeguarding children board

Local safeguarding children boards replace non-statutory area child protection committees. Local safeguarding children boards are required to co-ordinate and ensure the effectiveness of local arrangements and services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Looked after child

The term 'looked after children' (LAC) refers to children in public care, who are placed with foster carers, in residential homes or with parents or other relatives.

N

NASS 35

A NASS 35 is a UKBA document which states that the holder is no longer entitled to support as they have received a positive decision on their asylum application. It is used to demonstrate that they are eligible for welfare benefits.

National Assistance Act 1948 (NAA)

The National Assistance Act 1948 gives local authorities the responsibility to provide accommodation and services to people with a disability or other care need. It also puts an obligation on local authorities to conduct an assessment of anyone who might require residential care. From 1996 to December 1999, destitute in-country asylum seekers were supported by local authorities under the terms of this Act.

Naturalisation

Naturalisation is the process of becoming a British national.

NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training)

This is a commonly used acronym that is used to indicate young people who are not in education, employment or training; these young people are a key target group for Connexions.

New Asylum Model (NAM)

The New Asylum Model was introduced by the UKBA for all new asylum claims in April 2007. NAM entails a ‘case owner’ from the UKBA who is responsible for processing the application from beginning to end.

Non-compliance refusal

A non-compliance refusal is a refusal of an asylum claim on the grounds that the applicant has not complied with a direction given by the Home Office. These can include failure to provide appropriate documentation or failure to attend a Home Office interview.

Non-refoulement

Non-refoulement is the central obligation of the 1951 Refugee Convention requiring a state not to ‘expel or return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where her life or freedom would be threatened …’

Non-suspensive appeals (NSA)

When a claim for asylum falls under the non-suspensive appeals process it means that the applicant only has the right to appeal against a negative UKBA decision once outside of the UK.

O

Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)

An official body which regularly inspects all the schools in England which are mainly or wholly state funded. Ofsted inspectors produce education reports which are meant to improve standards of achievement and quality of education, provide public reporting and informed independent advice.

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

The Commissioner regulates immigration advice in the UK.

One stop appeal

The one stop appeal procedure aims to ensure that all grounds for appeal are dealt at one appeal only.

One Stop Service

One Stop Services are provided by the Asylum Support Partnership under contract with the UKBA. See 'Asylum Support Partnership'.

One-Day Induction (UKBA support)

The One-Day Induction process provides those asylum seekers who only need subsistence type UKBA support with information about asylum and support processes, their rights and responsibilities, and how to access health care.

Overstayer

An overstayer is a person who was allowed into the UK for a limited period but who has remained longer than the time allowed without permission from the Home Office or under the immigration rules.

P

Pathway plan

This is a plan devised by the supporting local authority once a looked after child turns 16. It is based on an assessment of the young person's needs and takes into account their views and aspirations. It must set out the services and the practical and emotional support that they require, so that they are able to make a successful transition from living in care to a more independent lifestyle. The plan will include arrangements for education, training, meeting career aspirations, finance, meeting health needs, and living arrangements.

Performance tables

The Department for Education and Skills publishes comparative secondary and 16 to 18 performance tables each year. The tables report achievements in public examinations and vocational qualifications in secondary schools and Further Education sector colleges. Primary school performance tables are published by local authorities and report the achievements of pupils at the end of Key Stage 2.

Personal adviser

Connexions personal advisers provide information, advice and guidance, support for young people aged 13 to 19, including vulnerable young people requiring more substantial one-to-one support. Their key objective is to support young people to remain in learning and to fulfill their potential.

Personal education plan (PEP)

An individual plan for looked-after-children developed in partnership with the child's school and which focuses on their educational needs, and is reviewed alongside the child's care plan.

Port applicant

A person who applies for asylum to the immigration officer at an airport or seaport when she/he first arrives, ie. before passing through immigration control.

Pupil referral unit

A pupil referral unit (PRU) is a type of school that is established and maintained by a local authority and is specially organised to provide education for children who are excluded, sick or otherwise unable to attend mainstream school (e.g. school phobics). The focus of units should be on getting pupils back into a mainstream school. A pupil referral unit is not a community or special school.

Pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

These statements describe any learning difficulties which pupils have, and specify the extra help or equipment they need. Around 3 per cent of school pupils nationally have statements. Some pupils with special educational needs are academically able. But schools face challenges in achieving Level 4 at Key Stage 2 for many pupils with SEN. The information on the numbers of pupils with SEN in each school helps you take this into account when looking at the school's results.

Pupils without statements

These are other pupils registered as having special educational needs but whose schools meet the pupils' needs without statements.

R

Refugee

A refugee is a person who ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…’ (Definition quoted from the 1951 Refugee Convention)

Refugee Convention

Refugee Convention means the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 and the 1967 Protocol.

Refugee status

Refugee status is awarded to someone the UKBA recognises as a refugee as described in the Refugee Convention.

Removal

Removal is a process whereby immigration officers enforce return from the UK to another country.

Reporting

Most asylum seekers who are not detained are expected to report to a reporting centre or police station.

Resettlement

Resettlement is the process whereby refugees living outside their country of origin are moved to another country for permanent resettlement. See 'Gateway Protection Programme'.

Review meeting

When children are looked after, the law says social care must review their care plan and what is happening in their life every 6 months to make sure that their care is adequate and that they are given the best opportunities. This is called a review meeting. This meeting is run by someone that is independent to the child’s situation, an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

S

Safe country list

A list drawn up by the Home Office of countries where it believes that persecution does not take place. Asylum seekers from these countries are likely to have their asylum application refused and are unlikely to be allowed to stay in the UK for their appeal.

Safe third country

The Home Office deems certain countries to be places where a refugee is safe from persecution: all EU states, Canada, the USA, Switzerland and Norway. If an asylum seeker travels through any of these states en route to the UK, she may be returned there on grounds of having travelled through a safe third country.

Screening interview

Screening interviews are meetings between asylum seekers and immigration officers to establish: identity, route to the UK, liability to return to a third country, eligibility for UKBA support, liability to prosecution, liability to detention and suitability for being dealt with under the fast track procedure. During the interview asylum seekers have their photo and fingerprints taken and are issued with an application registration card. See 'Application Registration Card'.

Section 10

Section 10 in the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 makes provision of ‘hard case’ (Section 4) support conditional on completion of ‘community activities’.

Section 2

Section 2 of the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 gives the UKBA power to prosecute asylum seekers who a valid document which states their name, nationality or citizenship.

Section 4 support

Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 gives the UKBA power to grant support to some destitute asylum seekers whose asylum application and appeals have been rejected. Support granted under Section 4 is also known as ‘hard case’ support.

Section 47 enquiries

Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 places a duty on every local authority to make enquiries when it has 'reasonable cause to suspect that a child who lives, or is found, in their area is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm'. These are known as Section 47 enquiries. Social services have lead responsibility for undertaking these enquiries with other agencies, in particular the police, health bodies and schools.

Section 55

Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 gives the UKBA power to deny support to asylum seekers deemed not to have applied for asylum ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’. See ‘As soon as reasonably practicable’.

Section 57

Section 57 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 states that UKBA support can be withheld if the asylum seeker fails to provide complete or accurate information to the authorities or fails to co-operate with further enquiries.

Section 9

Section 9 of the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 gives the UKBA power to withdraw support from families with children under 18 whose asylum application and appeals have been rejected and who are thought not to be co-operating with efforts to remove them. It also prevents local authorities from providing such support for the whole family although they may have the power to provide support to the child.

SENCO

Special Educational Needs Coordinator. SENCOs have responsibility for managing the effective delivery of the education psychology service, learning support, behaviour support, SEN assessment and administration, and parent support. A SENCO may be a member of staff of a school who has responsibility for coordinating SEN provision within that school. In a small school the headteacher or deputy may take on this role. In larger schools there may be an SEN coordinating team.

Separated children

Separated children are children under 18 years of age who are outside their country of origin and separated from both parents, or previous/legal customary care giver. Separated children are typically asylum seekers, but not in every case.

Separated children

Separated children are children under 18 years of age who are outside their country of origin and separated from both parents, or previous/legal customary care giver. Separated children are typically asylum seekers, but not in every case.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

This denotes any child that has been identified as having some form of educational need either as a result of learning difficulty or if they are deemed as particularly bright or gifted. These children receive additional support either from within the school or outside agencies. Consult the DfES booklet SEN: A Guide for Parents if you think your child may have special educational needs.

Standard acknowledgement letter (SAL)

In some cases, the UKBA will not be able to issue an asylum registration card, see Application registration card. Instead, a standard acknowledgement letter may be given which acknowledges an asylum application.

Statement of evidence form (SEF )

A UKBA form which separated children applying for asylum use to set out their grounds for claiming asylum. The form was previously used for all asylum seekers.

Statutory review

Paper-based examination made by a single judge in the High Court determining whether the law has been correctly applied.

Study Support

Voluntary learning activity outside normal lessons which aims to improve children's motivation, build their self-esteem and help them to become more effective learners.

Subsistence support

Subsistence support is the cash element of UKBA support. Asylum seekers who have accommodation, for example with friends or relatives, can apply for subsistence support only. This form of support is also known as cash support.

Substantive interview

See 'Asylum interview'.

Sure Start

A new, innovative cross-departmental strategy to improve services for children under four and their families in disadvantaged areas. Over the next three years it will support the development of at least 250 local programmes across England. These programmes will involve parents and carers as much as possible.

SVQs

Scottish Vocational Qualifications.

T

Teacher Assessment

A formal assessment made by a teacher when a child is aged 7, 11 and 14. Used alongside the national tests to judge a child's educational progress.

Temporary admission (TA)

Temporary admission is notice of a liability to be detained. It is given to asylum seekers applying for asylum at the port of entry who the UKBA does not put into detention. Those granted temporary admissions are issued with an IS96 document.

Transition plan

Plan devised following the Year 9 annual review of a statement of special educational needs, and updated at subsequent annual reviews. The purpose of the plan is to draw together information from a range of individuals within and beyond the school, in order to plan coherently for the young person's transition to adult life. Transition plans may also be devised for young people with special educational needs but without statements, where it is considered appropriate.

U

UCAS

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service — central agency for processing applications for undergraduate courses including degree level initial teacher training courses (BEd, BA/BSc with qualified teacher status).

UK Border Agency (UKBA)

The UK Border Agency is an executive agency of the Home Office. The Agency manages and enforces immigration control in the UK, including applications for permission to stay, citizenship and asylum. It is responsible for policy development in these areas of law.

UKBA support

Asylum seekers who are destitute may be able to receive accommodation and/or subsistence support from the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

Unaccompanied children seeking asylum

Unaccompanied children seeking asylum are children who have applied for asylum in their own right, who are outside their country of origin and separated from both parents, or previous/legal customary primary care giver.

Unallocated case

This is a term used within social services to refer to a case that requires the involvement of a social worker or other staff member, but has yet to be allocated to a named practitioner because there is, as yet, no capacity within the organisation to do so.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the UN agency with a mandate to protect refugees worldwide.

V

Voluntary Assisted Return & Reintegration Programme (VAARP)

Voluntary Assisted Return & Reintegration Programme is a UK scheme to help people return permanently to their home country. The scheme is operated by the International Organization for Migration for the UK Border Agency.

W

White list

‘White list’ was formally abolished in 1999. However, the term continues to be used informally referring to countries whose nationals in general are considered not to be at threat of persecution.