FOI release

Freedom of information (FOI) response: training programmes within DfE

Published 1 October 2019

Applies to England

  • Date requested: 14 August
  • Date responded: 10 September

Request

The FOI request asked for the following information:

  • how many internal staff are designated to run training programmes, and how many staff hours were expended doing so?
  • how many internal complaints arose as a result of staff training programmes?
  • how do these numbers compare to other such programmes? Specifically, this includes statutory duties such as fire safety and first aid.
  • how much was spent on charities promoting agendas to civil servants? This includes, inter alia, mental ill-health counselling as a result of Brexit, trans awareness and intersectionality awareness.

Response

How many internal staff are designated to run training programmes, and how many staff hours were expended doing so?

2016 to 2017

No data held.

2017 to 2018

  • Academies group, 0.4 full time employee (FTE) designing and delivering training programmes joined 5 February 2018
  • Academies group, 1 FTE joined to run L&D programmes 19 February 2018

2018/2019

  • Academies group employed 1.4 FTE to run L&D programmes
  • As part of an initiative in Operations Group, 26 members of staff trained to support FED leadership programmes, contributing up to 10 working days per year (including training)
  • Circa 20 mental health first aiders (MHFA) run training on a mental health toolkit for line managers, personal resilience and team resilience: these sessions take place on an ad-hoc basis
  • We have 7 people who are trained MHFA trainers in the department: we have run 3 half-day mental health awareness courses and 2 full MHFA courses in the past 12 months
  • Recruitment policy had 3 staff to deliver training to staff on new approaches adopted on recruitment: the team carried out 73 days of training

How many internal complaints arose as a result of staff training programmes?

2016 to 2017

No data held.

2017 to 2018

None.

2018 to 2019

None.

How do these numbers compare to other such programmes? Specifically, this includes statutory duties such as fire safety and first aid.

2016 to 2017

First aid and fire warden training is either carried out by facilities management providers or through the landlord. In terms of the specifics of fire safety, no formal training is undertaken. Awareness is provided for new staff as part of their induction.

2017 to 2018

No change from 2016 to 2017.

2018 to 2019

No change from 2016 to 2017.

How much was spent on charities promoting agendas to civil servants? This includes, inter alia, mental ill-health counselling as a result of Brexit, trans awareness and intersectionality awareness.

2016 to 2017

No data held.

2017 to 2018

None.

2018 to 2019

We ran a one-day LGBT+ allies training course by Stonewall costing £6,520.