A Leeds education boss has promised an in-depth review of the city’s careers services for young people, in the light of a damning report which recommends a shake-up of provisions nationwide.
Councillor Judith Blake, executive member for Children’s Services, was speaking to the YEP after a Government select committee warned that careers guidance services for young people had “deteriorated”, and would continue to do so unless urgent steps are taken.
Coun Blake said: “We are concerned to ensure consistency of approach. Young people themselves have told us that this is a key area of priority for them and the Children’s Trust Board is embarking on an in depth study of provision across the city working with young people to ensure they get the best independent advice that is available to help them in their crucial decisions about further training and careers advice.”
Launching a report that examines the impact of the new duty on schools to provide independent and impartial careers guidance, Education Committee chair Graham Stuart MP said yesterday that “good careers guidance has never been so important”.
“Too many schools put their own interests ahead of that of their pupils, restrict access to other education providers and make the filling of their sixth form places more of a priority,” he said. “We want face-to-face guidance to be available to all young people as an integral part of a good quality careers service.”
Coun Blake said Leeds City Council “recognises the importance of high quality impartial Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) in helping reduce [the] NEET [rate]”.
She said the city ran a successful web-based service and had established a careers network for schools to share good practice and receive information. “We have also set up an approved list of careers guidance providers that the majority of schools are using to purchase additional IAG services,” she added.
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