Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Young people want a good job and that should be our starting point. I’ve heard from hundreds of thousands of children – they are ambitious, they want to do well, they want to work. I’m pleased their voices and their ambition have been included in this review.
“Young people need a full, rich education that gives them the knowledge to get on in life. Children consistently tell me that careers support and advice isn’t good enough. Yet when I surveyed all school leaders, they ranked careers and post-16 support among their lowest concerns – that must change.
“A great education is the best intervention, but too many children are missing out. Nearly 1 in 3 children who are persistently absent become NEET. We have stopped talking about COVID, but we are still paying the price for closing schools. I have heard from the sector there are children who are hidden from view, children enrolled and wanting to work towards their future in post-16 education but struggling with the transition. We don’t know enough about their attendance – I will be writing to all colleges in England to better understand the picture of severe absence.
“This review must be the start of a radical change. We know young people face a range of challenges beyond the school gates. All public services must be pulling together across the entirety of a child’s life, to tackle this enormous challenge. Nothing less is sufficient to meet the needs and aspirations of the nation’s children.”
