Agenda item

This report provides an overview of the current performance in Medway in respect of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) and provides a summary of the work underway to support young people into appropriate programs and opportunities, post-16.

Discussion

The Skills and Employment Programme Manager introduced the report which focused on tracking destination of 16/17 year olds not in education or training and gaining an understanding of not knowns. Part of the challenge was tracking at the right pace and speed. In September, in any school year, there was usually a spike of unknowns and time was spent trying to resolve these. The NEET figure was always rolling and never static.

Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) – in response to a question on what was being done to support young people with SEND who had difficulties getting placements, the officer said that they worked with three providers in the area and there were good outcomes achieved for young people. There was also supported employment offers in place for young people from 16 plus with learning disabilities and autism.

The Assistant Director Education and SEND added that for children with SEND and with EHCP plans, the numbers fluctuated as if the option was made for them not to be in education, the EHCP ended.  A post 16 review took place by an independent person for all NEETS to make sure that they could start to fill gaps due to the loss of the European Social Fund. Funding for the service was transient and if providers could be identified, then work could be done on securing funding.

Aspiration Officer – it was commented that the Aspiration Officer post which was temporary should be permanent. The officer said that the Aspiration Officer was in place to support care leavers into education and training, seven care leavers had joined apprenticeships in the last month. This post was funded from an external pot and a business case was being developed for the position to be made permanent.

Identification of NEETs – in response to a question on what could be done to identify young people in danger of becoming NEET prior to age 16. The officer said that a pilot with different schools on preventative measures was taking place through Medway and Kent careers hub which helped schools improve their careers pathways.As this work grows and develops, it is anticipated the number of NEETs will come down. It was an aspiration for increased NEET preventative work, and they were looking at ways this could be achieved. Funding of programmes to support this work remained the biggest challenge.

Identification of children with needs was on the department’s work plans to do the work over the summer before they leave school, so they do not become NEET.

Gaps in comparative scorecards – it was asked what work was being done to identify what was being done across the region that Medway was not doing that affected the achievement of 19-year-olds. The officer said that the data from the Department for Education (DfE) scorecard was historic as this year’s data had yet to be published. There had been a large proportion of red and ambers on the registers due to a lack of cleansing of the tracking system which had now been rectified following extensive work. The figures from this would not be reflected in the DfE scorecard for another year. The planned Post 16 review would include outcomes for level 3 and 4 and there would be more information in the annual performance scorecard that would be presented at a future meeting of the Committee.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report.