National survey finds that one in three schools has no plan to deliver careers advice

“Children & Young People Now” is reporting that a third of schools are yet to decide how to fulfil their new duty to provide careers advice for pupils, and changes to Connexions services have adversely affected four out of five schools across the country. Ths is based on a survey by the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG).

From September, schools will have a legal duty to “secure access to independent and impartial” careers guidance for pupils. Schools will be free to decide how to meet the new duty, but will not receive additional funding to pay for careers guidance, which has until now been funded by local authorities.

The ICG survey questioned 238 schools on how they are preparing for the changes. Asked what provision they plan to put in place from September, 8% said they intend to either do nothing, or refer pupils to websites and other online services, while one in three said they were yet to decide.

Almost everyone in the survey believes that face-to-face guidance is “very important” or “quite important”, but less than half said their school is planning to purchase impartial career guidance services from external careers guidance providers or independent careers advisers.

Nationally, the changes to Connexions services have adversely affected four out of five schools, half of which said they now have a “reduced” or “seriously reduced” careers service for pupils. A further 13% said careers guidance services for pupils have ceased completely since the changes to their local Connexions.

Here in Birmingham, Connexions is proposing that from April 2012 we continue to deliver a free careers information advice and guidance service to young people in schools who have learning difficulties or disabilities or who are in other vulnerable groups. Schools in Birmingham may also meet their new legal duty by purchasing additional careers information, advice and guidance services from Connexions Birmingham.