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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PURPOSE
1. This study has been commissioned to provide an overview of the difficulties facing those termed as 'not in education, employment or training', or the NEET group in Scotland. The study is expected to contribute to an analysis of the needs of the NEET group and the effectiveness of policies.
DEFINITION AND SIZE
2. The NEET group is defined as 16-19 year olds not in education, employment or training. Statistics indicate that there has been little recent change in the size of the NEET group, which currently stands at approximately 13% in Scotland.
GROUP COMPOSITION
3. Analysis of the NEET group has identified a range of 'sub-groups'. These sub-groups contain relatively high percentages of young people who are NEET. These groups include young care leavers; limiting long-term illness ( LLTI); family disadvantage and poverty; substance abuse, young offenders; Additional Support Needs and educational disaffection. The 'at-risk' of becoming NEET group has also been examined in this study.
THEMES AND RISK FACTORS
4. Themes or risk factors across the NEET groups which appear to be most prevalent are: deprivation; financial exclusion; low attainment; weak family and other support networks (such as peers); stigma and attitudes of others and debt-aversity.
EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICY AND INTERVENTIONS
5. It has not been possible to 'map' the effectiveness of specific policy interventions with different NEET sub-groups, since it is not clear that such policies and interventions were designed either with the specific needs of the sub-groups in mind, or to specifically address the risks and barriers which exist for these groups, and which appear to impede progress in making effective transitions from ' NEET to EET'.
6. It is likely that a literature base exists which focuses on the various NEET sub-groups (although not defined as such) which might indicate the types of specific intervention support they require and how this impacts upon their NEET status. The more general, NEET-based literature review which was the focus of this study has not highlighted sub-group issues in any great detail, nor has it indicated which policies and interventions might be most successful with individual NEET sub-groups. Rather, the NEET-based literature has tended to focus on the general, NEET group. As such, it has not been possible to comment on policy effectiveness with individual NEET sub-groups.
7. Policies and interventions examined within this study have been classified as employability; information, advice and guidance; financial support policies; policies to remove practical and logistical barriers and widening access at pre-16. The majority have an employability theme. Most policies were not designed with the sole needs of the NEET group (or sub-groups) in mind, although the NEET group was intended to benefit from these interventions.
8. More recent policy interventions such as the Careers Scotland Key Worker Service (previously known as Beattie Inclusiveness projects), Get Ready for Work, Education Maintenance Allowances and Integrated Community Schools have demonstrated a step-change in the approach to supporting the NEET group and those at risk of becoming NEET. Such policies appear to be more clearly aligned to addressing the risks and barriers which exist and place emphasis on supporting the 'holistic' needs of the NEET groups.
KEY AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
9. The review has highlighted key areas for future research focus. There appears to be a need for greater emphasis on studies which can offer a more quantitative analysis of NEET-based policy effectiveness, including longitudinal studies, which offer a clearer evidence base of the longer term education, employment and training outcomes for the NEET groups.
10. There also appears to be a need to examine how policies might combine to offer incremental and sequential support to the NEET groups, and the effectiveness of this. This could draw clearer linkages between the compulsory and post-compulsory school stages.
11. The sharing of practice within and beyond the UK setting might also offer greater insights into effective interventions and aspects of transferable practice.
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