Careers advice services are failing looked-after children

The inspectorate's critical report, Moving Through the System, says careers advice services are particularly poor at supporting looked-after children and those at risk of becoming Neet (not in education, employment or training).

For the report, Ofsted visited schools and services for looked-after children in 10 local authority areas. In the majority of these areas councils had taken over responsibility for careers advice, which was still managed by Connexions staff.

While inspectors found that the transfer of responsibility to councils had been well managed they were concerned that too often careers advice was being offered by carers, teachers and residential staff, "who had too little knowledge and understanding of the full range of options to do this effectively".

The report states that careers advice to looked-after children was woeful. In around half of cases records of academic performance and career plans were incomplete. In one area carers had not even seen the school records of children they were responsible for.

The report does also highlight examples of good practice. One school for example was praised for arranging for Key Stage 4 pupils to attend a work placement for one day a week, as well as offering the chance to take a work based certificate covering fire and rescue in the community.
 
Ofsted's chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: "It is important that all young people get good and impartial information, advice and guidance to enable them, together with their parents and carers, to make well-informed choices about their future.

"It is encouraging to see the examples of good practice in this report, which I hope will provide inspiration to providers across the country."