Careers advice needs clear direction

So it's unfortunate that information, advice and guidance (IAG) services are, on the whole, anything but. The government's IAG strategy has been delayed twice and is now slated for the autumn. Meanwhile, Connexions services are stinging from the attack meted out in last week's government-commissioned report on social mobility Unleashing Aspiration (see p11). The report called for careers responsibility to be removed from Connexions and reallocated to schools and colleges. Its verdict on the service is harsh on the Connexions advisers who do a sterling job to put young people on the path to success.

But there's no escaping that Connexions has failed the many through its rigid focus on prioritising the few, with the imposed target of reducing young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) distorting its focus. From the outset, Connexions has suffered an identity crisis over whether it is a universal or a targeted service.