Please can you provide answers to the following questions:
1. Please can you advise how you meet your Duty to encourage the participation of 16-18-year olds in education and training?
Devon County Council meets its statutory duty in a number of ways:
• Commissioning, along with 3 other Local Authority partners, Transitions support for young people from CSW Group. This contract has specific provision for NEETs identification and tracking and transitions support for individual young people, particularly those who are from one of our specified vulnerable groups or who are identified as “at risk of NEET”. This support may, in certain circumstances, be available from school year 9.
• Provision of clear on-line information for young people and families on the range of options available in the post 16 phase.
• Match funding and hosting the local operation of the Careers and Enterprise Company’s, Enterprise Advisor Network and the Careers Hub programmes.
• A planned programme of communications and publicity in local press/online platforms which showcases different forms of study e.g Apprenticeship, Supported Internship.
• Working strategically with Devon’s post 16 education providers to widen the range of options for those with Learning Difficulties or Disabilities, specifically the availability of Supported Internship programmes.
• Support for Careers events across the county e.g Big Bang South West
• Participation in the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network.
• Provision of an Independent Advice and Support service (DIAS) for parents/families of young people going through the Education Health Care Plan process
• Specific provision of careers advice and programmes for Children in Care/Care Leavers.
• Advice and support to Electively Home Educated young people through the Devon Home Education Service.
• Commissioning of various European Social Fund programmes to meet the needs of young people who are NEET, at risk of NEET, or requiring extra support to encourage their participation in education/training in the post 16 phase.
2. What support do you offer for NEET young people?
Once identified, any young people who are NEET are contacted by CSW Group, using a variety of means, and offered help and support to find a suitable learning option to meet their needs.
3. How much resource do you put in to supporting NEET young people and what does this look like in terms of roles? Please indicate the amount of FTE (Full time equivalent) posts you deploy.
The responsibility for NEETs activity in Devon falls to the Employment and Skills Strategy Manager, who contract manages the contract with CSW Group on behalf of Devon County Council. CSW Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of the four South West Peninsula Upper Tier Authorities – Devon County Council, Cornwall Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council.
19.3 FTE posts are dedicated to the Transition Contract in Devon. Staff are employed by CSW Group.
4. What are your processes for tracking 16 and 17 year olds to ascertain their education, training or employment status?
CSW Group is contracted by Devon County Council and 3 other Local Authority partners to deliver a full tracking service. This service meets the full Department for Education specification and provides information and data for use at local and national level.
The service identifies the school year 11 cohort and tracks their transition on to post 16 education or training. All young people are tracked up to and including school year 14. Specific vulnerable groups are tracked for longer in line with local authority statutory involvement.
5. How much resource do you put in to tracking 16 and 17 year olds and what does this look like in terms of roles? Please indicate the amount of FTE (Full time equivalent) posts you deploy.
23.3 FTE staff posts contribute to the tracking service operated by CSW Group for Devon.
6. Do you outsource any NEET work? Please provide details including KPIs.
All the NEET work for Devon is commissioned by contract to CSW Group. KPIs include minimising the numbers of young people who are NEETs (volume and %) and the numbers for which no information is known (volume and %).
7. Have you reduced the resource for NEET support and tracking this year from last year ‘ if so, by how much?
The value of the contract for 2018/2019 is the same at that for 2017/2018.
8. How likely is it that resources for NEET support and tracking will reduce next year?
We do not hold this information; this is yet to be agreed.