Information for Parents and Carers
In response to major in-year budget cuts, the Connexions Service in Surrey is reconfiguring the way we work with immediate effect. Our priority is to continue to support the most vulnerable young people in our community.
The Connexions service will now focus on;
· Helping young people in school who might become NEET (not in education employment or training) post-16,
· Helping those aged 16-18 who have already become NEET.
In schools Connexions will:
· Concentrate on 139a Assessments for young people with statements of special education need, to help them to achieve a positive transition into education, work or training post-16.
· Support young people in year 11 from groups who are at risk of becoming NEET post-16, including looked after children, those known to the Youth Justice Service, and those from the Gypsy Roma Traveller community.
· Support young people in year 11 who receive fixed term exclusions, those whose attendance falls below 60%, and those on School Action.
Post-16, Connexions will;
· Support NEET young people, helping them find a suitable job or college course as quickly as possible.
· This support will be delivered on an outreach basis using a variety of different locations and techniques
The other effects of this reconfiguration:
· The five Connexions Centres in Surrey have now closed.
· ‘Remote’ web-based and call centre services are now being made available to all young people.
Remote services;
· All secondary schools in Surrey can access this website through their school's web portal, which provides multiple links to ‘best practice’ sources of information and advice on all aspects of young people’s lives, along with career planning tools, CV writing templates and similar useful resources. many schools also use CareersEtc, which offers similar facilities.
· This website also provides a link to the fully searchable national database of job vacancies.
· To help young people make informed decisions about their next step in education or training, http://www.surrey-area-prospectus.co.uk/ is an interactive database containing details of every course and training opportunity available in Surrey.
· Connexions Direct Advisers are available 7 days a week, 18 hours a day via freephone, text or webchat.
These changes to the Connexions service are intended to ensure we are able to continue to provide access to information for all young people while prioritising direct support for those who need it most.
More information can be found in the young people's section of Surrey County Council website www.surreycc.gov.uk
Information and useful websites for parents and carers of young people with special needs
Student Finance
Click here for some useful downloads, including a guide to Year 11 decisions, Choices 18+ and information for parents & carers of young people with learning difficulties.
www.parentpartnership.org.uk
Parent Partnership offer information, advice and support for parents of children and young people with special educational needs.
www.parentcentre.gov.uk
Support, information and advice about young people's learning. Includes links to special needs support groups dealing with a range of conditions and disabilities.
www.trans-active.org.uk/teenz/index.htm
Online magazine for teenagers with learning difficulties
www.myfuturechoices.org.uk
For disabled young people in transition to adulthood, their families and people they work with.
www.mencap.org.uk
Information for parents and for young people with learning difficulties
www.skill.org.uk
We are a national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of impairment in post-16 education, training and employment.
www.youreable.com
Information, products and services for disabled young people
www.oneforus.com
Online magazine for young people with learning difficulties
