We have collated key resources and guidance that you can use to effectively support learners who are most at risk of not having a positive destination.
Support and Guidance
Effective careers development starts early. These tools and resources will help you track learner aspirations and destinations over time, understand career readiness, and work closely with parents and carers to support learners in identifying their best next step.
Destinations Data
Use the Interests and Destinations Learner Form, or the Interests and Destinations tab in Compass+, to identify learners without a clear destination.
Use the Shuttleworth Timeline destination data procedure from Shuttleworth College as a guide for planning data collection, following correct processes, and analysing and reporting on destination outcomes.
Parental Engagement
Use Your Child’s Future – a questionnaire for parents and carers, to gauge parents’ and carers’ understanding of careers and progression pathways, then tailor the support your setting offers to them.
Review Parental Engagement in Careers Education - a suite of resources designed to strengthen parents’ role in careers decision‑making and boost their engagement in careers activities, it offers parent‑ and learner‑facing materials, tailored support for Careers Leaders, and practical preparation tools to help everyone get the most out of each activity.
If your setting has connected it’s Management Information System to Compass+:
Use OnTrack+ to identify emerging support needs for learners in Years 7-11, strengthening sustained learner engagement and post-16 transition. Users can consult built-in indicators such as ‘Persistent absence’ and optionally maintain additional indicators such as ‘Looked after child’. This data, combined with contextual knowledge of the learner, can be used to flag learners for intervention.
Deliver the Future Skills Questionnaire and review learner responses to identify potential barriers. Track learners who are responding consistently negatively throughout the questionnaire, focus on questions that relate to pathways and future aspirations and use responses to tailor support and intervention.
For Careers Leaders
Access Careers Leader Training that will support you in developing a progressive careers programme including how learners can be supported to make informed decisions at key transitions.
Review Government guidance on identifying and supporting young people at risk of NEET. It provides a benchmark of good practice on how to proactively identify young people at risk of being not in education, employment or training (NEET) using risk factors and data.
For Young People
From the DfE, Skills for Careers helps young people to consider training and career possibilities or get help working out their options.
The National Careers Service provides careers information, advice and guidance tailored to young people currently in education.
For unemployed young people, aged between 16 and 25, King’s Trust: Team offers a 12-week personal development programme to gain new skills, earn a qualification and meet like-minded people.