Parents and carers

Schools are responsible for providing independent and impartial Careers Guidance for all of their Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and Year 11) pupils, and they can do this by employing somebody directly or through another organisation. Whoever the Careers Adviser works for, they must have a qualification at Level 6 or higher in Careers Guidance and be registered professionals with the Career Development Institute, so you can be sure your child is receiving the right support. All young people should have agreed a personalised Action Plan by the time they leave school, this should identify what they have talked to their Careers Adviser about, what their main options are and what needs to happen to make their plans a reality.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council are different to some local authorities in that we offer a traded Careers Guidance service which is bought in by many schools and colleges across the North East. For the academic year 2023 to 2024 we are supporting all pupils in Egglescliffe, Ian Ramsey and Northfield, and we work alongside Conyers School's own Careers Adviser to deliver one to one support with some of their Year 11 pupils. All of our staff working in schools and colleges hold or are working towards the Level 6 Careers Guidance qualification. Please contact other schools directly to find out who they employ to provide Careers Guidance.

Every school must have a Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) plan and this should be easy to find on the school's website. Careers Education should start in Primary and must start in Key Stage 3. It will be delivered by school staff and other people with expertise such as Careers Advisers, employers and staff from colleges and universities.

Targeted support

We also provide one to one support for Year 11 pupils who face additional barriers to finding the right pathway to follow once they leave school. Our team of Progression Advisers will offer support to this targeted group of pupils from the start of Year 11 through to December of Year 12, so we can help if your child is finding the change from school to college or training difficult. We will help overcome barriers to learning and work, help with exploring what's available, help with applications and interviews and build individual plans with every young person which maximise their chance of successful decisions.

Children in home education

If your child is educated at home, we will offer support after January in Year 11. If you would like to talk to a Progression Adviser in the Autumn Term of Year 11, please contact us.

Special schools

If your child is educated in a special school in Stockton, we will be offering support in Year 11. If you would like to support your child in their careers discussion, please ask the school to arrange this.

Colleges

If your child is in college, they will be able to access help through the college's student support or careers teams.

Apprenticeships

If your child has gained an apprenticeship, they should be able to get help through their employer or training provider.

Support for young people who are not in learning or employment

If your child has left school and isn't in college or employment, we can help them. Parents and carers can really help us provide this support, and there is plenty of support available. One of the best ways to help young people explore their ideas is to help them be more self-aware. Parents and carers can talk to them about their strengths and interests, motivations, and what they want from adult life. When young people talk to Careers professionals about their aspirations, what they're good at, and what the people around them think they would be good at, it gives Advisers insights into the young person and helps us explore which pathways might be the best for them to follow. One of our best tips is, if you're not sure what you want to do, don't think about jobs and think about yourself instead.

If you would like to talk to someone outside of eductation, employment or training, please contact us at careers@stockton.gov.uk or telephone 01642 677600.