WIREDGOV

9 out of 10 parents are worried about giving their kids the right advice and guidance

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 14 August 2009

Embargoed until: 00:01 18 August 2009 · Children turn to parents as first port of call for advice about options after exams
· 9 out of 10 parents are worried about giving their kids the right advice and guidance
· One in four parents are not fully aware of the options and services available to their child

As A-Level and GCSE exam results approach, Directgov, the nation’s official website, reveals that almost half (45 per cent)* of young people turn to their parents as first port of call for advice about their options. 15 per cent turn to teachers for options advice, and 25 per cent turn to careers advisers. However, 9 out of 10 parents (89 per cent) worry about being able to provide the right advice and guidance to their children during this time.

According to new research conducted by Directgov, more than one in four parents (28 per cent) are not fully aware of the options and services available to their children once they leave education, especially in the current economic situation.

The Government has launched a new online resource for education leavers and their parents on Directgov called What’s Next (www.direct.gov.uk/whatsnext). This is a joint initiative between the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The initiative brings together a range of topics relevant to young people looking at their options after finishing education in one central place, presented in an easy-to-understand way. The website provides practical advice for those looking for jobs, including CV and interview preparation, and information about work experience and internships, higher and further education options, vocational training, and financial support available.

Cheryl Baker is the mother of twin daughters expecting some of their GCSE results on the 27 August; the TV presenter and ex-Bucks Fizz star, who is supporting the launch of Directgov What’s Next campaign said: “As a parent whose children are going through this huge decision making process, I felt quite overwhelmed in knowing where I could start giving them informed advice that could be of any help as it’s been a long time since I was in the same situation. Having an understanding of the resources and options available means I feel more confident in being able to support them through this time.”

Maxine McKenzie, Head of Citizen Communications at Directgov added: “By having accurate and up-to-date information on all of the different options available to education leavers at every stage from GCSE, A Level and graduates, we hope to help people know about all of the different routes our there so they can choose the path they want to.”

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For requests or for more information on What’s Next please call the Directgov team at 3 Monkeys Communications on 020 7009 3100 or email Directgov@3-Monkeys.co.uk

Notes to editors

*All research unless stated otherwise, was carried out online by 72point. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7-12 August 2009. The total sample size was 2,000 parents aged between 18-61+ and 2,000 young people aged between 15-24.

Directgov is the Nation’s official website and provides user-friendly, 24/7 information on all government services – including education, transport, tax, crime, the environment, employment – all in one place and in plain English. As well as being available on the website www.direct.gov.uk, which now attracts up to 18 million visits a month, it can also be accessed on any internet-enabled mobile phone, and on TV. In June 2009, the site received its 250,000,000th visit. www.direct.gov.uk is a Hitwise Top 10 Award winner for the quarter ending October - December 2008. During this period, www.direct.gov.uk ranked No. 2 based on market share of visits among all United Kingdom websites in the Hitwise Government - Central industry category. For more information, please visit www.hitwise.co.uk/ Please note: Directgov is spelt as one word and with a lower case ‘g’. Backing Young Britain is bringing businesses and public and voluntary sectors together to ensure that the valuable skills and experience of our young people aren't being wasted by helping young people find training, work experience or a job. www.hmg.gov.uk/backingyoungbritain

Contacts:

Helen Beckett.
Phone: 020 7829 3817
helen.beckett2@directgov.gsi.gov.uk

NDS Enquiries
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk