The warning comes from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), who say plans to change the system could leave “a big cohort” of students without professional advice.
Currently careers advice for young people is given by the Government's Connexions service, they provide information for those aged 13-19 in schools and in individual centres around the country.
But with funding being withdrawn from services there is a risk that young people will be left with no advice at all.
The Government plans to introduce a new universal advisory system in April 2012, but the ASCL fears that cuts to funding will leave an advice gap before the new system is up and running. Sara Gadzik, Communications Director of the ASCL, said: “In a lot of places that service is being withdrawn by local authorities that just can't afford to fund it anymore. There's a new service coming into effect that the Government is putting into place but that's not going to be in place until April of 2012.”
“There's a year gap where there is just really nothing in place and schools are scrambling around trying to fill that gap. There is a real risk that there is a big cohort of students who are just not going to have access to good professional, impartial careers advice.”
Although it is a national scheme the funding for Connexions services is decided upon by local authorities. Hampshire County Council say that no decision has been made on the future of the it's scheme.
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