Introduction

Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) are at greater risk of a range of negative outcomes, including poor health, depression or early parenthood. The indicator is included to encourage services to work together to support young people, particularly the most vulnerable, to engage in education, training and work.

The Government recognises that increasing the participation of young people in learning and employment not only makes a lasting difference to individual lives, but is also central to the Government's ambitions to improve social mobility and stimulate economic growth.

To support more young people to study and gain the skills and qualifications that lead to sustainable jobs and reduce the risk of young people becoming NEET, legislation was included in 2013 to raise the participation age as contained within the Education and Skills Act 2008. This required that from 2013 all young people remain in some form of education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17.

From September 2016 Department for Education (DfE) relaxed the requirement on authorities to track academic age 18 year olds. Local authorities (LAs) are now only required to track and submit information about young people up to the end of the academic year in which they have their 18th birthday ie academic age 16 and 17 year olds [1].

Data Overview

Oldham's percentage of NEET 16 to 17 year olds is higher than regional and national averages for the most recent data (2021). For the years prior to this, Oldham's rate had been largely comparable with North West and England rates (figure 1). Oldham's rate currently sits 3rd highest in Greater Manchester, ahead of Tameside and Salford (figure 2).

Figure 1: Percentage of 16 to 17 year olds NEET trend
Source: Department for Education (DfE) 

Figure 2: Percentage of 16 to 17 year olds NEET across Greater Manchester
Source: Department for Education (DfE)

The Department for Education (DfE) publishes an estimate each year of the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). However, evidence shows that there are a range of factors that can affect the proportion NEET, and as a result they also produce a scorecard that aims to put the headline figure into context. The below information explores the data from the scorecard. Please note figures relate to a different time period to those reported above [2].

Young people in a vulnerable group are more likely to be NEET. In oldham for 2022, 4.7% of the 16-17 year old cohort were reported as being in a vulnerable group. Caution should be used in interpreting these figures due to variation in local authority reporting of these characteristics.

A young person is said to be in a vulnerable group if they have any of the following characteristics (taken from IC01 of the NCCIS returns):

• Looked after/In care
• Refugee/Asylum seeker
• Carer-not own child
• Disclosed substance misuse
• Care leaver
• Supervised by YOT (Youth Offending Team)
• Parent-not caring for own child
• Alternative provision
• Mental health flag

Oldham has a lower percentage (23%) of vulnerable young people classified as NEET compared with the North West (26.4%) and England (25.8%) (figure 3).

Oldham has a higher rate of NEETs for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan and in young people receipt of SEN Support. However, for both of these groups, the performance gap when compared regionally and nationally is smaller than for those without SEN (figure 4).

Figure 3: Vulnerable 16-17 NEET, 2022
Source: Department for Education (DfE) NEET Scorecard

Figure 4: 16 to 17 year old NEETS by SEND status, 2022
Source: Department for Education (DfE) NEET Scorecard

Further Information & Resources

OHID's Child & Maternal Health Data Profile
Additional data and information relating to children and young people's health

NEET and participation LA scorecard
he Department for Education (DfE) publishes an estimate each year of the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). However, evidence shows that there are a range of factors that can affect the proportion NEET, and this scorecard aims to put the headline figure into context by presenting it alongside a range of other related information.

Statutory Guidance - Participation of young people: education, employment and training
Statutory guidance for local authorities on their duties relating to the participation of young people in education, employment or training.

Statistics: NEET and Participation
Young people’s participation in education, employment and training and those not in education, employment or training (NEET).

References

[1] OHID Child & Maternal Health Profile, accessed September 2023
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-neet