Year 11 pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs are highly vulnerable and at greater risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) during the transition from school to Post 16 Education and not sustaining education, employment or training. The outbreak of the Covid-19 virus has significantly increased this risk and vulnerability.

This contract will support the positive transition of 30 year 11 students from Herefordshire Pupil Referral Service and The Brookfield School into Post 16 education, employment or training. The project will be a targeted programme with post 16 providers to work with those at risk of NEET. Young people will be supported to learn, adapt and engage so they are able to choose and sustain a suitable education, employment or training pathway post 16.

Being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) is linked to poorer health and employment outcomes for decades.

Herefordshire NEET recorded statistic for December 2022 is 3.1% 116 young people higher than the West Mids (2,4%) and England (2,7%) averages.

Monitoring of the NEET cohort suggests there is an over representation of young people who were considered to have SEMH needs previously attending a pupil referral unit, special school for children with SEMH or other young people in mainstream schools with identified SEMH needs.

The Learning and Work Institute’s NEET prevention what works report 2020, states that approaches that include flexible and tailored support are proven to be particularly effective in acting as a mechanism for positive outcomes across attainment and employment, progress and engagement for at risk young people.