Destitution in the UK

Much media attention has been given to the increased use of food banks as an indicator of the prevalence of extreme hardship, painting a picture of increasing destitution in the UK. Evidence to support this, however, is scarce. This new report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation sets out to address this issue by defining destitution in the UK, looking at how many people are affected, who they are, and the main pathways in and out of destitution. It also looks at the impact and experience of those people directly affected. 

Report: Preventing Disengaged Teenagers

The final results have been published of a three-year exploratory study into the impact of school-based programmes that aim to support students aged 14–16 who are at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training). There were key elements that appeared to be common to all the successful programmes: flexibility; group support; mentoring; a consistent and dedicated project lead; relevance to the world of work.

The study found that:

• The young people’s attitudes to school improved over time.
• In most cases KS4 attainment was better than expected.

• Young people (and the project leads) believed that they gained a variety of skills that helped them to remain in learning and prepare them for the world of work.
• The majority of students were still engaged in learning five months after completing their GCSEs.