Education
Education is one of the best ways for children and young people to overcome early disadvantage and grow up with strong aspirations and prospects for future employment and citizenship.
Some children do not achieve all they are capable of in school, for a wide range of reasons. For example, they may:
- be struggling to cope with difficult circumstances at home
- be bullied cruelly by their classmates
- have learning difficulties which make it hard to keep up with their studies without some individual support.
There are also many young people who would prefer to learn in a more hands-on way or would be more motivated by vocational courses, directly relevant to their interests and ambitions, than by traditional academic subjects.
As a charity which provides education, training, advice and support to thousands of young people every year, Barnardo’s understands the needs of the many young people who do not flourish in mainstream education.
Education Services
More than two-thirds of Barnardo’s services involve education. They include:
- children’s centres and other early years services, such as parenting classes
- alternative provision for young people excluded from school or at risk of exclusion
- vocational training and work-based learning for 14-19 year olds
- three special schools for young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties
Barnardo’s campaigning work
We use our experience of providing education, training and support services across the UK to campaign for improvements in policy and practice. Recent examples are below.
Not present and not correct: understanding and preventing school exclusions - November 2010
Poor and disadvantaged young people, like those Barnardo's works with, are far more likely to be excluded from school than their better-off classmates. For many, bad behaviour in the classroom is a result of real difficulties outside school and exclusion does little to improve their behaviour.
Not present and not correct draws on Barnardo's experience of working with young people at risk of exclusion to present an in-depth, costed study of four models of early intervention and alternative provision which support young people to continue learning and manage their behaviour for the long term
Download our report - Not present and not correct: understanding and preventing school exlcusions (PDF)
Lost in transition: the urgent need to help young school leavers in the recession – March 2010
At last Autumn’s party conferences, Barnardo’s highlighted the urgent need to help over 200,000 young school leavers across the UK who were already trapped in unemployment.
- Download our policy briefing paper - Lost in Transition (PDF)
- Download our leaflet for employers – Opening Doors (PDF) explaining how you can work in partnership with Barnardo’s to offer work experience, training and job opportunities to young people in your local Community.
Second Chances: Re-engaging young people in education and training March 2009
Young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) are often portrayed as ‘idle’ or ‘feckless’, hanging around on street corners rather than getting a job.
Second Chances dispels this stereotype. 75 young people attending Barnardo’s services around the UK spoke about the real challenges they faced, as well as their aspirations.
View the Second Chances video of young people from two Barnardo's services speaking about their experiences: full length version (7 mins), shortened version (2 mins) (Windows Media files).
Download the Second Chances report (PDF) or the report summary (PDF)
Support our work for children in trouble with education
Teachers: email us to find out how your school could support our work through one of our education appeals
