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Too many disadvantaged young people are being held back from education or the jobs market by a lack of qualifications, substance abuse, bad behaviour or a criminal record, according to research published by the Prince’s Trust, writes Clare Jerrom.

While 14-17 year olds are optimistic about their chances of getting well paid jobs, these ambitions quickly disappear when they face the reality of low-paid, low-skilled jobs or training opportunities.

The trust’s chief executive Sir Tom Shebbeare highlights that more than 600,000 16 to 24 year olds are not in education, training or employment and 579,000 are claiming unemployment benefit, representing 20 per cent of this age group.

“This research not only shows that many of these young people are facing significant barriers, but – crucially – they aren’t picked up soon enough, while there is a realistic prospect of getting their lives back on track,” he added.

The report, based on interviews with 900 of the UK’s ‘hardest to reach’ 14-25-year-olds identifies critical points where statutory and non-statutory services should be doing more to prevent further disaffection.

These points include when children leave education or care, when young offenders are released from prison and when young mothers are ready to return to employment. If disadvantaged young people are not supported at these key stages, it becomes the entry point for social exclusion, it argues.

The report recommends that incentives to remain in education must be improved while a more flexible education system is required for those forced outside mainstream education, such as teenage mothers.

Intervention programmes should target young offenders leaving prison to prevent them returning to drugs, and re-offending while childcare provision should be extended to ensure parenthood is not seen as a barrier by single mothers.

Breaking Barriers? Reaching the Hardest to Reach