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Fears that Connexions is to be phased out as children’s trusts come on stream were allayed this week by a leading civil servant, <b><i>writes Amy Taylor.</i></b>

Speaking at a conference on Connexions and young people with disabilities, Steve Jackson, divisional director for Connexions and the Regions at the Department for Education and Skills, said that press reports on the service ending were “greatly exaggerated.”

He said that Connexions, an advice service for 13 to 25-year-olds, needed to be a part of children’s trusts “strategically”. “The kids value an independent service so it’s going to stay being that and we can achieve that within a children’s trust,” he said.

Jackson added that although it was “unfair” to say that young people with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or mental health problems had fallen off Connexions’ agenda and it could improve its service to these groups.

The idea of “champions” to promote these issues had been muted but not followed up, he said.

There is an optional module for personal advisors in their training on working with young people with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or mental health problems and Jackson said that Connexions was now “perhaps in more of a position” to make it compulsory.