Official calms fears that children’s trusts threaten Connexions

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.