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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think they cannot force teens to stay on at school

36 replies

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:36

Right been thinking about this new law to ensure teens stay on after 16, now will this work in practice ?

What about teenage mothers
Young people joing the army
Young people living on their own
Married couple between 16-18
Young people in prison

How will their enforce this or what if they simply refuse to go I think if a teen is under 15 parents have some sway about attending school but how can you force a 17 to attend school when all they want to do is work

Also what will they do with young people who are not academic and would be more suited to work.

Please help I am about this whole issue

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2012 22:37

Have you researched it at all?

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 22:40

isn't it only stay on if they have nothing else lined up like a job/vocational training?

The young mum thing is a joke anyway, i was a mum at 15, and i went back after missing 1 term, but they all assumed i wouldn't bother, and weren't very helpful about it.

The army one is an interesting point.

why shouldn't a married person or someone living on their own go to school?

does make me wonder about children in care though, as they currently get booted out at 16.....

Original poster

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:41

Couldn't find out much about weather their would be exceptions or if parents would be liable for their teens not attending.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2012 22:42

Well I've just Googled and it's thrown up literally loads of pages that tell you they don't have to stay in 'school'...just in education, training or employment.

If they refused to do any of that, they couldn't survive because unlike years ago, they can't leave at 16 and sign on the dole.

Original poster

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:43

cazboldy it's not that they shouldn't more than they more likey to need to earn a income rather than go to 6th form

I was a young parent and simply couldn't afford to go to collage had to works to pay for nappys and baby milk had no family support

OP posts:

faeriefruitcake · 10/03/2012 22:45

Young Offenders try to get qualifications or just raise literacy and numeracy levels.

The person has to stay in school unless they have an alternative lined up, like the armed forces. It's a way to disguise youth unemployment, YTS all over again.

Original poster

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:45

So basically if your not in a job go to 6th form or collage if nt fine but you won't be getting any dole money

If that's the case fair enough really

OP posts:

MaureenMLove · 10/03/2012 22:45

TBH, seeing the rise in 6th form at my school, I don't think it'll be that much of a problem.

4 years ago, we had about 30 students in 6th form, this September, we have an intake of at least 180 and it isn't compulsory yet.

Kids can't get jobs, so they are taking the opportunity to stay at school to get more qualifications, to be in a better position for a job. Those that aren't academic are chosing to go to vocational colleges for a trade.

Those that secure a job, between yr11 and yr12 are still going to be allowed to do so, as I understand it.

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 22:46

i was kucky in that i lived with my parents still, and (now) dh worked (as he was older) so covered all costs for ds and myself.... kind of paid my parents rent almost

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 22:46

lucky

Original poster

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:46

I don't think young people should be out of education if they can't find a job if your not working then you might as well, but will they be providing more vocational choices for those who are not academic

OP posts:

usualsuspect · 10/03/2012 22:49

You can't sign on the dole until you are 18

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2012 22:49

That's about it

What the Government really need to do is make sure there are enough apprenticeships available though because some kids need to be out of a classroom/college environment by that age and doing something more hands on.

MaureenMLove · 10/03/2012 22:51

Certainly in our secondary schools and the local college there are plenty of vocational studies going on.

Our less academic students, take those subjects from Yr10, usually with a day release to college.

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 22:53

and some more "hands on" type jobs just can't be learned in the classroom, the trouble is that young people can be easily exploited by those "training" them..... some are excellent, and want that person to learn properly and want to offer them a job at the end of it, but some just want a very cheap dogsbody!

Original poster

Mrbojangles1 · 10/03/2012 22:55

MaureenMLove oh good I was worried my son is very hands on and really wants to do an apprenticeship or work and I was worried what was being suggested was training or school only and he wouldn't be able to look for work

OP posts:

Mrsjay · 10/03/2012 23:23

the area my dd is at they stay on if they havnt got a job or further education till they are 17 it can be enforced ( I think ) as a lad my dd was friendly with left to go to a job got fired sigh and ended up back at school till he was 17 , dd stayed right on till 6th year and 18 , I dont think they should be made to stay on thats daft if they have somewhere else to go to , not every 16 year old is made for school , I skipped out the doors at 16 , although i did have a college course to go to ,

Portofino · 10/03/2012 23:34

In Belgium education is already compulsory til 18. The less academic can go to to a technical vs academic stream (which starts from about 14 I believe) and after 16 includes proper day release/training.

Mrsjay · 10/03/2012 23:38

scottish children have to stay on till christmas if they are not 16 before a certain date , not sure how it works the rest of the country ,

Mrsjay · 10/03/2012 23:39

portofino that used to happen here My mum went to a techinical school where as her sister went to a more academic school ,

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2012 23:43

Yes, this was a big problem in the 80's when they introduced the YTS (youth training scheme)

16yr olds were paid £25 per week by the Government to work for an employer and attend college 1 day a week.

But a lot of the employers just wanted a free employee to sweep up and make tea.

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 23:46

yes that's what happened to my dh.... he worked out that he was left, alone, milking a farmer's cows for 74 p while the farmer sat at home!

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2012 23:48

I kind of fell on my feet cos my YTS was with a small hairdressers and as much as I didn't actually want to be a hairdresser, I stuck at it for a year or so cos the tips were more than the YTS wages

Judester24 · 10/03/2012 23:50

Interesting point about young people in care. I was in care, and was put into my own flat under 18. I think care should last until a young person reaches 18 as they are still officially classed as a child until then.

cazboldy · 10/03/2012 23:55

it only occurred to me as my parents are foster carer's for a lad of 18 with sn, they had all kinds of case conferences to allow him to stay in care until he was 18 as he just isn't capable of looking after himself, and now he has turned 18, they want to reassess my mum's ability to be an adult carer..... even though she has looked after him just fine for the last 9 years

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