Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

10.24
10.25
10.26
10.27
10.28
Young women not in education or training (NEET)
When girls experience problems either inside or outside school which make it difficult for
them to stay engaged in learning, they often ‘drift out’ of the system rather than ‘acting-out’
in a way that results in their permanent exclusion. Young women who are NEET are more
likely than NEET young men to self-harm and to report feeling suicidal, depressed, and
desperate or hopeless about the future. 38 Lack of parental interest in girls’ education is a
factor in girls becoming NEET and dropping out of school, 39 as can be the low expectations
of school teachers. 40
Anecdotal evidence from NGO Platform 51’s 41 services suggests that girls are frequently
registered at a school and not attending, but the school continues to retain the funds aligned to
that pupil and fails to provide appropriate alternative provision. We are concerned that many of
these girls are not receiving the statutory 25 hours of education to which they are entitled, and
can become lost in the system, falling between the gaps in services. We also know that many
young pregnant women are unofficially excluded on the grounds of ‘health and safety’ or made
to feel that they cannot, or are not welcome to, continue in education. Some girls remain in
education but are ‘really here in name only’ and leave school with few or no qualifications. 42
Throughout their lives women who have disengaged can struggle to reengage with learning and
many fall into a negative ‘space’ which can be extremely difficult to move out of without the
appropriate support. When they do want to reengage, women face structural barriers including
a lack of affordable and available quality childcare, (See Appendix: 18) the high costs associated
with learning or training, and a lack of flexibility or appropriate provision on the part of education
and training providers. They can also face the personal barriers of a lack of self-esteem or selfbelief,
education not being a cultural norm and a lack of role models.
Children of teenage parents have a 60% increased risk of being born into poverty compared
to babies born to mothers in their 20’s, and young mothers are 20% more likely to have no
qualifications at age 30 than mothers who give birth over 24 years old. Female NEETs are 22
times more likely to be teenage mothers than the average. 43 The DfE Teenage Pregnancy Unit
has recognised that supporting teenage parents to increase their employability through access
to education, employment and training (EET) and reducing barriers to EET is key to reducing the
risk of poverty. 44 (See Article 13)
A narrow range of gender-stereotypical work placements tends to dominate young women’s
choices and many have limited knowledge of how choices about courses and careers influence
pay and progression routes. 45
38. FutureYou (2011) Waste: A FutureYou Report (no longer online) http://www.thefutureyou.org.uk/
39. Bynner, J. and Parsons, S. (2002) Social Exclusion and The transition from School to work: The case of Young People Not in Education,
Employment or Training (NEET) in Journal of Vocational Behaviour (Vol 60, Issue 2, April 2002, pps 289-309 (Abstract) http://www.
ingentaconnect.com/content/ap/vb/2002/00000060/00000002/art01868
40. The Scottish Government (2005) Literature Review of the NEET Group http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
Publications/2005/10/27175707/57078
41. Platform 51 http://platform51.org/ Accessed: 25/03/13
42. Collins, J. and Johnston-Wilder, S. (2005) ‘I was never really there’: Reflecting on girls’ non-participation in school’ in Lloyd, G. (2005)
Problem girls: understanding and supporting troubled and troublesome girls and young women. RoutledgeFalmer: Oxon
43. Department for Education (2002) Literature review of the costs of being ‘not in education, employment or training’ at age 16–18. http://
dera.ioe.ac.uk/4619/1/RR347.pdf
44. Department for Education Teenage Pregnancy Unit (2011) Aspects of child poverty: Reducing teenage conceptions and supporting
teenage parents. (no longer online)
45. Ofsted (2011) Girls’ career aspirations http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/girls-career-aspirations; and Equality and Human Rights
Commission (2011) The Equality Duties and Schools: Lessons for the future, Equality and Human Rights Commission Policy paper for
England, June 2011. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/EqualityAct/PSED/equality_duties_and_schools_policy_paper.
pdf
90 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013