Best Practice

Discover more information and useful resources to ensure best practice

Personal Guidance is an important element in the support provided to young people. It allows them to explore their ideas, consolidate and reflect upon their vocational identity, career decision making and self-efficacy.

The Careers and Enterprise Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit states the following:-

What good looks like

Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level.

These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all students but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

Every student should have at least one such interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for a further interview by the age of 18.

The benchmark sets a high standard and states that staff giving one-to-one guidance to students should be qualified to an appropriate level. The CDI also specifies that to be on their register, advisers must be Level 6 or above. The government recommends that schools source their providers of personal guidance from this register.

Advisers can be employed by the school, self employed or employed by an external organisation. In all cases the school retains a responsibility to quality assure the guidance and to ensure that guidance is delivered in the best interests of the young person.

Further information about Personal Guidance can be found in the various Gatsby Benchmarks Toolkits:-

Schools

Colleges

SEND

Looking for a careers adviser

Use the CDI Register to find qualified advisers

Form the Future, based in Cambridge, can provide careers adviser support – contact them here.

If you are considering training a member of your staff as a Careers Adviser there are a range of routes that you can consider including the Level 6 Careers Development Professional Apprenticeship Career development professional / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

If you need further advice or information contact your Enterprise Coordinator.