26.Sections 8 to 10 of the Employment and Training Act 1973, as amended by sections 45 and 46 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993, form the basis of the Careers Service. This legislation places a duty on the Secretary of State and the National Assembly to secure the provision of information, advice and guidance for people in full-time education (except higher education) or in part-time vocational education in order to assist them in deciding what employment will be suitable for them, and what education and training will be necessary to enable them to obtain that employment. The Secretary of State and the National Assembly also have a power to secure careers services to assist people who are not engaged in full or part-time education. The Secretary of State and the National Assembly can make arrangements and give directions to other people in order to arrange for the provision of careers services. These duties are discharged in England and Wales through contracts with careers service companies. In England, the provision is inspected by DfEE staff and is the subject of an annual report by the Secretary of State to Parliament. In Wales, the provision is inspected by Estyn under section 35 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. The Connexions Service for England will include work currently undertaken by the Careers Service.
27.Section 44 of the Education Act 1997 requires the heads and governors of publicly funded schools and colleges to provide careers advisers on request with the names and addresses of pupils or students, information about pupils or students that careers advisers need in order to give guidance, and access to those pupils or students at reasonable times. A "careers adviser" is defined as a person employed by a body providing services under section 10 of the Employment and Training Act 1973. Section 43 of the Education Act 1997 requires maintained schools to provide programmes of careers education in years 9 to 11; such programmes are a necessary foundation for careers information and guidance. Section 45 of the Education Act 1997 requires the heads and governors of schools and colleges to give pupils and students access to careers guidance materials.
Background Careers Services and services for young people