Your child may have expressed wanting to drop out of their study or training. Whether they’re in sixth form, at college or university, transitioning to a new form of study or training can be tricky for some young people. Even after spending time researching, visiting colleges and universities and attending interviews, the course or subjects your child chooses may not be as they expected. Some of the the top reasons why a young person may want to drop out include:
- Financial reasons
- Health and wellbeing
- Stress
- Pressure
- Struggling with their course content
- Not enjoying their course
- Haven’t made friends
- Change in personal circumstances or aspirations
As a parent or carer, this can be very worrying and an understandable cause for concern. In England, children must stay in some form of education or training until they are 18. This can include:
- Staying in full-time education, for example in sixth form or college
- Start an apprenticeship
- Spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
This is different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the compulsory age to stay in education is 16.
Whatever the reason, as a parent or carer there are things you can do to support your child if they are considering dropping out.
- Talk to your child about the reason(s) why they are considering dropping out. Do they need more time to adjust? Would a break be a good idea, rather than stopping completely, what other options are available, what could make a difference? – Be mindful that for some young people this can be an overwhelming and very stressful time, so try to tune in to their feelings as much as possible.
- It is key for your child to talk to someone at their place of study who will be able to offer them advice and guidance regarding their options. This could include their teacher, tutor, or the careers service who will direct them to the correct student support services at their school, college or University. If your child is completing an apprenticeship and wants to drop out, encourage them to talk about this with their Mentor/Learning Coach.
- If they are struggling with their course content, encourage them to speak to their tutor or student support services. There may be another qualification or study option that is better suited to their learning style.
- “Swap Don’t Drop” – Many colleges and training providers allow young people to change course if necessary. Encourage your child to speak with student support services to look at other subjects or courses they could swap to. If the course your child wants to swap to isn’t available at their current college, or they’re looking for somewhere closer to home, we’d recommend you contact the National Careers Service for further advice.
- Talk to your child about exploring their options – there are a range of qualifications and study/training options for young people, so it is important that they know what is available to them. Our School And College Student Advice is a great resource for young people to learn about their study and training options. You may also find it helpful to reach out to your local JobCentre who are often connected to local opportunities for training, employment and support.
Guidance for Dropping out of School
Whatever the reason for wanting to drop out, the key to supporting your child is to be non-judgemental and encouraging. It is not the end of the road, lots of successful people have broken education to employment journeys and still have achieved great things. Sometimes it is just about not being the right thing or at the right time, and that is OK. There is lots of advice, support and opportunities out there.
You and your child can also get in touch with the National Careers Service and talk to a trained and impartial Careers Advisor to discuss their options.
