In addition to the guidance and support students receive at school, they will also be looking for advice and guidance from parents and carers at home. Having these conversations with your child can really help them start thinking about what they want to do when they leave school and can make a great starting point for the conversations they have in their careers meetings in school.
To support your child during these conversations at school it is important to remember that there are a whole range of opportunities and pathways available to them, and it is important to listen to their own views on what they think is right for them, as well as sharing your own views and advice without dictating to students what they should or should not do based on your own personal opinions.
As a parent or carer, the best ways you can support your child in making choices about their future are:
- Having discussions about your own career pathway and the positive and negatives of this.
- Encouraging your child to utilise their Unifrog account to get personalised advice on career pathways that might interest them.
- Asking them about careers events they have taken part in at school as and when they take place.
- Helping your child source a work experience placement in year 10.
- Attending sixth form and college open events with your child.
- Attending any local careers fairs.
- Supporting with your child’s Help You Choose applications.
- Help your child research possible options for their future.
- Discuss with them the careers meeting they have had in school.
Some useful website and platforms that parents and carers can access to help support these conversations with their children are outlined below:
