key recommendations

n Create a minister for “Neets”. Such a job, focusing entirely on youth unemployment, would help “link up local and national work”, says the group. This would help to ensure that cash support for the crisis affecting teenagers is kept on track and not diverted to other priorities by local government.

n Give more support to pupils who are deemed likely to drop out (for example, by giving them an adult mentor), and also by focusing more spending in the problem parts of Scotland where the “Neet” problem is worse.

n Try and cut the problem off at source by boosting spending on pre-school years – research shows that early years education has more impact on a child’s life than at any other age.

n Focus more on improving the transition from primary to secondary, following evidence too many pupils fall away at this stage.

n Get children “work-ready” from primary onwards – with more work experience particularly for pupils who are disengaged at school.