Education and employment can have a big impact on our health, but not everyone has an equal chance of a good education. Inequalities in early childhood can mean some people come out of the mainstream education system without getting the skills they need, resulting in poorer employment prospects.
Through engagement with the local community we have learned that the biggest concerns facing our residents when it comes to education, skills and employment are:
- Broader and more creative curriculum options
- Quality of employment and business opportunities
- Clear, varied and attractive post-16 education, apprenticeship and job opportunities
- Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support
- Support at work and into work for those with additional needs, including multiple disadvantage
- Mental health in schools/colleges and workplaces
- People understanding their employment and benefit rights
- Impact of deprivation on the ability of families to support learning in school
- Access and quality of adult education and training (including literacy)
Blackpool Researching Together is working to provide research in areas that will help address some of these concerns.
Research projects
We are currently looking for suitable projects in this priority area and will be sharing more about our work soon!
Guidance and support
The NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Blackpool is part of the NIHR and hosted by Blackpool Council. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaborations enable local authorities to become more research-active, embedding a culture of evidence-based decision making.