Over one million young people are now NEET - Not in Education, Employment, or Training. The waste of human resource is tragic and the resultant disaffection could dangerously destabilise society. This book describes the challenges and risks for young people within the NEET category, and the chaotic and confusing lives some young people lead, which increase vulnerability to becoming NEET.

In a unique collaboration, a Local Authority Educational Psychologist and a Connexions Personal Adviser examine the histories of employment and childhood to reveal the context of NEET. They describe how information about children's lives can be used to develop screening tools to facilitate early intervention in schools.

The five case studies presented are drawn from interviews with young people who have been affected by the experience of being NEET, their families, schools and Personal Advisers. The studies enable readers to understand the complexity of young people's lives from different perspectives. Such insights can be used to develop effective ways of reducing the incidence of NEET among our most vulnerable young people.

The book will be of value to everyone working with young people and striving to prevent NEET, in particular staff at secondary schools and academies, and personal advisers, educational psychologists, administrators and youth workers.