Parents & Carers

Parents have an important role to play in helping their child make decisions on the subjects they take at school and the course or career they decide to follow after leaving school.

It is important to talk through the choices your child has made even if they are certain of what they want to be. Support them to keep their options open as much as possible until they are perhaps certain of the course or employment route they wish to take.

You can help by discussing with them what they are interested in, what they are good at and what they enjoy. It might not always result in a concrete answer, but at this stage many young people are developing their ideas and the more information they have from parents, carers and family members, together with teachers and career support will make the decision a better informed one.

It is really important to encourage your child to not simply go along with subjects that their friends are doing.

Many subjects have been traditionally mainly for boys and girls, but it is important not to stereotype girls and boys into subjects, courses or career choices based on their gender. It is important to encourage your child to be what they want, rather than following a path which is not right for them.

• Support a choice based on interests and skills.
• Support a choice of subjects that are flexible so that your child can explore and develop ideas about courses and careers.
• Support decisions that are not based on what you or your child think are good for girls or boys to do.
• Support your child to be what they want to be.

Further resources