Paul Convery: "New approach needed"

Attempts by government agencies to help the young people were often met with suspicion or even hostility the report said.

However many young people - especially those from minority ethnic backgrounds - appreciated help from local voluntary sector organisations.

Paul Convery - one of the report's authors - said the findings signalled the need for a change of tactics in tackling the problems some youngsters encountered moving into the adult world.

He said: "We know from this research how difficult it is to make and retain contact with disaffected young people, even for a short time.

"Connexions, if it is to deliver sustained and comprehensive support as planned, will need to achieve a major shift away from the style and working methods of the old careers services."

Domestic problems

Nearly half those interviewed for the JRF report had been excluded from school and many others had dropped out.

Report co-author Gary Craig said many of the young people interviewed had suffered turbulent home lives including cases of abuse and threats of arranged marriages.

Professor Craig said the young people rarely made the connection between difficulties at home and problems at school.

"Since education professionals did not appear to have made the link with events at home either, it seems the causes of educational disaffection are often poorly understood and under-explored," he said.

Researchers also concluded that too little account was taken of racism and other special difficulties encountered by young people from minority ethnic groups.